Marilyn Monroe (1926–1962)

Fragments is an event--an unforgettable book that will redefine one of the greatest icons of the twentieth century and that, nearly fifty years after her death, will definitively reveal Marilyn Monroe's humanity.Marilyn's image is so universal that we can't help but believe we know all there is to know of her. Every word and gesture made headlines and garnered controversy. Her serious gifts as an actor were sometimes eclipsed by her notoriety--and by the way the camera fell helplessly in show more love with her.Beyond the headlines--and the too-familiar stories of heartbreak and desolation--was a woman far more curious, searching, witty, and hopeful than the one the world got to know. Now, for the first time, readers can meet the private Marilyn and understand her in a way we never have before. Fragments is an unprecedented collection of written artifacts--notes to herself, letters, even poems--in Marilyn's own handwriting, never before published, along with rarely seen intimate photos.Jotted in notebooks, typed on paper, or written on hotel letterhead, these texts reveal a woman who loved deeply and strove to perfect her craft. They show a Marilyn Monroe unsparing in her analysis of her own life, but also playful, funny, and impossibly charming. The easy grace and deceptive lightness that made her performances indelible emerge on the page, as does the simmering tragedy that made her last appearances so affecting. show less

Marilyn Monroe, for all her apparent vapidness, had a sharp and introspective mind. This book holds notes, letters, scraps of poetry and diary entries ranging from a note she wrote at age 17, in which she muses about her failing marriage, to notes written just days before she died in 1962. We are also privy to her favorite photo of herself, as well as photos of her reading some of the books from her impressive library. Plagued by feelings of low self-esteem, Marilyn sought to understand show more herself, and we follow her through marriages, analysis, and work -- she emerges as a highly sympathetic character, deserving more than the rubber stamp "cultural icon." show less

The new book Fragments: Poems, Intimate Notes, Letters by Marilyn Monroe is pretty heartbreaking at times. It’s clear from the photocopies of her recently unearthed and original handwritten notes (with the typeset versions appearing on the opposite side) that Monroe’s mind was a very crowded place and that she felt and thought about things far more deeply than even a die-hard fan could have imagined.

There’s no way around the fact, though, that a lot of this material would never have show more been published if not for Monroe’s name. Her poetry borders on juvenile in parts, and nonsensical in others. The intimate notes, however, show a far more revealing and much less shallow side to the bottled blonde. The rare photos included also reveal a ‘hidden’ Marilyn much more human than the trademark the actress became in the decades since her death.

Reading her private thoughts felt invasive…like I should have looked away. And like there’s also this inexplicable wish that someone special and sincere in her life could have been able to truly understand and protect her…see that she wanted to be far more than just a "dumb blonde." (An interviewer supposedly laughed at her when she said she would love to play the part of Grushenka from The Brothers Karamazov.) On the other hand, she’s such a huge part of cinematic history and has always been a bit of an enigma so Fragments help fit some of the missing pieces together of what really made Marilyn tick. show less

There's a special place in my heart that's reserved for Marilyn Monroe. Ever since I watched that fantastic movie called 'Some like it hot', I've found myself more and more intrigued by the legend that is Monroe. This book, more than any biography or movie, makes the woman behind the icon come alive.

Surely, there's some cryptical and random notes that could have been left out. It's not like I'm talking grocery lists here, but still. But it goes to show how thorough the research was, and, show more well, there's not really a bit of information that should go to waste.

Then who was this mystical woman? The icon of the 50s sensuality? In essence, it makes her an intelligent, educated (although slightly dyslectic) woman who is in fact struggling with her own sexuality. Rumours have always been there that Marilyn might or might not have been a lesbian, or at least bisexual. This collection of documents will neither confirm or deny that rumour. Instead, it focuses on her feelings. Feelings of loneliness. Feelings of extreme sadness. In fact, her central statement is the following ; 'Alone! I am always Alone! I am always alone no matter what!'

And this is what makes this book so interesting. It showcases a side of Marilyn that had not been explored yet. A fragile side, but also a portrait of bravery : one woman against the world. And all of that without breaking her greatest trumps : illusion and mystery.

If you are a lazy person and you skipped through to the end, which is quite okay, here's the essential : if you're a fan, read this. Well presented, interesting and from time to time, deeply touching.

Now if you'll excuse me, I need to rewatch some movies. show less