Marilyn and Her Books: The Literary Life of Marilyn Monroe

Biographer Crowther (Dorothy Parker in Hollywood) delivers an intimate exploration of the personal library of actor and model Marilyn Monroe. Crowther analyzes Monroe’s 400-plus book collection—which was auctioned off several decades after her death—along with interviews and Monroe’s diaries to shed light on the significant role books played in her life. While she favored poetry, plays, psychology, Russian novels, and banned books, Monroe had a deeply curious mind that pushed her to read widely across genres and subject matters, Crowther demonstrates. She alleges that misogyny led to unfounded skepticism about Monroe’s intelligence, with people often expressing doubt about her proclivity or even ability to read. But, as Crowther shows, Monroe turned to reading to cope with the stress of Hollywood and books greatly influenced her art. For example, she read numerous works on acting, such as Konstantin Stanislavski’s An Actor Prepares, which encouraged her to mine her life experiences to add depth to her performances. Her influence on her husband, the playwright Arthur Miller, is also elucidated, including how he wrote characters and scripts based on her. By illuminating and uplifting Monroe’s love of books, Crowther helps rewrite the narrative that cast the actor as a “dumb blonde” and takes seriously the impact Monroe had on film and culture. This is an enlightening study of a misunderstood icon. Photos. (May)