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The Secret Life of Marilyn Monroe |  | Author: J. Randy Taraborrelli
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
Category: Book
List Price: $26.99
Buy New: $10.45
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Seller: booksellerbrooklyn
Rating:  34 reviews
Sales Rank: 16428
Media: Hardcover
Pages: 576
Number Of Items: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.9
Dimensions (in): 9.1 x 6.4 x 1.9
ISBN: 0446580821
Dewey Decimal Number: 791.43028092
EAN: 9780446580823
ASIN: 0446580821
Publication Date: August 25, 2009
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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| • | ISBN13: 9780446580823 | | • | Condition: NEW | | • | Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark. |
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Product Description
From New York Times bestselling author J. Randy Taraborrelli comes the definitive biography of the most enduring icon in popular American culture.
When Marilyn Monroe became famous in the 1950s, the world was told that her mother was either dead or simply not a part of her life. However, that was not true. In fact, her mentally ill mother was very much present in Marilyn's world and the complex family dynamic that unfolded behind the scenes is a story that has never before been told...until now. In this groundbreaking book, Taraborrelli draws complex and sympathetic portraits of the women so influential in the actress' life, including her mother, her foster mother, and her legal guardian. He also reveals, for the first time, the shocking scope of Marilyn's own mental illness, the identity of Marilyn's father and the half-brother she never knew, and new information about her relationship with the Kennedy's-Bobby, Jack, and Pat Kennedy Lawford. Explosive, revelatory, and surprisingly moving, this is the final word on the life of one of the most fascinating and elusive icons of the 20th Century.
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Showing reviews 1-5 of 34
 New information on Marilyn Monroe February 5, 2010
BermudaOnion (South Carolina)
The Secret Life of Marilyn Monroe by J. Randy Taraborrelli tells Marilyn Monroe's life story from her difficult childhood to her tragic death. Marilyn was born out of wedlock to Gladys Baker. Both Gladys and her mother were mentally ill and from this book, it sounds like Marilyn was as well.
Marilyn was beautiful though, and oozed sex appeal, so she was able to parlay a modeling career into a successful acting career. She turned in some solid performances but was often difficult to work with - coming to work late or not at all.
It appears Marilyn made poor choices in her personal life as well. She was addicted to drugs and alcohol and often got involved in unhealthy relationships. Even though she has been revered as a sex symbol and movie star, I found her life to be very sad.
Before I listened to the audio version of The Secret Life of Marilyn Monroe, I really didn't know that much about Marilyn Monroe, and now I can't help but wonder what the fascination with her has been all these years. There are several young actresses today who behave much the same way she did and they're maligned by the press. Having said that, I do have to admit that I enjoyed the time I spent listening to the book.
Several facts, like the identity of Marilyn's father, are revealed for the first time in this book. There is an author interview, that includes never before seen photos, on the last CD, that shows just how well researched this book is. Most of the new information Taraborelli discovered is about Marilyn's mother.
The audio version of The Secret Life of Marilyn Monroe is read by Robert Petkoff and he does different voices for different people, including several female voices, which took a little getting used to! Overall, he does a great job, narrating this 7 CD, 8 hour production.
 An informative tale.. January 29, 2010
Toons (Sydney Australia)
This is the first book I've read regarding Marilyn Monroe. Can I just say that I was impressed. I'm sure that there are sceptics out there about her death, but this book is more about her life from birth to death. It was fascinating and I was enthralled by the great information that was given about her life. I highly recommend this to any reader that wants to know about her life prior to her death. A compelling read... A++
Wahington Post review December 20, 2009
rumbledoll (MD)
The Washington Post stated in their review that J. Randy Taraborrelli was inept and implied his book was so much trash. I disagree, this is a wonderful book, well written and researched. He has an ability to suck you into the book, and make you feel as if you were there. He has the gift of being able to explain things in a way people can understand and relate to. Mr Taraborrelli is one of the greatest writers of our time.
 Train Wreck Reporting December 15, 2009
Mick McAllister
3 out of 3 found this review helpful
I'm wavering between two and three stars. On the one hand, I have to confess I read and enjoyed the entire book. On the other, its failings are pretty hard to ignore.
1. The book is almost entirely anecdotal. The phrase "would've told me" occurs way too often to explain some conclusion reached by negative evidence. A little bit of "his masseuse would have known" and "his best friend told me she had said to Marilyn..." goes a long way.
2. The author comes across as a pedestrian writer without much imagination. This can range from minor stuff to biggies like reporting the continuous pattern of MM's obsessive reference to each husband or lover as "Daddy" and her "conquer and humiliate" pattern in relationships, and not so much as raising the question of whether she was sexually abused as a child, much less identifying a potential suspect. I'm sure she was; I suspect some other book has details. The book simply plods along, shedding facts like sand from a snowplow.
As an example of what passes for analytical thinking in the book:
He quotes a statement from MM severing her business relationship with Milton Greene and then claims the statement "sounded suspiciously... like Arthur Miller." Then in the NEXT paragraph, he quotes a letter to Jack Warner critiquing the rough cut of The Prince and the Showgirl and asserts that this letter (which sounds suspiciously like Arthur Miller to me) shows what a sophisticated film critic she was. Since she and Miller were estranged at the time BOTH letters were written, the page resolves into speculative blather.
3. The book is, more than any MM book (and I've read at least a dozen), an unrelieved downer. He establishes that MM was a classic "borderline paranoid schizophrenic," and that is the thread that keeps turning up, like a raveling sock. It's like reading a 476-page description of a train wreck. I'll keep it, but I'll never read it again, thank you.
There is a raft of more interesting books on this fascinating woman. My first recommendation to anyone would be Sarah Churchwell's The Many Lives of Marilyn Monroe. Why? First because it is indeed the best book. But second, if you aren't interested enough to read it, it doesn't matter what you read.
Bridget's Review December 14, 2009
bridget3420
Marilyn Monroe is still such a huge inspiration to actresses today and I've always found myself in awe of her beauty. I like to find out the hidden parts of celebrities lives because it's always so fascinating. I don't necessarily believe everything that is said or written about celebrities but I still find it fun to learn about their secrets, whether they are true or not, I will never know.
Showing reviews 1-5 of 34
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