Furious Love

Elizabeth Taylor, Richard Burton, and the Marriage of the Century

By: Sam Kashner, Nancy Schoenberger

Narrated by: Paul Boehmer

The definitive story of Hollywood's most famous couple.

He was a tough-guy Welshman softened by the affections of a breathtakingly beautiful woman; she was a modern-day Cleopatra madly in love with her own Mark Antony. For nearly a quarter of a century, Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton were Hollywood royalty, and their fiery romance - often called "the marriage of the century" - was the most notorious, publicized, and celebrated love affair of its day.

For the first time, Vanity Fair contributing editor Sam Kashner and acclaimed biographer Nancy Schoenberger tell the complete story of this larger-than-life couple, showing how their romance and two marriages commanded the attention of the world. And for the first time, in exclusive access given to the authors, Elizabeth Taylor herself gives never-revealed details and firsthand accounts of her life with Burton.

Drawing upon brand-new information and interviews and on Burton's private, passionate, and heartbreaking letters to Taylor, Furious Love sheds new light on the movies, the sex, the scandal, the fame, the brawls, the booze, the bitter separations, and, of course, the fabled jewels. It offers an intimate glimpse into Elizabeth and Richard's privileged world and their elite circle of friends, among them Princess Grace, Montgomery Clift, the Duke and Duchess of Windsor, Peter O'Toole, Michael Caine, Marlon Brando, Rex Harrison, Mike Nichols, Laurence Olivier, Robert Kennedy, Tennessee Williams, Noel Coward, John Huston, Ava Gardner, the Rothschilds, Maria Callas, and Aristotle Onassis. It provides an entertaining, eye-opening look at their films, their wildly lucrative reign in Europe and in Hollywood, and the price they paid for their extravagant lives.

©2010 Sam Kashner and Nancy Schoenberger (P)2010 HarperCollins Publishers

Insight into MEGAstardom

Would you listen to Furious Love again? Why?

I wouldn't listen to Furious Love again only because I don't think I have ever listened to an audiobook twice.

What did you like best about this story?

It showed the beginning of megastardom and the fascination with the private lives of celebrities even more than their work as actors. Just like reality stars of today (although they had talent) Liz and Dick began to take their stardom more seriously, I think, than their work.

Have you listened to any of Paul Boehmer’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

I havent- but I will say he does a tremendous job. He has a voice for every character. It puts you off for 2 minutes but after listening you really appreciate his enthusiasm for the characters and the story.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

It made me feel like I was in this 60's world of excess and appreciate how we have changed as a culture. There have always been stars, whether royalty or movie stars- we need them for inspiration, hope, escape.

Great narrator

He does a great Richard Burton impression! Gave their love story the tender hand it deserved!

Narrator makes this work

I loved this book. I might have taken it just as tabloid except for the effective narration. Paul Boehmer manages to "be" both Elizabeth and Richard without resorting to annoying voices. I was particularly struck with the power that Richard had with language which comes through in his letters and the delivery with a deeper voice and a lovely accent.

Entertainingly tragic!

It was a struggle to finish because it was to "bloody" long just to repeat the same horrible behaviors. Most memorable moments where the theatrical word Burton enjoyed using and his journal entrys. Though I have no doubts that he loved "E" as he called Elizabeth Taylor along with so many other names, I also believe that sometimes within that love affair were selfish motives which maybe one of the reasons his specific desire was never accomplished. As for Mrs. E.T. Burton what a sad soul.

What a tragic love story.

Couldn't stop listening to this! What a tale of glamour, addiction, talent, ego, excess and passion. If it were fiction, no one would believe this story to be true. Such a pity they were never able to conquer their demons at the same time to make a go of it.

A great tale about passion and glamour.

Did Paul Boehmer do a good job differentiating all the characters? How?

The book is the one you want to be as quickly as possible to be continued once you have put it aside. It is a good pastime, relaxing and entertaining. Could have had a stronger analysis of the characters but it may have reduce its enjoyment.

Fans of Liz&Dick will like it

I knew nothing about the lives of Liz and Dick, and found it interesting. If you're a great fan, you will probably eat this up. If not, it's an autobiography of two people who didn't blaze any new trails, so not much to be gained from reading it.

I enjoyed it!

The narrator took me a little while to warm up to, but then I liked him a lot. Subtle, good accents. It was wonderful hearing the letters that Richard wrote to Elizabeth, some of them even written when she was in the same room or suite. Enjoyed it.

Good story-VERY detailed

I enjoyed it. I'm a painter and im always on the hunt for something to listen to. Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor have been a mild curiosity of mine for quite awhile now.
Don't think I've ever finished a biography/autobiography leaving with a significantly diminished view of the subject(s)
It has always annoyed me to no end how the Hollywood overlords clearly seemed to fawn all over the likes of Elizabeth Taylor vs in heavy contrast to the horrid and downright cruel way that they regarded Marilyn Monroe among other "stars" in that era
The insider favoritism and nepotism has always been so blatant to me, that I was hoping to gain insight into *WHY* this Hollywood caste system existed and *WHY* Taylor was treated like insider royalty.
Unfortunately, instead of having some of those questions answered for me, the book only exacerbated them. Producers and executives bestowing Elizabeth with the expensive jewels that she demanded after every film...A near BANKRUPT FOX STUDIO continually flying her out her favorite chille from LA to ROME, 1 million dollar salaries+perks and script approvals.
Industry perks in which other Actresses had to fight tooth and nail to win.
Overall a really great book, although I had to pause it a few times and step away bc my annoyance levels would periodically hit the roof.
It dawned on me a few chapters in that
thier grotesquely pampered and self- indulgent lifestyles were propped up against a backdrop of extreme economic hardship, wars, and turmoil for the rest of the global peasantry.
Did they give back?
NOT REALLY.
In fact, true for Hollywood even today,
the author casually informs the listener that they were constantly jet setting around the world and bouncing from Country to Country to exploit every possible tax loophole on the books.
Why this woman is continually praised for being such a noble charitable Philanthropist is beyond me.

The last notable issue ive pieced together is the cozy relationship that the Burtons among so many other "stars" seem to have with key political figures, the Rothschilds, Queen of England and Royal members from all over the planet.
It seems as though there wasn't a Communist leader they didn't schmooze and booze with either.

Why did the American "Revolution" happen again, exactly?😆

Fortunately, the book reassures us by the end that all of the Burton/ Taylor spawn have safely inherited their "birthright" without a hitch.
Curiously, in spite of the childrens chaotic upbringing ( in which the rest of us mere mortals would struggle to keep up scholastically,)
THEIR children were miraculously eligible to attend the fanciest and most intellectual schools,
they were evidently so talented that they were bestowed with Hollywood careers too.
Alas, the Burtin Taylor legacy shall continue with their progeny.
Perhaps this will give readers comfort as they absorb the last few chapters which are bleak and depressing.
The weight of their lifestyle eventually collapsed and crashed on their heads towards the bitter end.

Too celebrity-stricken

It was interesting but read like a publicist’s press release. The author clearly loved his subjects but I was hoping for something deeper. I did not realize this book had been written so long ago and while Taylor was still living.