Elizabeth Taylor - by Gloria Shin (Hardcover)

About the Book

Elizabeth Taylor: Icon of American Empire examines Taylor's stardom as symbolic of American Empire at the apex of its power.

Book Synopsis

Elizabeth Taylor: Icon of American Empire examines Taylor's stardom as symbolic of American Empire at the apex of its power.

Review Quotes

Elizabeth Taylor: Icon of American Empire examines the life, career, and activism of Elizabeth Taylor (1932-2011) through the lenses of critical race theory, postcolonial theory, feminist theory, and political theory. Shin argues that Taylor is a "metaphor of American empire" and a symbol of "postcolonial whiteness." The book's four chapters explore four elements of Taylor's mythology. Chapter 1 examines Taylor's physical beauty and its connection to a hyperfeminine ideal of whiteness. In chapter 2, Shin analyzes Taylor's filmography, focusing specifically on her roles in the "plantation films" Elephant Walk, Giant, and Raintree Country, arguing that the films provide a colonial gaze and reference "manifest domesticity." Taylor's storied relationship with Welsh actor Richard Burton is explored in chapter 3. Shin argues that their commodified relationship positioned them to succeed as freelance actors following the demise of the Hollywood studio system. In the final chapter, Shin examines Taylor's late-life AIDS activism, arguing that it created the foundation for future celebrity activism. The Taylor Shin presents was a star and symbol who set the groundwork for future celebrity representation even as she was a conduit for "US imperial ambitions."Highly recommended

Elizabeth Taylor: Icon of American Empire offers a meticulously researched, rigorous, and insightful new perspective about the titular Hollywood star. Gloria Shin explores Taylor's iconicity as a symbol of postcolonial whiteness, revealing how the actress's film roles, glamorous extra-cinematic image, and late-career political activism collectively frame her as appealing model of American imperialist power and consumption.

Yes, there is more to say about Elizabeth Taylor, and Gloria Shin proves it with her unique look at the late icon as the model of postcolonial whiteness. Of particular interest is Shin's focus on Taylor's AIDS activism, and how Taylor served 'as an effective agent of positive social change.'

About the Author

Gloria Shin is full-time instructor in film, television, and media studies in the School of Film and Television at Loyola Marymount University. She is a media consultant whose work has been featured on NPR and in the Los Angeles Times.