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Erotic Vagrancy

Everything About Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor

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Erotic Vagrancy

By: Roger Lewis
Narrated by: Justin Avoth
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About this listen

The comic genius of English writing takes on Hollywood, delusion, celebrity and last century's ultimate glamour couple: Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor.

Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor were a Sixties supercharged couple in an era of supercharged couples. As a pairing they were fantasy figures, impossibly desirable. Liz supple and soft, in perfumes and furs - yet with something demonic and lethal about her. Dick, in turn, with his ravaged, handsome face, looked as though lit by silver moonlight - poised to turn into a wolf.

Roger Lewis uses this glamorous and damaged pair as the starting point to tell the story of an age of excess: the freaks and groupies, the private jets and jewels and the yachts sailing in an azure sea; the magnificent bad taste and greed. It is about the clash of worlds: the filth and decay of South Wales and the grandeur and elegance of Old Hollywood; the fantasies we have about film stars and the fantasies the Burtons had about each other.

©2023 Roger Lewis (P)2023 Quercus Editions Limited Entertainment & Celebrities Entertainment & Performing Arts Film & TV Celebrity Entertainment Funny

Critic Reviews

"Brilliantly funny...the book of the year." (Sunday Times)

"By turns, funny, tragic, tender and vicious...a word-of-mouth sensation." (Guardian)
All stars
Most relevant  
fascinating story and excellent narration, spoilt by substandard recording. I am reluctantly returning this audiobook.

Quality of recording is poor. it sounds like the narrator is talking on a mobile phone.

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I was recommended this book but I found it hard going. he could have summed it up in a few sentences. I was very dissapointed and had to make myself finish it. the format he used was hard to follow.

didn't enjoy this

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I thought I would take a look at this book because I heard it mentioned on a book podcast. Sounded interesting and quite fun and to be fair it had quite a bit of interesting and fun content. What gradually ruined it for me was the author going into great depth about Richard and his Shakespeare while at the same time seemingly leering at Elizabeth's breasts. The author unfortunately is one of those silly men who think women grow breasts at will and for only one reason, to lure in men to their peril. He even sexualises Elizabeth at age 12 going on about her budding breasts and thrusting away on her horse. That's when my heart sank the first time. Later about various other actresses who get into relationships with charismatic talented actors who happen to turn into total sadists, of course this is interpreted as these women craving abuse , yeh...just NO. Richard is described with more reverance even though he has constant affairs, has deeply disturbing thoughts about his 12 year old step daughter and probably killed his brother. But hey! at least he doesn't have a pair of silly breasts for the author to mock. Author uses the words tits, monkey nipples, udders, c*+t, front bottom and even "boom booms" or was it boing boings? . I can't help thinking he spent those years writing this book with one hand under the table fiddling with himself then patting himself on the back for his intellectual and witty prose (sorry but no). Certainly put me off book professional book reviews.

Emperors New Clothes

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Amazing research - a fascinating account of people whose personal lives are far more dramatic than any drama they appeared in. The excellent narration brings them all to life.

Narrator extraordinaire!

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I don't think the term 'monumental' is an exaggeration. This audio is almost 23 hours, and the book took Roger Lewis ten years to write. I can't really say how those who never experienced Taylor/Burton in real time (ie in their pomp during the 1960s) would appreciate this tome but to any boomer it is a must read. Lewis's writing is hypnotic as he chops and changes between the two protagonists and between eras. But one is never confused or bored. He must have planned the shape of the book but it feels like the author is meandering on at length with no sense of structure or purpose. But who cares when the writing is so informative and funny. Lewis wanders outside of the narrative at will but never loses the reader's interest. His cross-cultural references from 'Carry on Cleo' to Proust are impressive and always relevant. Full marks to Justin Avoth for his reading. He smoothly switches from accent to accent with scarcely a pause and adds immeasurably to the fun with his timing.

Monumental

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