Behind the Candelabra: My Life With Liberace

Written by Alex Thorleifson and Scott Thorson

Narrated by Peter Berkrot

In this unusually frank book Scott Thorson, Liberace's longtime lover, tells all: the good, the bad, and the ugly truths about the legendary entertainer who went to outrageous extremes to prevent public knowledge of his homosexuality.



Liberace's unhappy childhood, dominated by a mother determined to force him into a concert career, serves as the prologue for a story that goes on to detail Liberace's early appearances in honky-tonks, his move to New York to seek fame, and, finally, his first booking in Las Vegas, where he was courted by the Mafia.



As Thorson attests, such successes provide a bright counterpoint to a darker tale of a man hungry for power, given to every excess. Liberace's credo—"too much of a good thing is wonderful"—is reflected here in his acquisition of new lovers, luxurious homes, a large collection of pornography, and a total of twenty-six house dogs. Behind the Candelabra above all explores the fundamentally tender love affair between Liberace and Thorson—whom Liberace sent to his own plastic surgeon to have his face remodeled in Liberace's own image!



This fast-paced story, sprinkled with anecdotes about famous entertainers such as Michael Jackson and Shirley MacLaine, ends with an intimate look at Liberace's final days as he lay dying of AIDS—and his deathbed reconciliation with Thorson. Thorson's story will also appear in the upcoming biopic of the same name starring award-winning actors Michael Douglas and Matt Damon.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Tantor Media, Inc
• Release date: May 14, 2013
• ISBN: 9781452681917

[chrisweir-1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Interesting book about Scott Thorson's time spent with entertainer Liberace. Scott started living with Liberace in the late 1970's when he was just 18. It chronicles some of Liberace's early life and his family. Also tells about Scott's going from one foster home to another. Written shortly after the death of Liberace and would have been quite a scandal at the time it was written. It reads towards the sensational side, written in 1988 he makes the most he can of Liberace being gay. Present day, 2018, it would still be tabloid fodder with the age difference but nothing like the scandal that it was in the 80's. Scott doesn't paint Liberace in a completely bad light though. He shows how at one point they did have a caring and loving relationship but Liberace did have an eye for much much younger men. There's a little about the court battle with the dissolving of their relationship but not the major part of the book. But book was written not too long after that would have been still in the news.

[knightlight777 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

At the time the palimony suit came out years ago this was quite the gossip scandal. Today it would barely make a blurb on any given number of websites. Scott Thorson dishes on the life he led with renowned performer Liberace but nothing much surprising seems to surface here as most of us are rather immune to shockwaves about celebrities in this day and age. One recurrent theme throughout the book is Liberace's extended efforts to keep his being gay a secret. How is that for absurdity. A shame he succumbed from AIDS but his risk prone behavior prompted his demise. Thorson on the other hand never seems to have recovered his life from the dependency he grew into along with the drugs.

[knahs_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Story of famed pianist and entertainer Liberace by one of his lovers, Scott Thorsen, is highly readable. The book contains a look at Liberace’s life from his poor beginnings to his emergence as one of the most loved and flamboyant entertainers. The book looks at Liberace’s extravagant lifestyle through Thorsen’s young and inexperienced eyes. This was a fascinating read as you saw the real Liberace, not the carefully crafted image of the man who just “hadn’t found the right girl yet” or was “looking for a gal just like mom”. It was interesting to read that Liberace did not play the piano when he was at home, even though his homes had several pianos in them. Thorsen looked up to Liberace, not just as a lover, but as a father and a mentor. When the break-up occurred, Liberace did treat him terribly although at the end, even though the law suits between them had not yet been settled, Liberace did seem to want to make sure that Thorsen had not contracted AIDS even though he never came right out and said it. I thought the book gave a great look at the day-to-day life of Liberace when he was not performing. However, there were some errors in it. Bugsy Siegel was not killed by a hit while driving between Vegas and Los Angeles but in Virginia Hill’s Beverly Hills Home. Charo was not Xavier Cugat’s first wife but his last. It is not believed that Montgomery Clift committed suicide but died of a heart attack as a result of numerous health problems including drug addiction. However, the book is still a good read and the look at Liberace is probably one of the most accurate you will find.

[ecataldi-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

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!