Marilyn Books
I adore Marilyn. Full stop. Her image. Her comedy. Her talent. Her package. I started collected Marilyn books about 3 years ago, getting my first Marilyn book for Christmas in 2004, and now today I have a grand total of 40 books - photo, quote, biography and more. Here I want to share my collection - some of my thoughts and photos — giving you an idea if the book is for you.
1. The Unabridged Marilyn
The definitive, illustrated A-Z reference book on Marilyn Monroe
Written By: Randall Riese and Neal Hitchens
First Published: 1987 in the United States by Corgi Books
Type: Reference. Text mainly.
Black & White or Color: Black & White
Total Pages: 578 [very thick!]
Purchase: Ebay and Amazon
April’s Comments: I love this book to bits. I actually own two copies! [hard and soft copy!] I use it probably the most. It has SO much information about the most important things regarding Marilyn such as her films, family, media to the trivial facts like hotel’s, flowers, past jobs, people by association and much more. It lists things like stories told and published, people she’s known, movies and productions that have been influenced by Marilyn, people who worked on her film - I could go on forever! There is some false facts [like her being the inspiration for Tinkerbell in Peter Pan] but generally a reliable source of Marilyn info. If you’re keen to learn lots on Marilyn or even want a book to keep for reference I suggest getting a copy. It also has an interesting quiz through out the book on Marilyn [with answer's in the back of course!] It’s more text than photos, but there are some great rare photos of Marilyn on the set of films, with other people, from her past and more. The photo quality is low, but still I say the book is a must!
2. Marilyn
Her Life & Legend
Written By: Susan Doll [Contributing Writer]
First Published: 1990 in the United States by Publications International
Type: Photos and text.
Black & White or Color: Color
Total Pages: 255
Purchase: Ebay and Amazon
April’s Comments: This is a HUGE book. It’s 14 inch by 10 inch and hard cover. It has lots of rare photos in color and black & white on nice quality paper. It covers early in her life to the end. I loved the selection of photos of Norma Jeane when she was a child and teenager. The book has 450 photos in it - a lot in color especially the ones I’d previously seen only in black and white. It reminds me a lot the rare book ‘The Life, The Myth’ showing scans of artifacts, collectors items, magazine covers and things like that. I’d recommend it to any fan!
3. Marilyn Handbook
Written By: Mike Evans
First Published: 2004 in the United Kingdom by MQ Production
Type: Reference. Photos and text.
Black & White or Color: Color
Total Pages: 431
Purchase: Ebay and Amazon
April’s Comments: What a fabulous little book! This was the second book I ever got on Marilyn and I just couldn’t put it down when I first got it! It’s a small hard cover book - but thick! It has a time line of Marilyn’s life on the inner front and back cover which is great for referencing with dates. I use it still a lot when I’m tracking down dates of events etc. It tells the stories of her films and important events of her life and career. It has interview transcripts like when she was on The Jack Benny Show and with people who knew her. Lots of quotes too through out the book from Marilyn and quotes from others about Marilyn. At the end it also has a chapter on the influence she has had since her death. It’s a good quality little book which I highly recommend. Photo wise - there are over 220 color and black and white photos, nothing super rare but still a great collection!
4. Marilyn Monroe
Unseen Archives
Written By: Marie Clayton
First Published: 2004 in the United Kingdom by Parragon Publishing
Type: Reference. Photos and text.
Black & White or Color: Black & White
Total Pages: 383
Purchase: Ebay and Amazon
April’s Comments: Another great little hardcover book. This book is on good quality paper which makes the black and white photos shine. It has more text I think compared to the “Marilyn Handbook”, it’s set out differently as in the text with the photos are telling stories behind the photo rather than dates and quick facts. It also has a time line in the book which is more detailed and has two pages of quotes. I really enjoy this book and I think it’s great for a collector - new or old!
5. The Marilyn Album
Written By: Nicki Giles
First Published: 1991 in the United Kingdom by Greenwich Editions
Type: Photo. Very little text.
Black & White or Color: Color
Total Pages: 303
Purchase: Ebay and Amazon
April’s Comments: This was my first ever Marilyn book so for that reason I love it to bits! It has over 600 photos in both black and white and color also showing a good mix of event photos and photo sessions. It showed me the transformation from Norma Jeane to Marilyn and I think is another great first book for new Marilyn fans. I have the 2004 re-issue so if you find a older copy it has a different cover.
6. Marilyn Monroe
The Life, The Myth
Edited By: GiovanBattista Brambilla, Gianni Mercurio and Stefano Petricca
First Published: 1996 in the United State by Rizzoli International. Printed in Italy
Type: Photo and Text.
Black & White or Color: Color
Total Pages: 319
Purchase: Ebay and Amazon
April’s Comments: This is probably one of the rarest Marlyn books out there. It’s out of publish, from what I’ve heard about a week after the book was released it was pulled of the shelves because of many copyright infringements it held. Inside it has 100’s of photos, magazine covers, international posters, article scans, advertisements, so many things you wont find in any other book. It has some really nice full page photos too from photographers such as Milton Greene, Douglas Kirkland and Philippe Halsman. It’s simply stunning and amazing! One of my favorites! It’s pretty heavy and hard cover. It’s pretty pricey and hard to come by but if you get the chance to get a copy - don’t miss it up! A must for any collector!!
7. An Evening With Marilyn
Written & Photographs By: Douglas Kirkland
First Published: 2005 in the United States by Welcome Books. Printed in Hong Kong
Type: Photographer
Black & White or Color: Color
Total Pages: 127
Purchase: Ebay and Amazon
April’s Comments: Douglas Kirkland tells his story of the photo shoot with Marilyn back in 1961 for Look magazine. I find the story of the shoot a tad on the sleezy side because he was a married guy in his mid 20’s talking about the chance he could of had with Marilyn. Tho I still found it interesting to hear about the shoot and process and glad I could hear the story, it was well written, as you read you could hear him telling you as if you were listening to him beside you. The book is filled with photos from the shoot [in infamous one of her in the white sheet], some are not the best quality, but others are simply stunning. It’s a medium sized hard cover book with large print. I hope one day it gets released in a larger format.
8. Monroe
A Life In Pictures
Written By: James Spada & George Zeno
First Published: 1982 in the United Kingdom by Sidgwick & Jackson Limited.
Type: Photo
Black & White or Color: Black & White [with a few color pages]
Total Pages: 194
Purchase: Ebay and Amazon
April’s Comments: When I first got this book I reckon I read it 5 time in a row. It’s got a really nice selection of photos (230+) - mainly in black and white, but still really beautiful. It had quiet a few photos I had not seen before which was nice too. With most photos, it has some text with some information about the event, film or person. Im really happy to have it in my collection.
9. Marilyn
The Last Take
Written By: Peter Harry Brown & Patte B. Barham
First Published: August 1992 in the United States by Penguin Books.
Type: Biography. 8 pages of photos.
Black & White or Color: Black & White.
Total Pages: 453
Purchase: Ebay and Amazon
April’s Comments: I have only recently gotten this book and haven’t yet finished. I decided to buy it after I saw the “Final Days” documentary and was interested in learning more about her “final days”. Her story starts around the time of shooting for “Something’s Got To Give” to her death. So far, so good! I’ll come back and write a proper review once I’m done. The photos in the book are on glossy paper, black & white and are from the filming of “Something’s Got To Give”, people involved in her final days and the last events leading up to her death. Nothing photo wise in the way of “rare”.
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