The Wonderful World of Liberace

by Liberace

For decades, Liberace was known for his music, candelabra, charisma, diamonds and dazzle. Over the years Liberace acquired an astounding array of prestigious awards, Instrumentalist of the Year, Best Dressed Entertainer and Entertainer of the Year. He also earned two Emmy Awards, six gold albums, two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. He is listed in the Guinness Book of World Records as the world's highest paid musician and pianist. Best of all, he was known and loved throughout the world as Mr. Showmanship."" Relive The Wonderful Private World of Liberace in the reprinting of his fourth publication. When I started this book, I couldn't keep help wondering if I was doing it the right way. After all, it was so very different from the other books. One afternoon, I ran into Shirley MacLaine in a florist shop in Malibu. She'd never seen my Malibu place, so I invited her over. While we were having a drink, I discovered she had just completed her book Dancing in the Light. ""What a coincidence,"" I said. ""I'm just starting to write my fourth book."" She described a private place she had up in Washington, where she liked to sit outside, particularly when it was raining. She would sit under an umbrella and jot down the material in longhand. The solace and quietude of the place were very inspiring to writing in this personal style. I told here I was doing mine in longhand, as well, just as if I was writing a letter to someone. She smiled encouragingly. ""But that's exactly how you should do it!""So here it is a very personal letter from me to you, sharing an intimate glimpse into The Wonderful Private World of Liberace.""

224 pages, Hardcover

First published September 1, 1986

Reviews

[Hester · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wanted to start the year off right by starting it with something sparkly and elegant. You can never go wrong with Liberace.

In this coffee table book Liberace shares his love of rhinestones, cooking, interior decorating and fashion. He throws shade at his parents, at his father for not working and putting the pressure to provide on his wife and children and at his mother for being a difficult racist old bat. He brags and drops names shamelessly, he flaunts his homes and possessions. He lies about his health and love of the ladies. Liberace couldn't fool Helen Keller on her worst day when it comes to his sexual preference.

It's fun to see how he went from a sweet faced kid to Count Chocula's lesbian sister. He generously shares pictures of his beautiful (read gaudy) homes, bedazzled costumes, pianos and famous friends. The best famous "friend" picture is of him and Rick "Super Freak" James, just looking at it is like an acid trip gone right.

Everything about this book is an acid trip gone right.

[Russell Sanders · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Wonderful Private World of Liberace, by Liberace, is a beautiful book with an enigmatic title. The book is a coffee-table sized book with many, many pictures of the famous pianist’s family, friends, associates, homes, and performances. The “voice” of the narrative is definitely that of Liberace, whom many of us felt we got to know during his TV years and his later career that included Las Vegas outings and guest spots on TV. The over-the-top performer was noted for his outlandish costumes and behavior on stage. And all the while, he was a magnificent piano player. We are invited in, by the author, to his many homes (five, I counted,) to meet his trusted servants and see his décor that suited his tastes perfectly and was as overdone as his stage shows. We learn he loved to cook and entertain. And we love that he was loved, by his fellow entertainers, and by his twenty-six dogs. Yes, that’s right—twenty-six! The book is a fun look at a lifestyle that was somewhat outrageous even during his hey-day, the 1960s and ‘70s and ‘80s. The enigma in the title? The word “private.” Yes, perhaps, our glimpse into his home life is a journey into his private life, but what’s interesting here is what’s not said. We know, from public sources, revealed after his death, that Liberace was gay and that he had many lovers, some of them live-in lovers. But that is never mentioned in the book, although his final lover is pictured twice with only his name as a caption and no explanation given. This book was published in 1986, so, sadly, it is entirely possible that when Liberace wrote it, he was already diagnosed and suffering the effects of AIDS, which took his life in early 1987. But his love for life, his public, and his friends is entirely evident in the book, and we get not a whiff of the fact the man may have known of his own imminent demise.

[Wendy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Here for the fab photos

[Philip]

Profoundly boring autobiography. While dedicating more than half of the book's space to flattering pictures of himself, Liberace does write about all kinds of personal things: his many extravagant performances, his love for food and cooking, his glitzy rhinestone-studded costumes, his many kitschy and artsy possessions, his dogs, his maids, his famous friends and acquainted fellow celebrities, his expensive collection of real estate.

But as he chitchats a blue streak about all his circumstantial and materialistic pomp and splendor, he almost altogether leaves unaddressed who he really is: the man giving rise to the entertainer and the existential forces and events that came to shape his offstage unfeigned character. Sharply contrasting his devotion to extensively describe the polished-up external crowd-pleasing shell that is expressly meant to provoke ooh!'s and aah!'s, he all but neglects delving into the man he is on the inside.

Although he promises to reveal the truth as to his person, there is, for example, not even a remote hint of his painfully obvious homosexuality and his string of gay lovers. In fact, he implicitly denies his sexual preference out of shame by covering it up with a sham story on how he lost his cherry to a woman named Miss Bea Haven (!).

In short, Liberace tells you all about how he wants people to see him; the book is one big self-image promotion, one big celebration of self-idolatry. To find out who the real Liberace is, one has to consult the much more revealing unauthorized biography by Scott Thorson. Liberace's book--his last, before AIDS got the better of him--is all but existentially sterile.

[Charity · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love to hear Liberace's voice throughout this book; from the way he talks about fashion to respecting good old fashioned manners, the reader can hear him! At this point, I don't think there's anything overly revelatory about anything he wrote, in fact, I'm sure there weren't many surprises when it was released in 1986.

There's no way, as I read through, this I couldn't be saddened at the thought of him never being able to be who he truly was for fear of being abandoned by his public. Really, he told several people close to him that his WORST fear was being found out. On the other hand, I hardly believe there was anyone around who didn't KNOW he was gay! I mean, seriously? His friend and partner Cary James was even IN the book! My husband says that he remembers his grandma swooning over him so maybe when he was younger but I think there was a general acceptance by the time the 80's rolled around.

The cover picture on the edition I read was clearly taken after he'd become sick-that also made me sad. He was both classic and ahead of his time but unfortunately, too late for the lifesaving treatments that could've helped him live a longer life.

[Caoimhe Goggins · Rating 5 out of 5]

The ultimate style guide. An icon of fashion, lifestyle and interior decoration.

[Weradi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Intreguing account of Liberace's life. I feel fortunate to have watched him perform twice, and what an outstanding performer and entertainer he was.

[Diane Dunham · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enjoyable to read. A good book when you want something relaxing to read.