superb reading and voice characterisations togethercwith a wpnderful story by Roger Lewis.

nothing to dislike. an excellent book and performance from all concerned. well done to all concerned in this production.

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Superb from start to finish

Absorbing, brilliant, clever, transgressive writing reflects a couple whose lives were surely indescribable. Brilliantly written..this author has a genius for writing and uses examples and metaphor and other references with flair ..sometimes I laughed out loud..other times I gasped. The reader here brought the whole thing to life..remarkable ear for voices and made the whole listen so engrossing I’m tempted to begin all over again. Whether you like Elizabeth and Richard or not (I do, I think..A lot..have just looked at the film the VIP’s ..they were ravishing…)this is superb writing and excellent listening.

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Superb. A masterpiece. Brilliantly narrated.

This ten-year-in-the-making comprehensive, compulsive, funny dual biography is mind-boggling - an incredible achievement.

I was unaware of so many of the facts: The cost of creating Cleopatra, Elizabeth's 'wear each dress once only' regime, her diamond collection, drug addiction, animal obsession, filthy habitats, excesses and outrages. Neither had I any idea about Burton's rags-to-riches background from his success kicked off by an extremely creepy schoolmaster's staggering intervention, to promiscuity, betrayal, alcoholism, hints at murder, a hidden-away child. I was fascinated by Taylor & Burton's need for one another, hatred of one another, jet-setting lifestyle, bigger-than-royalty celebrity status, the Pope's intervention...

If you love beauty, glamour, Hollywood, sex, A-lister film stars, Italian film sets, true stories of absolute decadence and movies from a bygone age, you'll relish this.

What makes this book a wholly enjoyable Audible experience though, is Justin Avoth's fantastic narration. His impressions of all the stars mentioned in this book (of which there are many) are both camp and spot on. Richard Burton, Elizabeth Taylor, Rex Harrison, Dirk Bogarde, James Mason, Kenneth Williams, John Gielgud... etc etc. I've got the voice of Richard Burton floating around inside my head still. Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon could not have done better.

Maybe this book could have been edited down to... what, a third of it's length? No. The weightiness of it is what makes it the masterpiece it is. Thank you Roger Lewis, for 22 hours and 58 minutes of incredible anecdotes fantastically told. I might just start listening to it all over again.

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Astonishing Detail

No wonder it took 13 years for Roger Lewis to write this epic; incredible research and detail. Not just the lives of Taylor & Burton are revealed but pretty much all the people they came into contact with. The story telling is provoking and at times wildly entertaining. The reading by Justin Avoth is extraordinary as he gives voice to the characters and the author. Just Brilliant!

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Just superb

A really excellent, bitchy book, one of the most enjoyable I’ve ever listened to. Get it and let your jaw drop at the antics of these 2.

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Please re-record this audio

The story is stupendous, but the narration sounds like it was recorded through a damp flannel.

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excellent biography

Roger Lewis is superb again with this book. He has a unique style which covers the many films roles they were in and just like the Peter Sellers book, he delves into their innermost personalities and troubled lives. The rights have been sold for a film ,I just hope the actors can do it justice.

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Excellent (if a little muffled)

What a rollercoaster ride! Absolutely loved this and listened even through the night. So much work has gone into this book, full of detailed observations and character insights.
The writer/narrator clearly has his personal experiences and opinions and often throws them in as asides, which sometimes jar with the narrative (especially the expletives) but are mostly amusing.
The non-chronological order of events kept me hooked, sometimes I could find a link, sometimes I couldn’t, but it didn’t matter. I found so many films unknown to me to research too, which was amazing.
As other reviewers have mentioned, the delivery does sound like it’s spoken through a flannel, I did soon get used to it but it’s still unworthy of this excellent work.

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The perfect match

No one could have done Burton and Taylor better justice than Roger Lewis and it could not have been better narrated. Richard Burton came uncannily alive in every quote.

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Outstanding

As a fan this book gave me a new perspective - it’s fascinating & so well researched

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