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Where Madness Lies: The Double Life of Vivien Leigh

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Description

Beginning in 1953, when Leigh suffers a nervous breakdown, Where Madness Lies tells the moving story of the actress as she attempts to rebuild her life, salvage her career, and save her marriage. Vivien Leigh was one of the greatest film and theatrical stars of the 1930s, ‘40s, and ‘50s. Her Oscar- winning performances in Gone With the Wind and A Streetcar Named Desire have cemented her status as an icon of Hollywood. From 1940 to 1960, Leigh was married to Sir Laurence Olivier, and together they were considered the royal couple of British theatre. Indeed, their romance and acting partnerships captured the imagination of the public around the world. Behind the scenes, however, Leigh’s personal life was marred by manic depression that remained undiagnosed until 1953. Largely misunderstood and subjected to barbaric mistreatment at the hands of her doctors, she would also suffer the heartbreak of Olivier’s infidelity. Contributing to her image as a tragic heroine, she would die at the age of fifty-three. Unlike previous biographies, Where Madness Lies begins in 1953 when Leigh suffered a nervous breakdown and was institutionalized. The tragic story unfolds as she tries to rebuild her life, salvage her career, and save her marriage. Featuring a wealth of unpublished material—including private correspondence—Lyndsy Spence reveals how this Hollywood luminary tragically fell victim to the draconian medical practices of the era. Read more

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Pegasus Books


Publication date ‏ : ‎ January 7, 2025


Language ‏ : ‎ English


Print length ‏ : ‎ 256 pages


ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1639368051


ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 51


Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.3 pounds


Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6 x 1.2 x 9 inches


Best Sellers Rank: #160,319 in Books (See Top 100 in Books) #55 in Theatre Biographies #766 in Women's Biographies #819 in Actor & Entertainer Biographies


#55 in Theatre Biographies:


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Top Amazon Reviews


  • Great book
Format: Audiobook
I've read only one other book on her and this is much better.
Reviewed in the United States on February 11, 2025 by Pamela Robarge

  • Not a chronological biography
Format: Kindle
I learned much more about Vivian Leigh’s mental issues; older biographies didn’t reveal how bad it was. I found the jumping time line hard to get used to, but it was readable.
Reviewed in the United States on November 28, 2025 by Jeanajoan

  • Life of actress Vivian Leigh
Format: Hardcover
Interesting book About a great actress who could not really be helped at that time
Reviewed in the United States on February 1, 2025 by nicoletta lazzaro

  • so hard to follow
Format: Kindle
This book jumps around so much that it’s impossible to follow. The author also starts rambling about something then doesn’t finish the thought so you’re not sure what the point of bringing it up is. There are also comparisons of their lives to dialogue in their different scripts which just seems silly. It seems sometimes the author just adds notes from the research in random places just to be sure it makes it into the book. I had to stop reading it (which I rarely do) because I was never sure what period of her life I was reading about. I’ll have to find another book about Vivian because I want to learn about her struggles. This one just left me frustrated and confused. ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on July 27, 2025 by Carolyn Barnett

  • It was a DNF for me!
Format: Kindle
I had a very difficult time reading this book. Timeline seemed to jump around. Conversations seemed speculative at best. Lack of continuity. For me this was a DNF after reading 1/3 of it and I was sad to return it to the library because I had waited a long time to get this one. I was really looking forward to learning bout Vivien Leigh's life. Might try to find better biography for her. ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on May 22, 2025 by Emily Ann

  • This is no "tribute" to Vivien Leigh
Format: Kindle
The author presents this as a loving tribute o Vivien Leigh. It is anything but. Her history of mental illness is nothing new but the details, especially alleged conversations between Leigh and Laurence Olivier and others she knew appear in large part to be fictionalized as they are not documented in any other works about the parties involved and there were no interviews with those referenced In the book as they are all deceased. This felt more like a hatchet job than a tribute to an icon. I truly disliked this book. ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on February 16, 2025 by Lisa Bahrami

  • Do Not Recommend
Format: Kindle
Pure Fiction. Know that before you purchase this book…the authors writing is all based on fiction. Very depressing book. Vivian Leigh in 2025, would be considered a very strong woman who battled mental illness. It was not Madness. She was not a psychopath. The title of the book is an insult to all who battle mental illnesses everyday. Vivian Leigh was a warrior….but back in the 40’s and into the 50’s…the medicine was at its early stages. The writings are based on stories from people who didn’t really have any love for Vivian Leigh…people who thought they were better than her because they supposedly had it all together. Honestly, Laurence Olivier? The author is supposedly quoting him! Take my advice and skip this book. ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on November 11, 2025 by Historical Maiden

  • 😏
Format: Hardcover
I bought it at a used bookstore and now I’m not surprised that someone got rid of it. Sadly, the book is not well written at all. I stopped reading after the first chapter, it was that amateurish. What a disappointment.
Reviewed in the United States on August 16, 2025 by YelenaTkachenko

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