Elizabeth Taylor

More about the book

No celebrity rivals Elizabeth Taylor's glamour, fame, and resilience. As the last major star from the old Hollywood studio system, she captivated audiences with her beauty and magnetic presence across nearly sixty films throughout the twentieth century. However, her private life was even more compelling than her Oscar-winning performances. Taylor, married eight times to seven men, experienced rapid love and loss, becoming a survivor by age twenty-six with two divorces and one widowhood. Her life resembled a soap opera, culminating in her role as a pioneering activist against HIV/AIDS. As a co-founder of amfAR, she raised over $100 million for research and patient care. Additionally, she was a savvy businesswoman, becoming the first celebrity perfumer and ensuring she was compensated fairly. In this authorized biography, Kate Andersen Brower presents Elizabeth's world through her unpublished letters, diary entries, and interviews with 250 friends and family members. This work unveils the intelligent, empathetic, and complex woman behind the headlines—from her rise to fame at twelve in National Velvet to negotiating a million-dollar film salary, her eight marriages, enduring love for Richard Burton, struggles with addiction, and courageous activism. It offers a complete portrait of a legendary star and her lasting legacy.