Shattered Love (Thorndike Press Large Print Biography Series)

(Hardcover)-From his breakout role in Dr. Kildare , through more than four decades of unforgettable performances on television and in film, Richard Chamberlain has epitomized the ideal leading man. Strong and handsome, sophisticated yet kindly, his public persona has drawn fans of all ages. But despite his worldwide acclaim in The Thorn Birds and Shogun -- two of the most successful miniseries of all time -- the actor himself has never led a life of easy confidence. Even at the height of his fame he lived in constant fear that the "real" Richard would one day be discovered -- and that the love he had gained from fans, family, and friends would be ripped away. In Shattered Love , Richard Chamberlain recounts his fascinating journey as an impressionable boy growing up in postwar California who stumbled into the Hollywood of big studios, big money, and big personas. Through long days on the set and glittering evenings on the town with Joan Crawford, Princess Margaret, Elizabeth Taylor, and a cast of other colorful characters, Chamberlain gamely and tirelessly played his Golden Boy role. As time passed, however, he longed to reconcile his deepest self with his public persona -- including his sexual orientation, a secret he has guarded until now. With candor, honesty, and wit, Shattered Love captures Chamberlain's poignant struggle to come to terms with the truths in his life -- from his tumultuous relationship with his troubled father to his lifelong quest to find spiritual truth in everyday life. Warm, touching, and brave, Shattered Love draws on a lifetime of stories and on lessons learned from some of the most inspiring spiritual teachers of our time -- sharing with readers the author's own journey from desperate suppression to a life lived with an open heart.