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Behind the Candelabra: My Life With Liberace
Liberace's lover tells all: the good, the bad, and the ugly truths about the legendary entertainer, who never publically admitted he was gay.
Scott Thorson, a poor boy from a succession of foster homes, met Liberace when he was just 16 years old. Liberace, aged 57, took Scott under his wing as 'the son he'd never had'. By the time Scott was 17, he was also Liberace's lover. Liberace lived life by his credo 'too much of a good thing is wonderful' and Scott shared in it: the fur coats, the Rolls-Royces, the jewellery, the celebrity friends, the 26 lap dogs. A more opulent lifestyle is hard to imagine but it came at a price: Liberace sent Scott to his plastic surgeon to have his face remodeled in Liberace's own image. By turns bizarre, shocking and touchingly intimate, Behind the Candelabra is a compulsive insight in to Liberace, the man behind the flamboyant performer whose successes provide a bright counterpoint to a darker tale of a man hungry for power, a man given to every excess.
Scott Thorson, a poor boy from a succession of foster homes, met Liberace when he was just 16 years old. Liberace, aged 57, took Scott under his wing as 'the son he'd never had'. By the time Scott was 17, he was also Liberace's lover. Liberace lived life by his credo 'too much of a good thing is wonderful' and Scott shared in it: the fur coats, the Rolls-Royces, the jewellery, the celebrity friends, the 26 lap dogs. A more opulent lifestyle is hard to imagine but it came at a price: Liberace sent Scott to his plastic surgeon to have his face remodeled in Liberace's own image. By turns bizarre, shocking and touchingly intimate, Behind the Candelabra is a compulsive insight in to Liberace, the man behind the flamboyant performer whose successes provide a bright counterpoint to a darker tale of a man hungry for power, a man given to every excess.
244 pages, Paperback
First published June 22, 1988
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793 people want to read
About the author
Scott Thorson
7 books7 followersScott Thorson was an American known for his relationship with and lawsuit against Liberace.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 207 reviews
May 23, 2013
When I first learned that this book existed I was pissed that I didn't know about it years ago. Then I worried it was no longer in print, after a quick check on Amazon I had a "praise Jaysus!" moment when I found it and that I could get it for my Kindle.
I was filled with a joyous glee that warmed my heart. I imagined Thorson's story to be a magical waterfall of sleaze that would flow down a sparkling mountain of garbage and at the summit of this mountain of trash would be a beautiful rainbow. And over that rainbow there would be a diamond encrusted unicorn with a lush mane of gold wearing sequined hot pants flying high in the sky. And then, and then.... I read the book. I was suddenly stranded in an arid wasteland of beige and a dull off white.
Thorson forgot the golden rule in tell alls, you actually have to tell it in order to sell it.
Thorson's story is a boring story of a man done wrong by a chicken hawk. The not so shocking revelations include the fact Liberace liked them young, he had an out of control libido, a penile implant and that he wore a wig. Gay man please. No one cares about that. We don't even care about his compulsive spending, gift giving and house buying. What we want to know (more like just me) what strange sex acts did he want you to do?
Was Liberace into golden showers? Did he enjoy an occasional hot lunch? How about a Cleveland steamer, dirty sanchez, a rusty trombone or a pearl necklace. This is what Enquiring minds want to know (again I know just me).
HBO please don't let the trash loving public down the way Thorson did. I know that you can dig lower than this Thorson character can stoop.
I was filled with a joyous glee that warmed my heart. I imagined Thorson's story to be a magical waterfall of sleaze that would flow down a sparkling mountain of garbage and at the summit of this mountain of trash would be a beautiful rainbow. And over that rainbow there would be a diamond encrusted unicorn with a lush mane of gold wearing sequined hot pants flying high in the sky. And then, and then.... I read the book. I was suddenly stranded in an arid wasteland of beige and a dull off white.
Thorson forgot the golden rule in tell alls, you actually have to tell it in order to sell it.
Thorson's story is a boring story of a man done wrong by a chicken hawk. The not so shocking revelations include the fact Liberace liked them young, he had an out of control libido, a penile implant and that he wore a wig. Gay man please. No one cares about that. We don't even care about his compulsive spending, gift giving and house buying. What we want to know (more like just me) what strange sex acts did he want you to do?
Was Liberace into golden showers? Did he enjoy an occasional hot lunch? How about a Cleveland steamer, dirty sanchez, a rusty trombone or a pearl necklace. This is what Enquiring minds want to know (again I know just me).
HBO please don't let the trash loving public down the way Thorson did. I know that you can dig lower than this Thorson character can stoop.
January 19, 2021
I read it in 2013 and again in 2021, finding it somewhat better the second time around. The "author" Scott Thorson (supposedly Liberace's male lover but the forced writing style is that of the co-author) mindlessly goes through the excesses of his life with Liberace but nothing really happens. Lee pouts. Lee gives him expensive cars and jewelry. Lee buys another mansion. Lee hates his family and tries to avoid his smothering mother. Lee gets jealous of Scott hanging out with people like Michael Jackson, so Lee demands that Scott never leave his eyesight. Lee arranges Scott's plastic surgery (to make the author look like a younger version of Liberace) without asking Scott if he's willing to do it. Along the way there are a few shockers alluded to (Liberace tried to be sexual with his younger brother? Thorson was propositioned for underage gay sex by his foster caretakers?) but no specifics are given.
Thorson comes across as a complete idiot who never questions the pianist. Of course he was young--living with Liberace from age 18 to 22--but still he never did anything other than what the pianist told him to do. The couple doesn't have a single serious disagreement until late in the book when Thorson gets hooked on drugs after his forced plastic surgery (which was to prepare him to be adopted as Liberace's son!) and Lee decides to move on to another 18-year-old.
Even with such bizarre events the book is written at a snails-pace because, like Liberace, Thorson doesn't really want to reveal too much beyond the surface. We gain very little insight into the star or his boyfriend. The book does give the gay community a pretty bad name and also implies that Liberace had deep ties to the Mafia. But $25,000 shopping trips and flamboyant decorating fill up too many of the pages. Too bad there weren't more specifics to really turn this into something worth reading.
The ending is the most interesting part--the quick demise of Liberace due to AIDS and what Thorson has done since Liberace's death. But those 25 years only take up three pages! Going into the witness protection program, working as an evangelist, getting shot five times, hiding out in Maine, getting addicted to drugs again, then ending up in prison three times. He breezes through all that in a few paragraphs--now those are the kind of stories I'd rather read instead of just more about clothing purchases or a star lying about his entire life to hide his sexuality.
Thorson comes across as a complete idiot who never questions the pianist. Of course he was young--living with Liberace from age 18 to 22--but still he never did anything other than what the pianist told him to do. The couple doesn't have a single serious disagreement until late in the book when Thorson gets hooked on drugs after his forced plastic surgery (which was to prepare him to be adopted as Liberace's son!) and Lee decides to move on to another 18-year-old.
Even with such bizarre events the book is written at a snails-pace because, like Liberace, Thorson doesn't really want to reveal too much beyond the surface. We gain very little insight into the star or his boyfriend. The book does give the gay community a pretty bad name and also implies that Liberace had deep ties to the Mafia. But $25,000 shopping trips and flamboyant decorating fill up too many of the pages. Too bad there weren't more specifics to really turn this into something worth reading.
The ending is the most interesting part--the quick demise of Liberace due to AIDS and what Thorson has done since Liberace's death. But those 25 years only take up three pages! Going into the witness protection program, working as an evangelist, getting shot five times, hiding out in Maine, getting addicted to drugs again, then ending up in prison three times. He breezes through all that in a few paragraphs--now those are the kind of stories I'd rather read instead of just more about clothing purchases or a star lying about his entire life to hide his sexuality.
June 6, 2013
Scott Thorson did a decent job of explaining what type of life style Liberace lived. Some time he rambled on about other people.
I have read other books about famous people and have come to the conclusion that many of them are very troubled people. They have money to live the great life but are very lonely people and have some very sick life styles.
Liberace had a very permissive life style and paid the price for it. And it was a very high price--his life. The book is filled with examples of how he took chances with his life. I am sure that the book did not even scratch the surface of how is life was. He has a great gift and many people were able to hear it. I was fortunate to see him on TV a few times to hear how great he was.
The book was choppy in some places and would change time frames. It did not stick to one time line. I have not seen the movie on HBO yet but would like to see how it compares to the book. I am glad I read the book but I do not think I will read it again.
I have read other books about famous people and have come to the conclusion that many of them are very troubled people. They have money to live the great life but are very lonely people and have some very sick life styles.
Liberace had a very permissive life style and paid the price for it. And it was a very high price--his life. The book is filled with examples of how he took chances with his life. I am sure that the book did not even scratch the surface of how is life was. He has a great gift and many people were able to hear it. I was fortunate to see him on TV a few times to hear how great he was.
The book was choppy in some places and would change time frames. It did not stick to one time line. I have not seen the movie on HBO yet but would like to see how it compares to the book. I am glad I read the book but I do not think I will read it again.
May 21, 2013
This is a well-written book. Thorson and his ghost-writer did a great job.
The behind-the-scenes story of Liberace is captivating with lots of action and excess. I knew little about Liberace going in and this book serves as a great introduction to the man and his life.
Thorson starts the book off well, playing the narrator instead of choosing sides. Near the end, around 80%, that shifts heavily. Perhaps realizing the audience for the book would be Liberace’s fans, and not wanting to go up against a dying old man proved too much for him, as near the end I feel the claws really came out and it proved unnecessary.
It starts with Liberace’s pornography, of which Thorson says:
They all depicted homosexual acts and, even at the age of eighteen, I found the movies offensive and boring.
I have found in my life few times when things are both offensive and boring. They seem opposite emotions.
Thorson blames their relationship break-up jointly on Liberace’s pornography addiction and on his own drug addiction, although even the drug addiction he tries to blame on Liberace:
At first I tried to ignore the symptoms of his growing restlessness. When I couldn’t we usually wound up fighting. Then I’d take a little cocaine to help me over the rough spots. As the frequency of our arguments increased, so did my drug usage. With the wisdom of hindsight I realize that my drug habit caused some of the difficulty between us.
Thorson details a life spun out of control, culminating in him being holed up for two days doing drugs with a gun (!):
Angry; God, I’d never been so fucking angry! If Lee had made the mistake of walking in at that moment, I think I’d have killed him then and there.
And then two pages later says:
Meanwhile, Lee was back in Palm Springs, convinced that I now represented a serious danger to his health and happiness. He was scared to death. Of me!
The exclamation mark is what did it for me. You are out of control on drugs with a loaded gun, imagine him being afraid of that! Especially when you said you’d kill him two pages before. Thorson comes off badly in this section.
During their break-up, Thorson states:
Lee had his mind set on two things: the Academy Awards and the pleasure he would enjoy with his two houseguests later that evening. His cup was running over while mine had come up empty.
It doesn’t ring true. Thorson stops being sympathetic at this point. Liberace is continuing his mandatory bookings and Thorson is hurt by this, seeing it as a personal attack. It’s immature.
He then again blames Liberace for his drug problem:
Losing him in such a brutal way helped to accelerate my drug usage—which in turn deepened my problems.
He closes with:
Rightly or wrongly, I felt he’d ruined my life and I’d made up my mind to make him suffer for it.
It’s hard to see in any way how Liberace could have ruined his life.
The book does have a new postscript from the author, and it seems like enough material for a second book. It’s CRAZY, being shot, the witness protection program, turning straight, being an evangelical Christian, being a part of the John Holmes Wonderland murders…. Yikes!
Yet even still, 26 years after the man’s death, Thorson can’t resist a final finger pointing, blaming Liberace for his drug use again:
In any event, in 2005, I could no longer resist the temptation to return to something like the life I had had with Lee. The problem was there was no Liberace. I had to finance my own lifestyle, and all I knew from a practical standpoint was drugs. I threw myself headlong into the crystal meth scene.
This bothered me and brought the book down at the end. Thorson needs to stop blaming his life’s problems on his 4.5 year relationship with a man who’s been dead 26 years. I hope he finds a way to do that.
The behind-the-scenes story of Liberace is captivating with lots of action and excess. I knew little about Liberace going in and this book serves as a great introduction to the man and his life.
Thorson starts the book off well, playing the narrator instead of choosing sides. Near the end, around 80%, that shifts heavily. Perhaps realizing the audience for the book would be Liberace’s fans, and not wanting to go up against a dying old man proved too much for him, as near the end I feel the claws really came out and it proved unnecessary.
It starts with Liberace’s pornography, of which Thorson says:
They all depicted homosexual acts and, even at the age of eighteen, I found the movies offensive and boring.
I have found in my life few times when things are both offensive and boring. They seem opposite emotions.
Thorson blames their relationship break-up jointly on Liberace’s pornography addiction and on his own drug addiction, although even the drug addiction he tries to blame on Liberace:
At first I tried to ignore the symptoms of his growing restlessness. When I couldn’t we usually wound up fighting. Then I’d take a little cocaine to help me over the rough spots. As the frequency of our arguments increased, so did my drug usage. With the wisdom of hindsight I realize that my drug habit caused some of the difficulty between us.
Thorson details a life spun out of control, culminating in him being holed up for two days doing drugs with a gun (!):
Angry; God, I’d never been so fucking angry! If Lee had made the mistake of walking in at that moment, I think I’d have killed him then and there.
And then two pages later says:
Meanwhile, Lee was back in Palm Springs, convinced that I now represented a serious danger to his health and happiness. He was scared to death. Of me!
The exclamation mark is what did it for me. You are out of control on drugs with a loaded gun, imagine him being afraid of that! Especially when you said you’d kill him two pages before. Thorson comes off badly in this section.
During their break-up, Thorson states:
Lee had his mind set on two things: the Academy Awards and the pleasure he would enjoy with his two houseguests later that evening. His cup was running over while mine had come up empty.
It doesn’t ring true. Thorson stops being sympathetic at this point. Liberace is continuing his mandatory bookings and Thorson is hurt by this, seeing it as a personal attack. It’s immature.
He then again blames Liberace for his drug problem:
Losing him in such a brutal way helped to accelerate my drug usage—which in turn deepened my problems.
He closes with:
Rightly or wrongly, I felt he’d ruined my life and I’d made up my mind to make him suffer for it.
It’s hard to see in any way how Liberace could have ruined his life.
The book does have a new postscript from the author, and it seems like enough material for a second book. It’s CRAZY, being shot, the witness protection program, turning straight, being an evangelical Christian, being a part of the John Holmes Wonderland murders…. Yikes!
Yet even still, 26 years after the man’s death, Thorson can’t resist a final finger pointing, blaming Liberace for his drug use again:
In any event, in 2005, I could no longer resist the temptation to return to something like the life I had had with Lee. The problem was there was no Liberace. I had to finance my own lifestyle, and all I knew from a practical standpoint was drugs. I threw myself headlong into the crystal meth scene.
This bothered me and brought the book down at the end. Thorson needs to stop blaming his life’s problems on his 4.5 year relationship with a man who’s been dead 26 years. I hope he finds a way to do that.
March 26, 2013
This will be filed as one of the most bizarre and impulsive reads I've embarked on this year. I was inspired to read this memoir after reading an article in last week's "Entertainment Weekly" about the upcoming HBO movie on Liberace's life and lover starring Matt Damon and Michael Douglass. I was so intrigued that I went out and got the book, even hough I know little to nothing about the legacy of "Mr. Showmanship." This book told me everything I ever wanted (and didn't want) to know about the private and hidden life of one of the world's most notorious and high paid performers.
This memoir was written by Liberace's ex-lover, Scott Thorson, several years after Liberace died of AIDs. In Liberace's lifetime he vigorously denied he was gay, even up until his final moments, Scott Thorson howver, tells a different tale, the real nature of Liberace's life.
Scott was eighteen when he was wooed and seduced by Mr. Showmanship, a man forty years his senior. They had a love/ hate relationship and within five years this poor foster kid was living a more opulent lifestyle then he could ever imagine. Fur coats, priceless jewels, multiple cars, hanging with celebrities. It's every kid's dream. That dream however, turned into a nightmare when Scott underwent plastic surgery to have his face resemble Liberaces (clearly Liberace was a vain man, who makes their lover undergo surgery to look more like themselves?!?!) and as a result became addicted to drugs. The nightmare came to a close when Liberace cheated on him and then kicked him to the curb.
This tell all tale is morbidly fascinating and I can't wait to see the HBO version. Read it, you won't be disappointed!
This memoir was written by Liberace's ex-lover, Scott Thorson, several years after Liberace died of AIDs. In Liberace's lifetime he vigorously denied he was gay, even up until his final moments, Scott Thorson howver, tells a different tale, the real nature of Liberace's life.
Scott was eighteen when he was wooed and seduced by Mr. Showmanship, a man forty years his senior. They had a love/ hate relationship and within five years this poor foster kid was living a more opulent lifestyle then he could ever imagine. Fur coats, priceless jewels, multiple cars, hanging with celebrities. It's every kid's dream. That dream however, turned into a nightmare when Scott underwent plastic surgery to have his face resemble Liberaces (clearly Liberace was a vain man, who makes their lover undergo surgery to look more like themselves?!?!) and as a result became addicted to drugs. The nightmare came to a close when Liberace cheated on him and then kicked him to the curb.
This tell all tale is morbidly fascinating and I can't wait to see the HBO version. Read it, you won't be disappointed!
May 25, 2013
In the mood for someting trashy, I listened to the book on CD. Bad writing about the life of a lost soul manipulated by the decadent, narcissistic entertainer. Curiosity kept me listening, all the while wondering why I was wasting my time.
October 6, 2013
When I was growing up, there were two men on television I found totally repugnant. One was Milton Berle, and the other was Liberace. I usually don't read biographies or autobiographies because there's no one else's life I'm THAT interested in reading about. I have enough with keeping after my own. However, I was intrigued by the idea of Michael Douglas and Matt Damon starring in a movie about Liberace and his lover, so I watched it. Interestingly enough, that made me want to read the book, so I did. I gave the book 4 Stars because in my opinion, it was very well written. I never expected that, because from past experience, I find most books like this are not done very well. I wasn't interested in Liberace's life as much as I wondered how someone could become so involved with a man who was completely self-involved, pretentious, and phony. After reading the book, I still don't completely understand how that happened for Scott T, but that isn't because he didn't do the best job he could to explain it. If anything other than a book about the excesses to which people can subject themselves, it is also a cautionary tale the moral of which is that if something seems too good to be true, it probably is. Or something like that. Obviously, I believe the story Scott T tells about the years he spent with Liberace. It seems to me he was pretty forthright in that he didn't try to make himself out to be the victim of a predatory sex maniac nor did he try to make himself look good by hiding his involvement with drugs or the sleazy business associates he had. Instead, what came across to me was the tragic story of a man whose whole life could have taken a much better turn if he'd never met Liberace. I'd recommend this book to anyone who is interested in reading about the downside of fame and fortune as well as how little we really know about those whom we put on a pedestal simply because they entertain us.
February 22, 2020
Hmmm wasn’t sure if this book would be two or three stars. But ultimately went with three. I didn’t want to stop reading it. The book captivated me, especially the end. I learned a lot about Liberace’s life whether you believe the author or not. And some of it, I wholeheartedly believe.
Even though I said it captivated me, Scott whined and repeated a lot of things in the book that got annoying quick. There were times when I rolled my eyes, but then I remembered how it felt to be in a controlled relationship. I gave him the benefit of doubt being so young for some of it. But In the end, The epilogue proved that he didn’t learn anything really from his experience. And he still continued to blame Liberace for all of his problems. At some point, you have to take responsibilities for your own actions. No phone in the 70s was that powerful enough to keep you from hanging up with Liberace and then mailing the package. It didn’t make you get on a plane.
Still an interesting read and now I want to watch the movie.
Even though I said it captivated me, Scott whined and repeated a lot of things in the book that got annoying quick. There were times when I rolled my eyes, but then I remembered how it felt to be in a controlled relationship. I gave him the benefit of doubt being so young for some of it. But In the end, The epilogue proved that he didn’t learn anything really from his experience. And he still continued to blame Liberace for all of his problems. At some point, you have to take responsibilities for your own actions. No phone in the 70s was that powerful enough to keep you from hanging up with Liberace and then mailing the package. It didn’t make you get on a plane.
Still an interesting read and now I want to watch the movie.
November 11, 2013
I already saw the HBO movie (MATT DAMON) so I'm not sure why I felt compelled to read the book? What can I say, I'm a glutton for candelabras. You actually feel for both Scott and Lee, and I really wish this story had ended better. I'm a firm believer in the "Too much of a good thing can be wonderful" Liberace credo but maybe it's not always the case. (See: plastic surgery, drugs)
I found out that Liberace performed on the Muppet Show so I will be watching that on YouTube tonight. So there's that. His show sounds kind of wackadoodle so I'm curious to see what made him so popular.
I found out that Liberace performed on the Muppet Show so I will be watching that on YouTube tonight. So there's that. His show sounds kind of wackadoodle so I'm curious to see what made him so popular.
May 15, 2013
3 1/2 stars
surprisingly easy to read (not a biography) and quite gripping. Not as titalating as I am sure it could have been. Still...very engaging story and quite horrific at times. Scott lost all sense of himself. Replaces glamour with reality. Necessary book in these times when stars are glorified.
surprisingly easy to read (not a biography) and quite gripping. Not as titalating as I am sure it could have been. Still...very engaging story and quite horrific at times. Scott lost all sense of himself. Replaces glamour with reality. Necessary book in these times when stars are glorified.
September 16, 2009
SO SO good. He talks about how Liberace made him get plastic surgery to look like him and how Liberace would sometimes make his entrance onstage by jumping out of a gold egg dressed as a bunny. I could not put this down.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 15, 2013
Okay, I had to read this book after seeing the HBO movie. Maybe I'm gullible/naive, but I believe this book is a decent representation of Thorson's life with Liberace. One of Dr. Phil's folksy remarks is "No matter how flat you make a pancake, there are always two sides" and this is only one side. But in my opinion Thorson is for the most part quite complimentary toward Liberace. Yes, the man had his quirks and some deeper problems, foremost being so deeply in the closet and having to deny, up to the very end of his life, being gay. Thorson had his struggles with drugs, which contributed to the demise of the relationship. Thorson was only eighteen when he became involved with Liberace, and he'd had a very hard life beforehand, in and out of foster homes. He admits that he became very dependent on Liberace, and came to love the lavish lifestyle, but it's easy to see how that could have happened.
It was an interesting book, but I'm a sucker for show-biz stories. Liberace was a very hard worker, devoted to being a showman and entertaining his audience.
***
I wrote the above before reading the epilogue that summarizes Scott's life after Liberace's death. It's been a sad and messed up one. Thorson got mixed up in a money laundering scheme through a night club he partially owned (I think he purposely fudges just how much he knew about it), ran afoul of the Mafia, ended up being a witness in the infamous Wonderland murders and going into witness protection. Afterwards (wait for it) he got born again and became an evangelical preacher. He became famous enough at this to have blown his cover and was almost murdered by the bad guys he testified against. He's had a lifelong battle with drugs and it seems precious little happiness. There's no way of knowing if his life would have been better or just as sad had he never met Liberace. But I do believe, for however brief a time it was, that he genuinely loved Liberace.
It was an interesting book, but I'm a sucker for show-biz stories. Liberace was a very hard worker, devoted to being a showman and entertaining his audience.
***
I wrote the above before reading the epilogue that summarizes Scott's life after Liberace's death. It's been a sad and messed up one. Thorson got mixed up in a money laundering scheme through a night club he partially owned (I think he purposely fudges just how much he knew about it), ran afoul of the Mafia, ended up being a witness in the infamous Wonderland murders and going into witness protection. Afterwards (wait for it) he got born again and became an evangelical preacher. He became famous enough at this to have blown his cover and was almost murdered by the bad guys he testified against. He's had a lifelong battle with drugs and it seems precious little happiness. There's no way of knowing if his life would have been better or just as sad had he never met Liberace. But I do believe, for however brief a time it was, that he genuinely loved Liberace.
May 3, 2013
I saw a new version of this book at Barnes & Noble, and there is an afterward by Scott Thorson in this newest edition. I really enjoyed this book, and had a hard time putting it down. I read it because of the upcoming HBO movie staring Michael Douglas as Liberace, and Matt Damon as Scott Thorson. Scott meets Liberace when he is only 18 years old, and Liberace is 57, and Liberace takes him under his wing as a father, mentor, lover, employee. It is a fascinating look into the life of Liberace. Scott had a great life, until he got hooked on prescription drugs after a face surgery, to make him look more like Liberace, which I still can't believe he would do, But then he says that anything Liberace wanted, Liberace got. Liberace's famous saying was "Too much of a good thing is Wonderful". I read that they used portions of Zsa Zsa Gabor's home to film the movie. Even though the book was written back in 1988, it still seems fresh.
November 16, 2013
Really enjoyed the film so thought I'd read the book to get the full story. Scott's story could have easily been a bitter tirade against the person who cast him aside but it is actually quite heartwarming in places and if feels like you really get under the skin of the real Liberace.
I particularly appreciated the detail that you get in the book about the court cases and Liberace's health deterioration which all seems very quick in the movie.
The version that I read also had notes on what had happened to Scott after the book ended and it is amazing that the man survived. The prescription drug peddling doctor has a lot to answer for. Its not an easy story to read but it feels like you get a real insight into 1980s Vegas and the lifestyle of a major celebrity. The additional notes on the culture of shame surrounding celebrity gay men is explained well and is a fascinating read.
I particularly appreciated the detail that you get in the book about the court cases and Liberace's health deterioration which all seems very quick in the movie.
The version that I read also had notes on what had happened to Scott after the book ended and it is amazing that the man survived. The prescription drug peddling doctor has a lot to answer for. Its not an easy story to read but it feels like you get a real insight into 1980s Vegas and the lifestyle of a major celebrity. The additional notes on the culture of shame surrounding celebrity gay men is explained well and is a fascinating read.
June 3, 2013
This wasn't the best written book, the writing style reminded me of reading a biographical essay assignment from an eleventh grader who discovered a thesaurus. That being said, it sure was interesting. Most of the basics were covered in the movie version, but there are some interesting tidbits left in the book. Just reading about Scott's friendship with Michael Jackson and the completely crazy afterward made this worth reading. This is an interesting look into the world of celebrities who are put up on a pedestal and surrounded by yes men. It's always interesting to take a peak behind the carefully crafted image of a celebrity and see the real person, and in this case the real person isn't very likeable.
February 10, 2024
I really struggled to come up with a star rating for this book. Christina-Scott Crawford-Thorson. An 80’s tabloid rag selling out a legend for a quick buck. At least Thorson had the gall to admit it. I’d like to believe a lot of what Thorson wrote and I have no doubt Liberace was a horny gay man with a thirst for glitz and glam. But shame on Thorson for selling him out like that, especially given how dedicated Liberace was to protecting his legacy. Nevertheless, I enjoyed the read and its salaciousness.
May 14, 2015
Interesting, but not earth-shattering. That Liberace was gay is no surprise. What is surprising is that he sought to cover up his lifestyle while simultaneously living way larger than life. Publicly and privately, this was a man of excess. Both Liberace and his lover Scott were too caught up in living over the top. It's a shame: had Liberace lived just 20 years later, he would not have had to hide his true self.
October 9, 2010
Read this while I was under the weather last week. As trashy tell-all celebrity bios go, this was surprisingly good, i.e. full of titillating tidbits but also tempered with as much wisdom as one might expect given the participants. Much better than the other celeb bio I read that week, Belinda Carlisle's "Lips Unsealed."
May 31, 2013
trashy but fun read while waiting for the bus. if you lived in Nevada, no doubt you have bumped into this type of character. there's an obvious mix between truth and the truth as Thorson sees it. I would definitely mark this as a long airplane ride read. entertaining. makes me want to visit Liberace museum if it ever reopens.
November 30, 2014
I remember watching Liberace on TV when I was a kid. When I was older I wondered how those little old ladies could not know he was gay. He put on a good show and appreciated his fans. When I heard about the made-for-TV movie, I put it on my Netflix queue and read this tell-all book in the meantime. It was okay. Both men had sad lives.
October 28, 2013
This book was poorly written. It was a pick for my book club, and I found the book, which took me forever to read, to be uninteresting. The author had a tendency to repeat himself from one chapter to another. I would not recommend it.
February 28, 2014
I liked the book....the movie did follow the book. The movie was a bit more graphic...which I didn't think was necessary. I always did like Liberace. I do feel Scott got the worst of the deal. Drug addiction, and it seems no way out.
November 15, 2018
It is hard to feel sorry for the protagonist as he seems to have still never matured or taken any accountability for his life, but bizarre fascinating read into a behind the scenes life of a tabloid staple.
August 14, 2021
It actually was an interesting story. I had seen the movie made from this book, and was intrigued to go to the source of the movie. Watched the Oprah Christmas video with liberace’s last interview, just two months before his death. So sad he felt it necessary to hide his sexuality.
April 26, 2013
All I can say is, the HBO movie based on this is going to be amazing!
May 26, 2013
This is Scott Thorsons life with Liberace his view of how things went not really a bio that is unbiased. But it was interesting if seen that way.
May 26, 2013
It was definitely a dishy, fun behind the scenes bio but the writer - Liberace's former boyfriend - came off as a little too biased and not totally honest/open which lowered my rating.
May 21, 2013
The portrait of Liberace drawn from this somewhat self-serving story depicts a selfish, manipulative sociopath who used and disposed of his "proteges" and treated people like objects.
May 22, 2013
Not very well written, but I was somehow compelled to keep reading. Liberace was a fascinating, fascinating character.
May 28, 2013
Dishy and fascinating, if not particularly well-written.
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