Norma Jean: The Life of Marilyn Monroe (Fred Lawrence Guiles Old Hollywood Collection)

This is the most realistic account of MM's life told by a master story teller.A quick and easy enjoyable read!

Having read a few other prior reviews with critiques like mine I'll still add my support to those who commented on the number of typos(?) in this 2020 edition. Shame on Turner Publishing for making Guilds NORMA JEAN very difficult to read because of these errors through out the entire 560 pages (yes, including epilogue, Filmography, Bibliography, Sources and Index! It's a real shame as Guiles vast research adds new perspectives on Marilyn's sad short yet spectacular life. After so many years her memories as presented by Gilles evokes tears for such a talented young woman beaten by life from her tragically illfated beginnings to her apparently inescapable end. If you'll have difficulties with the typos as well as the author's unusual timeline sequencing it's a must read for all interested in the life of MM.

I purchased the paperback in the mid 1970's, now the book is in tatters.So I bought this copy, which is excellent. Guiles book is the onlybiography dealing with the REAL woman. What I found interesting washer family's history of mental illness. I wish it could have delt with her grandmother more, Della Monroe. I felt she would have been the picture of Marilyn, if she had survived. Her mother, Gladys was thespitting image of her daughter, as was her 'sister' Berniece.But Marilyn was very talented--in fact when I saw, LADIES IN THE CHORUS,I was blown away by her singing. This girl has got "real" talent andcan act like nothing I've ever seen,(DON'T BOTHER TO KNOCK, 1952).Toward the end of her life, mental illness was destroying her life, along with severe alcoholism. But, I can't help but feel, that she was taken advantage of, especially by the Kennedys. I don't believe she killed herself, she had too much to live for, but it is possible that because of her involvement with the President and his brother, her lifewas in grave danger. People cared about Marilyn and still do. She lefta unique collection of work. No one could ever replace her.

It doesn't end with her visit to Korea to sing to the troops. After that, there are many oddly placed photos of her spanning from childhood to adulthood, but if you keep going, you will see that you still have, like, half more of the book to go. I mean, really, the book covers her entire life from birth to death. I definitely recommend it. It was a fun read:)

The best biography ever written about MM ! This was researched and written not long after Marilyn passed. Guiles was the only author who talked to two of the three of Marilyn's husbands and had access to many of the foster families she stayed with as a youth. Guiles tells you straight with no opinions and sensational gossip. This was originally written before the group of liars who tried to claim they knew Marilyn and made a career perpetrating lies in books and in print just to financially gain from her. Guiles shows the good and bad, she was human after all. If you want to really get a sense of who MM was and the people who surrounded and shaped her life read this book. There is a reason why every other biography on Marilyn takes from this book. If you could find a copy of this or the updated version titled Legend: The Life and Death of Marilyn Monroe by Guiles grab it you won't be able to put it down.

Hard too put down. Goes into Miss Monroe's inner demons. Your heart feels much sympathy for her; the inner hell of her anxieties. If only she could just be Marilyn & NormaJean.....& just live focus on Christ, not totally on self........

Good book. Most books tell the same known stories of MARILYN Monroe but this book had extras and well detailed from beginning to end.

Book is full of typos & errors. No matter how interesting the book might be the mistakes & typos are a glaring distraction

Great book , detailed and authentic. Captures the whole life of this tragic, troubled superstar. You truly get a sense of why she ended up on the paths she did and what drove her, ultimately to her untimely end.Would have been five stars but have to agree with another reviewer that it is full of typos and misprints _which is annoying at times. It obviously was not proof read or somebody did a lousy job! ......

Thank you for the book I love Marilyn Monroe I'm a huge fan I love reading anything about her thank you so very much again kindest regards Patricia Thompson

excellent read

I liked this book. It was written in the late sixties so the author was able to talk with people who were actually alive and knew Marilyn as a child and an adult. Much better than books written about her in the present.

Buen precio por ser este magnifico libro!