Marilyn Monroe
The Private Life of a Public Icon
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Marilyn Monroe
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Narrated by:
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Thérèse Plummer
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By:
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Charles Casillo
About this listen
Based on new interviews and research, this ground-breaking biography reveals how Marilyn Monroe's childhood contributed to her struggle with bi-polar disorder, and impacted her career and personal life.
Marilyn Monroe. Her beauty still captivates. Her love life still fascinates. Her story still dominates popular culture. Now, drawing on years of research and dozens of new interviews this biography cuts through decades of lies and secrets and introduces you to the Marilyn Monroe you always wanted to know: a living, breathing, complex woman, bewitching and maddening, brilliant yet flawed.
Charles Casillo studies Monroe’s life through the context of her times - in the days before feminism. Before there was adequate treatment for bipolar disorder. Starting with her abusive childhood, this biography exposes how - in spite of her fractured psyche - Marilyn managed to transform each celebrated love affair and each tragedy into another step in her journey towards immortality. Casillo fully explores the last two years of her life, including her involvement with both John F. Kennedy and his brother Robert, and the mystery of her last day.
Just a few of Casillo's revelations:
- Despite reports of their bitter rivalry, Elizabeth Taylor secretly called Marilyn when she was fired from her last film to offer moral and financial support.
- Film of a rumored nude love scene with Clark Gable was said to have been destroyed - but an exclusive interview reveals that it still exists.
- A meticulously detailed account of the events of her last day, revealing how a series of miscommunications and misjudgments contributed to her death.
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Critic reviews
“After all I've seen and heard about Marilyn Monroe, this book is a revelation, an earthy, empathic vision of a real woman who happened to be an ethereal goddess.” (Mary Gaitskill, best-selling author of Bad Behavior and The Mare)
“Casillo explores the myriad facets of Monroe’s personality with a respectful but incisive eye...an intricately nuanced portrait of this misunderstood idol.... A worthy addition to the Monroe canon.” (Booklist)
“A well-written examination of the mystique of a woman who still fascinates decades after her untimely death.” (Publishers Weekly)
What listeners say about Marilyn Monroe
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Angelcritique
- 17-08-20
Just about right
I think that this is the most believable of all the accounts written of Marilyn's life and passing. Truthful and honest and extremely sad. Continually abused from a young age: by others and then by herself. Trapped in a living nightmare with no visible way out. It is well written and well narrated. What more can I say. Peter Lawford should have gone round to Marilyn's house. Maybe he would have saved her life. This time.
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Amazon Customer
- 05-08-20
Maybe a better understanding now
I thoroughly enjoyed this book ! It gives you an understanding of the complexities of Marilyn Monroe in an unbiased way. I think everyone feels that, if it were possible, they could have saved her from her fate, sadly those illusions are destroyed when you read this. A unique account of a unique woman. I will add that the voice over was perfect.
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4 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Anonymous User
- 18-08-24
Beautiful and honest story
Loved every minute and has brought me closer to Marilyn Monroe like ever before. They knew she was more than a sex goddess. Ahead of her time, she is unforgettable
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Penny
- 24-09-19
I loved it!
A balanced portrait of Marilyn Monroe. Once I started listening I couldn’t stop. The writer gives a compelling account from the heart, without hiding Marilyn’s frailties. Loved the way her story was told. I would definitely recommend.
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6 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- flowertoes
- 06-02-21
A quest for real love.
Marilyn Monroe,or Norma Jean,why did they change her name ?.this book is the best biography of Monroe I have read or listened to as it goes into the reasons why ?more..the narration is superb..altogether,a satisfying listen.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Peaches
- 02-07-19
Fantastic! I couldn’t get enough 💕💕💕💕💋
What a fantastic book! I was addicted to it from the start and couldn’t stop listening. A million stars 💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕
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5 people found this helpful
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- CLP
- 03-02-22
Amazing narration. A bit too long for me.
The narrator did an absolutely perfect job. I thoroughly enjoyed listening to this biography of Marilyn. I didn't know much about her life, except that it was traumatic. Gosh how intense and tortured it was! The story was told with a lot of nuance. I appreciated the empathetic way in which the author wrote about Marilyn. The writing felt just, fair, considerate.
I'm not sure that this has anything to do with the writing, but I felt the books dragged on a bit after the halfway mark. I found the bits about the Kennedys quite boring, and I found myself waiting for Marilyn's death. Her short, miserable life felt so long and painful, I just couldn't wait for her to finally find peace. The events were retold with great care. I really felt close to Marilyn and, although I'm not sure I would have been able to help, I wished I had been there to show her true empathy and support. Great listen!
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall2 out of 5 stars
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Performance2 out of 5 stars
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Story1 out of 5 stars
- claire
- 09-01-19
Not great
Whilst I find a need to keep listening this was disappointing. The story jumped around and I struggled to follow it. The narrator was patronising sounding more like a children's narrator. I did not get past half way so it may have got better. Please do not take my work for the whole book.
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