Inside Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton’s Literary Life: 5 Favorite Books They Both Treasured
From Shakespeare to Tennessee Williams—these books filled the iconic couple's shelves!
Key Takeaways
- Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton shared a deep love of books and she often gifted him books.
- Taylor's career was built on book adaptations—from 'Little Women' to Tennessee Williams plays.
- Their favorites ranged from Shakespeare to war poetry—Burton kept one book on his nightstand.
Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton remain one of Hollywood’s most iconic couples. Beloved for their dazzling looks, passionate on-again, off-again romance and elite silver screen talents, nearly every chapter of their epic love story has been documented. But one aspect of the legendary pair is just a bit lesser known: their shared love of books.
Long before BookTok made literary adaptations the buzziest trend in Hollywood, Taylor was bringing a slew of classic books to life onscreen—and falling in love with the stories along the way. Meanwhile, Burton’s deep love of books was well known by friends, family and Taylor herself, who once bought him an entire library.
Here at Woman’s World, we’re a staff filled with bibliophiles, so whenever we discover classic stars who were also bookworms, we’re fascinated. If you’re interested in learning more about the bookish lives of Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton, you’re in the right place.
We’ve gathered some of Elizabeth Taylor’s favorite books—many of which she starred in the adaptations of—along with a few of Richard Burton’s top picks. Taylor may have been the love of Burton’s life, but his first love was a book. “My first love is not the stage,” Burton wrote in his diary in 1969. “It is a lovely book with words in it.”
Keep reading for their captivating book recommendations!
‘Antony and Cleopatra’ by William Shakespeare
While Antony and Cleopatra isn’t officially known as one of Elizabeth Taylor’s favorite books to read, it was one of her favorite books to give. Richard Burton was a devoted fan of the Everyman Library editions, and Taylor often bought volumes from the series for him. She had a copy of Antony and Cleopatra bound in suede leather before presenting them as gifts.
And of all the titles she could have chosen, Antony and Cleopatra feels especially fitting. After all, Taylor and Burton famously met while filming Cleopatra in 1962. Their meeting sparked one of Hollywood’s most passionate and talked-about romances. “I loved him for twenty-five years,” Taylor told Vogue in 1987. “We had a unique relationship. I was still madly in love with him the day he died and—he loved his wife—but I think he still loved me, too. I thought he’d always be there, at the other end of the phone.” Much like Shakespeare’s lovers, Taylor and Burton’s fiery relationship was filled with passion, public scrutiny and plenty of drama. Hello, life imitating art!
‘Little Women’ by Louisa May Alcott
Across fan forums, social media and just general lore, Little Women is often cited as one of Elizabeth Taylor’s favorite novels. And the actress appeared in the beloved 1949 film adaptation as Amy March, a role that helped launch her Hollywood career. Few novels capture the bonds of sisterhood quite like Louisa May Alcott’s classic story, which follows the March sisters—Meg, Jo, Beth and Amy—as they grow up during the Civil War. The family faces challenges, chases dreams and relies on one another through it all.
‘Cat on a Hot Tin Roof’ by Tennessee Williams
Elizabeth Taylor’s love of literature extended to the works of Tennessee Williams, who was one of America’s most acclaimed playwrights. Throughout her career, she continually gravitated toward adaptations of his plays, starring in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, Suddenly, Last Summer and more…but Maggie in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof was one of her most sought-after roles.
The story is set on the Pollitt family’s Mississippi estate. As the family gathers to celebrate the patriarch’s 65th birthday, simmering resentments rise to the surface. The tale touches on themes of inheritance, denial and long-buried secrets.
‘In Parenthesis’ by David Jones
There were hundreds of books in Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton’s library and one of Burton’s favorites was In Parenthesis by David Jones—it was said that he kept a copy on his nightstand at all times. His daughter, Kate Burton, recalled a story that he once misplaced his copy and then, while looking for it in his library in Switzerland, it literally fell out of the shelf behind him and onto his head.
Inspired by the author’s own experience as a soldier in World War I, the book—categorized as a ‘modernist epic poem’— follows an infantryman’s journey through the trenches. Jones’ work blends the brutal reality of the war with hints of Welsh legend and Arthurian myth. The result is a powerful yet unconventional portrait of war.
‘William Shakespeare: Complete Works’
“The public library is more than a repository of books,” Taylor famously said. “It’s a mysterious, wondrous place with the power to change lives.” This shared love of literature and reading was one of the many interests she shared with Burton. Another mainstay in their library was William Shakespeare: Complete Works. Friends of Burton often said he carried a “book bag” with him wherever he went—and this compilation was always in it.
The book contains the full collection of all the plays and poems by Shakespeare—from comedies to tragedies and sonnets—including Hamlet, Romeo and Juliet, Macbeth and beyond.
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