The world is full of celebrities. We see them each time we turn on our TV’s, each time we pick up our phones and check our social media, and just about everywhere in between. So, with the existence of endless famous people, there are bound the be quite a lot of biographies that will be penned about them as well.
Now, I’m honestly fairly picky about the biographies I choose to pick up. Unfortunately, you can never be too careful of if the author actually did their research correctly or if the research they gathered even is truthful. When it comes to biographies, and countless documentaries of the iconic Marilyn Monroe, the suspicion rings even more true.
The Secret Life of Marilyn Monroe is entirely different from any other biography I’ve read about her. Marilyn has a special place in my heart and I have such a strong respect, love, and admiration for a woman who, of course, was insanely naturally beautiful, though more importantly was not afraid of her vulnerability.
“I will be as sensitive as I am without being ashamed of it.”
~Marilyn
Source: Amazon
Though it is a mighty volume, (a whopping 576 pages), I wouldn’t expect anything less from J. Randy Taraborelli. I’ve read his other biographical work, Jackie, Ethel Joan:Women of Camelot, an intimate perspective on the lives of the three Kennedy wives, and was equally impressed with his writing capabilities after finishing his work on Marilyn. His books don’t read like one long story filled with fact after fact that readers are often likely to forget, though instead, he divides the stories up into small sections, rather than chapters. So, even though the page count may scare you something fierce, I can guarantee you it’s not intimidating in the slightest.
Taraborrelli allows his sympathy and human connection to intertwine with his extensive research which makes for a highly fascinating read and one that really made me feel closer to Marilyn the person, the woman, the human being, rather than the persona.
The Secret Life of Marilyn Monroe was also recently made into a two-part televsion special starring the lovely Kelli Garner as Marilyn. I’m pretty weary when it comes to movie interpretations of Marilyn and her story, though I believe that Kelli, despite all the backlash she may have received, did a phenomenal job. Those are, after all, quite the stilettos to fill.
Similar Reading Recommendations:
- Marilyn, Her Life in Her Own Words by George Barris (check out our review, here!)
- My Sister Marilyn: A Memoir by Berniece Baker Miracle (Marilyn’s half-sister)
- The Marilyn Monroe Treasures by Jenna Glatzer
- Fragments: Poems, Intimate Notes, Letters by Marilyn Monroe
- Marilyn in Fashion: The Enduring Influence of Marilyn Monroe by Christopher Nickens and George Zeno
YouTube Channel: The Dita Love Collection
Featured image via Lipstick Alley
