{"product_id":"marilyn-and-her-books-the-literary-life-of-marilyn-monroe","title":"Marilyn and Her Books: The Literary Life of Marilyn Monroe","description":"\n\u003ctable align=\"center\" border=\"0\" cellpadding=\"2\" cellspacing=\"0\" width=\"100%\"\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"productDetailSmallElements\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eBiographical Note\u003c\/strong\u003e:\u003cbr\u003e\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tDr. Gail Crowther is a writer, researcher, and academic. She is the author of \n\u003ci\u003eDorothy Parker in Hollywood\u003c\/i\u003e, \n\u003ci\u003eThree-Martini Afternoons at the Ritz: The Rebellion of Sylvia Plath \u0026amp; Anne Sexton\u003c\/i\u003e, \n\u003ci\u003eThe Haunted Reader \u0026amp; Sylvia Plath\u003c\/i\u003e, and the coauthor of \n\u003ci\u003eSylvia Plath in Devon: A Year's Turning\u003c\/i\u003e and \n\u003ci\u003eThese Ghostly Archives: The Unearthing of Sylvia Plath\u003c\/i\u003e. Gail divides her time between the North of England and London.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eReview Quotes\u003c\/strong\u003e:\u003cbr\u003e\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"No woman was more patronized and demeaned than Marilyn Monroe. With wit, warmth and scholarly empathy, Gail Crowther's wonderful book reconstructs not just her library, but her life. \n\u003ci\u003eMarilyn and Her Books\u003c\/i\u003e is both a penetrating analysis of her literary compulsions and a kind of Lynchian diorama: a shimmering, unsettling portrait which reminds us that reading, like Hollywood, is a dream-state. Just when we thought we could not love Marilyn more, Crowther deepens and complicates our devotion, allowing us to see her clearly at last - and lay her to rest with the respect she has always deserved. I loved it.\" \n\u003cb\u003e--John O'Connell, author of\u003ci\u003e Bowie's Bookshelf\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eReview Quotes\u003c\/strong\u003e:\u003cbr\u003e\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"An intimate exploration of the personal library of actor and model Marilyn Monroe [and] the significant role books played in her life.... 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.\" \n\u003cb\u003e--Publishers Weekly \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eReview Quotes\u003c\/strong\u003e:\u003cbr\u003e\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"It is the persistent skepticism about Monroe's intelligence that fascinates Crowther, and while trying to understand the 'why' of it all, she explores the nature of reading itself.... In coming to know Monroe as an avid literature lover, Crowthers' readers will also gain insights into their own bookish lives.\" \n\u003cb\u003e--Booklist (Starred Review)\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePublisher Marketing\u003c\/strong\u003e:\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cb\u003eCommemorating the hundredth anniversary of Marilyn Monroe's birth and with full cooperation of the Monroe estate, an \u003c\/b\u003e\n\u003cb\u003einvestigation into the literary life of the Hollywood icon and actress, from the author of \u003ci\u003eThree-Martini Afternoons at the Ritz\u003c\/i\u003e and \u003ci\u003eDorothy Parker in Hollywood\u003c\/i\u003e.\u003c\/b\u003e\n\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eFar from the spotlights of the Hollywood film sets and the flashbulbs of the press, Marilyn Monroe was a great reader and lover of books. Her association with writers did not stop at reading their words on the page. She was, of course, briefly married to one of America's best-known playwrights, Arthur Miller, and met a number of other writers who moved in his literary world. But she also met authors independently of Miller, many of whom were fans of her films and keen to meet her. \n\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e Through her deep research, Gail Crowther delves into Marilyn's personal book collection and recounts some of these meetings, like when she shared an apartment with Shelley Winters in West Hollywood, where they entertained Dylan Thomas and Christopher Isherwood for drinks (probably several drinks), after which Monroe arranged for Thomas to meet his childhood hero, Charlie Chaplin. Or when \n\u003ci\u003eLife \u003c\/i\u003emagazine arranged for Monroe to be interviewed by Dame Edith Sitwell at the Sunset Tower Hotel, and Sitwell was both charmed and blown away by Monroe's intelligence. \n\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ci\u003eMarilyn And Her Books: The Literary Life of Marilyn Monroe\u003c\/i\u003e charts the intellectual life of a screen legend, revealing how Monroe, who left high school before graduation, embarked on an impressive and progressive program of self-education, hungry for knowledge and devouring books as an active and engaged reader. Her personal library reflects this inquiring mind. \n\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e In 2026, for her centenary, this book showcases Marilyn Monroe the reader. Because, at the end of her life, it was not her jewels or her furs, shoes, or dresses that she cared about. It was her books.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eReview Citations:\u003c\/strong\u003e\n\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"italic\"\u003eKirkus Reviews\u003c\/span\u003e 03\/15\/2026 (EAN 9781668098288, Hardcover)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"italic\"\u003ePublishers Weekly\u003c\/span\u003e 03\/16\/2026 (EAN 9781668098288, Hardcover)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"italic\"\u003eLibrary Journal\u003c\/span\u003e 04\/01\/2026 pg. 73 (EAN 9781668098288, Hardcover) - *Starred Review\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"italic\"\u003eBooklist\u003c\/span\u003e 05\/01\/2026 (EAN 9781668098288, Hardcover) - *Starred Review\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eContributor Bio:\u003c\/strong\u003eCrowther, Gail\u003cbr\u003e\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tDr. Gail Crowther is a writer, researcher, and academic. She is the author of \n\u003ci\u003eDorothy Parker in Hollywood\u003c\/i\u003e, \n\u003ci\u003eThree-Martini Afternoons at the Ritz: The Rebellion of Sylvia Plath \u0026amp; Anne Sexton\u003c\/i\u003e, \n\u003ci\u003eThe Haunted Reader \u0026amp; Sylvia Plath\u003c\/i\u003e, and the coauthor of \n\u003ci\u003eSylvia Plath in Devon: A Year's Turning\u003c\/i\u003e and \n\u003ci\u003eThese Ghostly Archives: The Unearthing of Sylvia Plath\u003c\/i\u003e. Gail divides her time between the North of England and London.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/table\u003e\n","brand":"Gallery Books","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51496191394070,"sku":"9781668098288","price":36.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0857\/9910\/8886\/files\/9781668098288.jpg?v=1783057176","url":"https:\/\/lusper.myshopify.com\/products\/marilyn-and-her-books-the-literary-life-of-marilyn-monroe","provider":"Lusperbooks","version":"1.0","type":"link"}