Liz: An Intimate Biography of Elizabeth Taylor

by C. David Heymann

Libro usado en buenas condiciones, por su antiguedad podria contener señales normales de uso

Genres: Biography, Nonfiction, Film, Audiobook, Celebrity

526 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1995

About the author

C. David Heymann is the internationally known author of such New York Times bestselling books as The Georgetown Ladies' Social Club; RFK: A Candid Biography of Robert F. Kennedy; Poor Little Rich Girl: The Life and Legend of Barbara Hutton; and A Woman Named Jackie: An Intimate Biography of Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy Onassis. Three of his works have been made into award-winning NBC-TV miniseries. A three-time Pulitzer Prize nominee, he lives and works in Manhattan.

Reviews

[Beth · Rating 2 out of 5]

Did you ever spend years of your life writing a huge biography of a person you can't stand? This author did.

Even the title was jerky b/c (as he well knew) she hated being called Liz.

[Mom · Rating 2 out of 5]

This author is boasted to have written books on celebrities that have been made into mini-series. While that is true, I don't feel that this could be or should be. It is filled with quotes by other people on their own opinions about her. It's clear that people have their own opinions and their interactions with the person influence their opinion. I don't give much credit for opinions being fact so it became tedious to read what other people thought about her.

[Romulus · Rating 4 out of 5]

Czytałem tę biografię trochę z doskoku, głównie w trakcie podróży służbowych i turystycznych. Jednak nie żałuję braku ciągłości. Nie lubię bowiem Elizabeth Taylor. Nie przepadałem za nią jako aktorką - zresztą trzy lub cztery filmy, w których grała widziałem będąc jeszcze chłopcem. Z dekadę temu widziałem „Kto się boi Virginii Woolf”.

Po przeczytaniu tej biografii nie lubię jej nadal. Egocentryczka, skupiona na sobie i własnych potrzebach. Rozpuszczona i rozkapryszona. Wtedy, za czasów jej świetności, to uchodziło. Dziś nie dostałaby pracy nawet będąc gwiazdą za takie zachowania i brak szacunku do współpracowników. W sumie to co tworzyło jej legendę jako gwiazdy filmowej źle o niej świadczyło jako o człowieku.

Biografia skupia się na jej życiu poza planem a jeśli wkracza na plan to tylko po to, aby pokazać jej kapryszenie, awantury i niedopuszczalne (dziś), nieprofesjonalne zachowanie. I romanse. Z tego jej rozliczał nie będę, bo nie była pruderyjną, religijną cnotką narzucającą innym swoje pruderyjne standardy jednocześnie żyjąc w sprzeczności z nimi. Choć nie omieszkam wspomnieć, że nawet w dzisiejszych swobodnych obyczajowo czasach mogłaby wywołać zgorszenie. Szczególnie w dwulicowym świecie mediów społecznościowych.

Może gdyby autor skupił się także na jej filmach jak skupił się na życiu uczuciowym to byłaby to ciekawsza biografia. A może nie.

Nie rozumiem jednego: nie lubiła, kiedy mówiono do niej „Liz”. Tymczasem autor często ją tak określa i nawet książkę tak zatytułował. Brak szacunku czy namysłu?

[penta · Rating 1 out of 5]

Pomimo mojej zasady nieoceniania pozycji non-fiction, dla książki Heymanna muszę zrobić wyjątek.

Czy jest to książka dobrze wykonana pod względem researchu? Tak. Czy jest to biografia intymna? Nie. To w ogóle nie jest dobra biografia, bo po samym doborze cytatów i rzadkich komentarzach autora widać, jak bardzo gardził Taylor jako człowiekiem. Już sam tytuł jest złośliwością, gdyż powszechnie wiadomo, że Taylor nie lubiła być nazywana Liz. Niemniej, blednie to w porównaniu do braku empatii wobec aktorki, którą Heymann się wykazuje na każdej płaszczyźnie. Bezrefleksyjnie przytacza cytaty mężczyzn porównujących nastoletnią Elizabeth do Lolity, czy anegdotki o tym, jak obcy ludzie molestowali ją publicznie, na przykład obnażając jej biust przed całym stadionem, ale nigdy nie uwzględnia ich w swoich refleksjach i przypuszczeniach dotyczących życia wewnętrznego przedmiotu swoich badań. Nie, Elizabeth Taylor wg Heymanna była po prostu humorzasta, melodramatyczna i okropna.

Szczytem tendencji autora jest chyba moment, w którym dowiemy się, że ukrywając się przed swoim pierwszym mężem, Taylor wykopała z "Quo Vadis" ciężarną statystykę, by zająć jej miejsce – ale o tym, że Elizabeth sama poroniła dziecko na skutek przemocy ze strony tegoż męża, nie dowiemy się od Heymanna, a z Wikipedii.

Żenująca pozycja, która mnie jedynie skłoniła do zainteresowania się jakąś rzetelniejszą biografią aktorki, napisaną przez kogoś, kto nie tworzy pod tezę.

[Natalie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this biographer's style. He did an amazing amount of interviews to compile this.

Plus, he doles out the dish on a variety of other stars' lives such as Nicky Hilton and others who have been involved with icon, Elizabeth Taylor.

Due to his style, I think I'd read another biography on about anybody if it's as well written as this.

[Angela · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Intimate" is a bit of a misused word to describe this biography. I didn't find it so much "intimate" as a "logbook of Elizabeth Taylor's behaviour throughout her life". Logbook, as in date, time, Elizabeth's reaction. Date, time, Elizabeth's reaction.
I was a little surprised at how exact a lot of the statements were, even in the beginning of her career. Elizabeth clearly spent her life under the microscope of society.
Moreso in the beginning of the book, the private life of Elizabeth is explored. As the years go by, her public appearances become more outrageous, and the information on her private self is less available. I wish the author had delved more into Elizabeth's family life, not just her working habits and recreational abuses.

[Spencer Rich · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was really more of a three and a half. It's pretty weirdly mis-titled. I would think that an "intimate biography" would be an authorized biography where the biographer gets complete access to the subject. This was definitely an unauthorized biography, and while the author doesn't mince words about her many controversial love affairs, her love of priceless jewels, her inability to be on time, etc., it's mostly fairly sympathetic, though it doesn't really speak much about her greatest performances. All in all, a fairly entertaining read. Serious diehard fans might find it a little lurid, but I don't see how it's possible to write a balanced biography about Elizabeth without a few juicy tidbits.

[Aleksander · Rating 1 out of 5]

To, że ta biografia powstała, jest swego rodzaju paradoksem, bo komu by się chciało poświęcić czas na pisanie biografii "intymnej" o osobie, której nie cierpi? I to jeszcze tak skrupulatnie, bo dobrego researchu tej książce nie można odmówić.

Heymann jest na wskroś stronniczy - o wadach i upadkach Elizabeth rozpisuje się na całe strony, o jej sukcesach wspomina "z doskoku". Ta dysproporcja naprawdę zakłamuje obraz Taylor, która nie była tyranem z przejawami dobroci i okazjonalnym sukcesem w swoim rzemiośle. Ale dla autora i tak jest rozkapryszonym bachorem mając zarówno 14, jak i 50 lat.

Jedyne do czego skłoniła mnie ta biografia, to do kupienia innej, by rzetelniej poznać historię jednej z ostatnich gwiazd Złotej Ery Hollywood.

[Robert Spake · Rating 3 out of 5]

http://manofyesterday.wordpress.com/2...

Decent biography. If you don't know that much about her and want to know more then it's a good read. If you already know a lot the it probably won't tell you anything new. It does focus on her relationships more than her work though.

[Rebecca · Rating 1 out of 5]

I couldn’t imagine a biography about Elizabeth Taylor being as interesting as reading the telephone book but this managed to be that boring. Over 400 pages later and still no sense of who Elizabeth Taylor was or even caring about her. Would not recommend this to anyone.

[Liz Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an incredibly well researched biography with thousands of first-hand impressions and quotes, beginning with ET's childhood and stretching all the way until her marriage to Larry Fortensky, and I couldn't put it down. For me, always the most fascinating passages have to do with Elizabeth's relationship with Richard Burton. This biography captures a less romantic portrait of that fateful relationship than comes across in other biographies of Richard Burton. Even Burton's Diaries capture more romance and passion. But Heymann's biography gave me an important piece of information, and that is how crass ET was; she was absolutely shameless. I think I realized toward the end of the book that one thing that gives me more compassion for Burton is that he did have shame and guilt. Elizabeth's sense of entitlement is excessive, but her zest for life is unrelenting. I recommend this book for anyone who is captivated by Hollywood, glamour, and an appetite that doesn't quit; it's all here.

[Brian Haining · Rating 3 out of 5]

What a rollercoster of a life!

The book takes you chronologically through her life from a privileged childhood in the UK, through her initial Hollywood films, her marriages, her excesses, her health and philanthropy.

She appeared to be a star as opposed to a great actress and was earning huge sums of money from a young age. As with many in her profession, she was often tardy and unprofessional whilst filming and seemed little interested in the final results.

Her personal life was chaotic, and she spent her entire life in a kind of cocoon from the real world.

The period when she was married to Richard Burton held the most interest for me and their life was a whirlwind of films, gifts, travel, drinking and drugs.

I tired a little of her story once her box office draw faded. An extraordinary life

[Peter Burton · Rating 3 out of 5]

Easy to read.Seems comprehensive but published before her death.He paints a pretty awful portrait of a beautiful face with a spoilt,selfish,self centred personality.How could someone be so shallow and selfish? Her private life made her more famous than her acting ability which resulted in very few great performances but the public still flocked to her films.Ultimately a sad story.So many lives were ruined by drink and sex-Montgomery Clift,Richard Burton,Nicky Hilton,Michael Wilding, etc.Such fabulous fortunes made on such flimsy foundations and wasted on diamonds,parties,booze and drugs.Depressing.

[Joan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I didn't think I'd get into this book as much as I did. I had tried to read some biographies of male stars from the same time period about Clark Gable, Cary Grant, and Paul Newman, but didn't finish any of them. I didn't know much about Elizabeth Taylor, but she evidently had quite the life both in front of and behind the camera. I thought reading about her 8 marriages was way more interesting than her film work. I actually kind of thought better of tabloids reading this because they kind of added an interesting layer to her life. She sounded like a somewhat normal person who just had this beauty that made her a tabloid feature and international film star. What a life.

[talia ♡]

adding ALLLLLLLLL the old hollywood/historical/gilded age/fabulous biographies, memoirs, and nonfiction books i have had on my bookshelf since my obsession with these people began at 12 years old...

i would spend my days reading these in my, i kid you not, vintage feather robe, with pincurls in my hair, and my (horrifyingly) thinly plucked eyebrows.

was a very glamorous child.

thankfully, my eyebrows grew back (thank you Persian genes!)

sorry for flooding your feed 😭

[Darla Ebert · Rating 5 out of 5]

So many new (to me) and interesting detail, minus any kind of vulgarities which is very welcome in a biography. When a writer (especially in a memoir) begins (ahem) over-sharing, the reader can make a wild guess of a conclusion: he or she ran out of material and also enjoys shocking people. This book was not only detailed but written in a compelling style. I loved especially the American cultural inclusions when it came to memories of each era, each decade, basically of the subject's life

[Arto Mutka · Rating 5 out of 5]

OMG what a fabulous trashy read!! Soooo incredibly detailed based on interviews with hundreds of people close to Taylor throughout her whole career and many marriages! Totally loved this book and gave a great glimpse into the crazy life of one the all time screen greats!

[Liz Estrada · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review pending

[Claire Biggs · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great read into the very turbulant life of Elizabeth Taylor from being born in London up to her last marriage to Larry, who she was still married to when this book was done, how she was very selfish, arrogant and rude throughout her life to the times when she also helped people in her life, she had many sides to her which you read about in this book

[Karen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Elizabeth Taylor's life was sad even though she had so much beauty and money.
Early fame and alcoholism really took a toll on her.
She through it all was still always a favorite to everyone.
It's a shame she and Richard could not work out their demons. They really loved one another.

[Isabelle · Rating 2 out of 5]

probably one of the most misogynistic biographies i’ve ever read. i don’t think elizabeth taylor was a perfect human being by any means but is it really necessary to mention her weight / appearance on every page?

[Cws]

791.43

[Jason · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well written and really interesting look at Elizabeth Taylor's life. I learned a number of things that I never knew before, which is always a plus when reading a biography.

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fascinating woman!

[Justin Edwards · Rating 5 out of 5]

Muck raking, gossipy... I loved it.

[Rita Chapman · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting insight into a Hollywood legend. She was quite a femme fatale!

[Shawn Thrasher · Rating 4 out of 5]

Trashy and like watching a train wreck.

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enlightening, she is quite different than I assumed she was.

[Sue N Shelquist · Rating 2 out of 5]

I lied - I didn’t finish this book, but got really bored with it. Ugh!