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168 reviews for:
Furious Love: Elizabeth Taylor, Richard Burton, and the Marriage of the Century
Sam Kashner
3.76 AVERAGE
168 reviews for:
Furious Love: Elizabeth Taylor, Richard Burton, and the Marriage of the Century
Sam Kashner
3.76 AVERAGE
I really enjoyed this one. I started it in July and then had to put it back down for a bit because I got distracted but o basically finished the rest of 90% I couldn’t get to this week. I LOVED all the new bits and pieces I got to learn about this forever couple. I read one of his books… finished this book and now am getting to Elizabeth’s newest biography that just came out. I love deep diving into their lives. This felt like it did a very good job of intermixing both of their lives and trying to get the big picture of their love. I’m sure things were omitted but for the length, it was great. Highly recommend.
I've never been a particular fan of either Taylor or Burton's careers, nor especially interested in their romance -- but I was unexpectedly caught up in this excellent account of their passionate, enduring, ferocious love for each other. The author, who was given access to Taylor's letters from Burton, walked a nice line between revelation and discretion. We see both Burton and Taylor up close, warts and all, but always with a sense of affection and respect.
Kashner makes a plausible case for the damage their public "Liz-n-Dick" partnership personna had an increasingly damaging effect on the private relationship between Elizabeth and Richard. Their drinking, particularly Burton's became increasingly damaging as well. (Taylor was blessed with a much greater capacity to drink with become drunk, or to suffer as much physically from it.) Unfortunately, when Burton tried to get sober, Taylor didn't quit her own drinking in support, and in fact often chided him for having become boring. Kashner takes pains to remind his readers that all this played out in the sixties and early seventies, before "alcoholism" was recognized as a disease.
What shines through the tragedy, the extravagant lifestyles, the ups-and-downs of their theater and film careers, is their enduring love for each other. They were not always good for each other, but they were passionately in love and remained so all their lives. In the end, I think that was the most compelling aspect of the book: an up-close look at so great and consuming a love, despite its terrible aspects.
Kashner makes a plausible case for the damage their public "Liz-n-Dick" partnership personna had an increasingly damaging effect on the private relationship between Elizabeth and Richard. Their drinking, particularly Burton's became increasingly damaging as well. (Taylor was blessed with a much greater capacity to drink with become drunk, or to suffer as much physically from it.) Unfortunately, when Burton tried to get sober, Taylor didn't quit her own drinking in support, and in fact often chided him for having become boring. Kashner takes pains to remind his readers that all this played out in the sixties and early seventies, before "alcoholism" was recognized as a disease.
What shines through the tragedy, the extravagant lifestyles, the ups-and-downs of their theater and film careers, is their enduring love for each other. They were not always good for each other, but they were passionately in love and remained so all their lives. In the end, I think that was the most compelling aspect of the book: an up-close look at so great and consuming a love, despite its terrible aspects.
emotional
medium-paced
emotional
informative
slow-paced
My interest in all things regarding Elizabeth Taylor put me first in line to read this book. I have a strange attachement to her life story - it is incredible and compelling to imagine myself in half the situations she experienced.
I cannot imagine the burden of her life. She is quoted in the book calling herself a freak and I guess that term comes closest to describing her. She is a one-off, a fantastic phenotype. Her genetic blessings gave her so much, and yet she and Richard both are portrayed as being unhappy in every biography I've read. I guess that is how my interest in them boils down: How do two people with so many advantages wind up so miserable?
This book gave me a new perspective on Richard Burton. I admit that my knowledge about him was pretty shallow. I was surprised by the eloquence of his writings - he was always presented as a great lover of the English language, and it is pleasing to see that he chose his words carefully and with skill. His tender side is exposed.
I cannot imagine the burden of her life. She is quoted in the book calling herself a freak and I guess that term comes closest to describing her. She is a one-off, a fantastic phenotype. Her genetic blessings gave her so much, and yet she and Richard both are portrayed as being unhappy in every biography I've read. I guess that is how my interest in them boils down: How do two people with so many advantages wind up so miserable?
This book gave me a new perspective on Richard Burton. I admit that my knowledge about him was pretty shallow. I was surprised by the eloquence of his writings - he was always presented as a great lover of the English language, and it is pleasing to see that he chose his words carefully and with skill. His tender side is exposed.
Before Bennifer, before Brangelina, there was Liz and Dick. Their relationship started the paparazzi craze that is still going strong decades later. I've never seen an Elizabeth Taylor or Richard Burton film, but I became more interested in their story after Taylor's death last year.
I only knew her as the lady that sold perfume...and I didn't know him at all. At one point I had a hardover of the book checked out from the library, but never got around to it. Then picked up the paperback from Target one day. It still sat around. Finally, after reading [b:Beautiful Ruins|11447921|Beautiful Ruins|Jess Walter|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1338161553s/11447921.jpg|16381755], I decided it was time for Furious Love.
Their story is glamorous and tragic. They loved each other so much they couldn't stand to be together. Burton wrote fantastic love letters. Taylor loved with an amazing passion. They really were amazing. And now I feel the need to hunt down their best movies (there's a list of what they each thought were their best in the book) and see them together (and not together) on screen.
I only knew her as the lady that sold perfume...and I didn't know him at all. At one point I had a hardover of the book checked out from the library, but never got around to it. Then picked up the paperback from Target one day. It still sat around. Finally, after reading [b:Beautiful Ruins|11447921|Beautiful Ruins|Jess Walter|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1338161553s/11447921.jpg|16381755], I decided it was time for Furious Love.
Their story is glamorous and tragic. They loved each other so much they couldn't stand to be together. Burton wrote fantastic love letters. Taylor loved with an amazing passion. They really were amazing. And now I feel the need to hunt down their best movies (there's a list of what they each thought were their best in the book) and see them together (and not together) on screen.
Jeeze-Louise, talk about excess! I'm old enough to have some basic knowledge about this ill-fated couple, but after reading this story, I came away admiring Liz despite her many flaws. Like her or not, she didn't back away from people she loved or causes she believed in. I must admit, I read this book with a sense of sick fascination at the gluttony and opulence that was Liz and Dick. So-called celebrities of today have NOTHING on this couple.
Every love story has its own charm but rarely can one be called the love story of the century and live up to it!
Taylor and Burton were ridiculous, extravagant and vulgar while also being generous, human and extraordinary.
The book is a great read. I'm not one for memoirs of any sort but this book reads like a dream. Gives you not only the epic meetings and the stories everyone knows but offers a fair look at the couple as well as all the others affected by their actions.
By book's end, when she says she has loved this man for 25 years, I was shocked to find myself tearing up. Not just because there was no more to read but because the book worked its magic...their love was and remains eternally entrancing.
Love this book and couldn't recommend it more.
Taylor and Burton were ridiculous, extravagant and vulgar while also being generous, human and extraordinary.
The book is a great read. I'm not one for memoirs of any sort but this book reads like a dream. Gives you not only the epic meetings and the stories everyone knows but offers a fair look at the couple as well as all the others affected by their actions.
By book's end, when she says she has loved this man for 25 years, I was shocked to find myself tearing up. Not just because there was no more to read but because the book worked its magic...their love was and remains eternally entrancing.
Love this book and couldn't recommend it more.
adventurous
challenging
emotional
informative
medium-paced