Table of Contents
Elizabeth's Films and Family xi
Prologue 1
Introduction: Elizabeth the First 9
Act I The Most Beautiful Creature The 1930s, 1940s, and 1950s 31
Chapter 1 A Star Is Born 33
Chapter 2 Young Love 76
Chapter 3 Bessie Mae 85
Chapter 4 "He Will Kill Her" 92
Chapter 5 Love and Marriage 108
Act II Passion and Pain The 1950s and 1960s 117
Chapter 6 Rock, Jimmy, and Monty 119
Chapter 7 Mike Todd: "He Was My King" 134
Chapter 8 Eddie Fisher: "He Kept Mike Todd Alive" 149
Chapter 9 Trailblazer 166
Act III Lavish Love The 1960s and 1970s 179
Chapter 10 Le Scandale 181
Chapter 11 Crazy, Stupid Love, 1964-1973 207
Chapter 12 The Loot: Elizabeth's Extraordinary Jewels 248
Chapter 13 The End and a New Beginning, 1973-1976 261
Act IV Survivor The 1970s and 1980s 283
Chapter 14 Political Wife 285
Chapter 15 Addict 313
Chapter 16 Building an Empire 332
Act V True Grit The 1980s and 1990s 345
Chapter 17 "Bitch, Do Something!" 347
Chapter 18 Ms. Taylor Goes to Washington 367
Act VI A Legacy of Love The 1990s to 2011 383
Chapter 19 Searching for Neverland 385
Chapter 20 Forgiveness 398
Chapter 21 Dame Elizabeth 413
Chapter 22 The Auction: "The Memory Always Brings Back a Stab of Joy, of Love" 427
Afterword: Lust for Life 434
Acknowledgments 447
Sources and Notes 451
Selected Bibliography 471
Index 473