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Marilyn Monroe: The Private Life of a Public Icon
Based on new interviews and research, this ground-breaking biography explores the secret selves behind Marilyn Monroe’s public facades.
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 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 Marilyn’s struggle with bipolar disorder. Starting with her abusive childhood, this biography exposes how―in spite of her fractured psyche―Marilyn’s extreme ambition inspired her 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
*Despite reports of their bitter rivalry, Elizabeth Taylor secretly reached out and tried to help Marilyn during one of her darkest moments.
*The existence of Marilyn’s semi-nude love scene with Clark Gable―long thought to be lost.
*A few nights before she died, Marilyn encountered Warren Beatty at a party and disclosed some of the reasons for her final despair.
*A meticulously detailed account of the events of her last day, revealing how a series of miscommunications and misjudgments contributed to her death.
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 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 Marilyn’s struggle with bipolar disorder. Starting with her abusive childhood, this biography exposes how―in spite of her fractured psyche―Marilyn’s extreme ambition inspired her 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
*Despite reports of their bitter rivalry, Elizabeth Taylor secretly reached out and tried to help Marilyn during one of her darkest moments.
*The existence of Marilyn’s semi-nude love scene with Clark Gable―long thought to be lost.
*A few nights before she died, Marilyn encountered Warren Beatty at a party and disclosed some of the reasons for her final despair.
*A meticulously detailed account of the events of her last day, revealing how a series of miscommunications and misjudgments contributed to her death.
368 pages, Hardcover
First published August 14, 2018
167 people are currently reading
1462 people want to read
About the author
Charles Casillo
7 books55 followersSometimes while sitting darkly in the far corner of a corner bar, sipping a martini with three olives, or just strolling down a city street with shadowy, hidden secrets, this author's mind wanders to his many interests and obsessions: Tragic figures, film noir, Marilyn Monroe, sex, eccentric personalities, extraordinarily talented individuals, and antidotes for insomnia, loneliness, and insecurity. He has written about some of these subjects in his books "The Marilyn Diaries," "Outlaw: The Lives and Careers of John Rechy," "The Fame Game," "Boys, Lost & Found," the comprehensive biography "Marilyn Monroe: The Private Life of a Public Icon," and his latest book "Elizabeth and Monty: The Untold Story of Their Intimate Friendship." Often he might scribble some of his musings on a cocktail napkin or the back of a newspaper and find it wadded up in the morning--crumpled, torn, and almost illegible but usually with the seed of a thought that might lead to something new.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 170 reviews
September 6, 2018
This book focuses mostly on her mental illnesses and looks at her life from that point of view. This book is not filled with gossip and rumors it’s based on the facts that are available. It’s a pretty good book with the point of view that most books about her don’t cover . It was interesting and I liked it very much . If you are looking for a basic biography than this is a good book for you .
November 6, 2019
"I am good, but not an angel. I do sin, but I am not the devil. I am just a small girl in a big world trying to find some love." -- quote attributed to Ms. Monroe
Although a thorough book, Casillo's The Private Life of a Public Icon is certainly one of the more depressing biographical / history-related releases that I've read this year. Of course, that's not the author's fault - Ms. Monroe (born Norma Jean Baker) had a mostly-unpleasant childhood with her lack of a solid family. She came into adulthood too early via an arranged marriage, and also with the notion that her physical appearance was her defining attribute. There were her many insecurities and known mental health issues, which were not helped by medications or treatments prescribed by questionable physicians during the stardom years. A laundry list of brief and/or failed marriages and relationships - Joe DiMaggio, Arthur Miller, Frank Sinatra, plus supposedly John and Bobby Kennedy - from famous men who would / could not fully commit to her certainly did not help her psyche. The train wreck is sadly just inevitable, as it didn't seem to be her intention (on in her control) at all.
Yet, Casillo generates an appropriate amount of sympathy for her. When Monroe finally does hit the big time as an movie actress in the 50's it feels like a deserved (if short-lived) victory, and she was briefly untouchable. However, between her own documented problems and working in an industry known for insensitive 'hot or not' popularity - not to mention a number of dubious or downright toxic people in her social circle - it leads to a conspiracy-fueled death at age 36. I have to wonder how things would've turned out if she had received proper guidance, advice and care.
Although a thorough book, Casillo's The Private Life of a Public Icon is certainly one of the more depressing biographical / history-related releases that I've read this year. Of course, that's not the author's fault - Ms. Monroe (born Norma Jean Baker) had a mostly-unpleasant childhood with her lack of a solid family. She came into adulthood too early via an arranged marriage, and also with the notion that her physical appearance was her defining attribute. There were her many insecurities and known mental health issues, which were not helped by medications or treatments prescribed by questionable physicians during the stardom years. A laundry list of brief and/or failed marriages and relationships - Joe DiMaggio, Arthur Miller, Frank Sinatra, plus supposedly John and Bobby Kennedy - from famous men who would / could not fully commit to her certainly did not help her psyche. The train wreck is sadly just inevitable, as it didn't seem to be her intention (on in her control) at all.
Yet, Casillo generates an appropriate amount of sympathy for her. When Monroe finally does hit the big time as an movie actress in the 50's it feels like a deserved (if short-lived) victory, and she was briefly untouchable. However, between her own documented problems and working in an industry known for insensitive 'hot or not' popularity - not to mention a number of dubious or downright toxic people in her social circle - it leads to a conspiracy-fueled death at age 36. I have to wonder how things would've turned out if she had received proper guidance, advice and care.
April 20, 2025
A terrific biography of Marilyn Monroe. The author’s writing style makes this book very readable. It’s a real life account but it reads like a page turning novel. Almost all the stories about Marilyn were backed up by research and/or first hand accounts. This book really helped me understand who Marilyn is & what led up to her tragic death… This biography is a strong recommend.
October 14, 2021
4.5
Jako je teško reći bilo što o ovakvoj vrsti knjige jer nije krimić s linearnom radnjom i sretnim krajem. Ovo je priča o jednom posebnom životu za koji se ne znaju točni detalji, što onda stvara ljudsku znatiželju i istraživanja istog već više od pola stoljeća.
Cijeli osvrt pronađite ovdje: https://knjige-u-svom-filmu.webador.c...
Jako je teško reći bilo što o ovakvoj vrsti knjige jer nije krimić s linearnom radnjom i sretnim krajem. Ovo je priča o jednom posebnom životu za koji se ne znaju točni detalji, što onda stvara ljudsku znatiželju i istraživanja istog već više od pola stoljeća.
Cijeli osvrt pronađite ovdje: https://knjige-u-svom-filmu.webador.c...
March 28, 2025
Uważam, że w międzyczasie wkradło się nieco chaosu, ale samej biografii nie mam nic do zarzucenia.
May 11, 2019
I didn’t know much about Marilyn Monroe before picking up this book. I have a huge canvas painting of her in my bedroom and a couple of photos of her in my college dorm but other than knowing she was iconic and had an affair with JFK I didn’t know anything else! The rough childhood she had was a huge shock to me! I never really thought about it but obviously Marilyn Monroe hung out with other famous people I just didn’t know who till reading this book! She married Arthur Miller and was friends with Truman Capote! Two classic authors! She also had a fling with Marlon Brando! I also like how James Dean was mentioned along with the classic East of Eden! (Little things like that made me understand Hollywood at that time period)! It was a shock to realize that she was difficult to work with but everyone said she has a certain charm about her, I haven’t seen any of her movies but I plan too however I did feel her charisma in photos! I looked at a bunch of photos of her and she was gorgeous! I was enthralled by every photo of her. This was honestly like real life of valley of the dolls! Her life wasn’t as happy as I was expecting, she struggled a lot with mental illness and it was really sad to find out what she had to go through. I found this biography easy to read and I’m going to read more about Marilyn Monroe in the future!
September 6, 2019
jedna od najlošije napisanih biografija koje sam čitala. površno, banalno, ispunjeno nelogičnostima, stilski mizerno, s previše subjektivnih i posve nepotrebnih (a mjestimice i neumjesnih) opaski i, što je najgore - bez ikakvih referenci na izvore informacija pa stoga neuvjerljivo. jedino što iz ove knjige možeš dobiti je nekakva površna kronologija marilynog života, a i to mi je pod upitnikom koliko odgovara istini.
kad netko krene pisati biografiju -a pogotovo ako je riječ o osobi takve slave, popularnosti i obljubljenosti kao što je m. monroe- onda mora jako paziti što radi. kad pišeš biografiju, nedopustivo je kao izvor informacija navesti "jedna glumica je rekla...", "pouzdani izvor navodi..." ili "vjerojatno je... ali za to nema dokaza.". sram te bilo, charles casillo.
kad netko krene pisati biografiju -a pogotovo ako je riječ o osobi takve slave, popularnosti i obljubljenosti kao što je m. monroe- onda mora jako paziti što radi. kad pišeš biografiju, nedopustivo je kao izvor informacija navesti "jedna glumica je rekla...", "pouzdani izvor navodi..." ili "vjerojatno je... ali za to nema dokaza.". sram te bilo, charles casillo.
May 6, 2021
"When Marilyn was a star she loathed the powerful men who ran the studio system, and she did everything in her power to defy them--and they hated her because she knew what they were. 'Hollywood is a place where they'll pay you a thousand dollars for a kiss and fifty cents for your soul,' she wrote contemptuously." (PAGE 45)
I always knew of Marilyn Monroe but knew nothing of Norma Jeane Baker and her transformation into Marilyn Monroe. Now I feel educated and in the know of this very beautiful, seductive yet tragic woman. She had a messed up childhood since birth (which is usually the case with celebrities, more often than not). She grew up to have daddy issues (not knowing hers) and looked for father figures in the men she would seduce and even marry. Her mother had mental issues leaving her in the hands of family friends, orphanages, and foster homes. I think these mental issues ran down the family tree, it became apparent in Monroe's personality throughout her life. She was of the first in Hollywood to publicly talk about rape and sexual harassment which was a constant to her life from the tender age of nine.
She gave her body willingly (like her mother) to men and woman as a way to say Thank You for your help. She didn't view herself as a hussy because she did it out of her own free will. Baker and Monroe alike never had anyone looking out for her well-being and just letting her know she was great the way she was and she was welcome. She always felt like an impostor and an outsider and had to quickly adapt at a moments notice. That would serve her well in the artistic world.
I think I can sit here and type away her life and have it be its own book. So I will just highlight the point of interests that wowed me. I happened to Google Bobby and John F. Kennedy and it sent me straight to their Wikipedia page. As I stroll through I notice Marilyn Monroe is just a quick commentary. I'm sure they are just basic, not in depth, points but Monroe was a big part of the Kennedy family. She was having affairs with both brothers but was enamored with Bobby. John was told to stop the affair by Jackie, that knew of his 20 second quickies with anything that walked in heels, and he told Bobby to stop it and that hurt Monroe so much it caused her depression to come back. The Kennedy's obviously had bad, negative mojo. They were like an advertisement for syphilis and STD's, as was she.
I liked her marriage to Joe DiMaggio but that was an odd pairing that couldn't have worked out. They wanted different things. They did stay close friends until her death though, which was sweet on his part, even when she was having sex with his buddies. Arthur Miller was the worst husband a woman can wish for. He left his sexless marriage for Monroe, she converts to Judaism to satisfy him, then can't stand the fact she isn't educated and that she has had many "lovers" many of which he has to guess at parties. He loved her but made her feel insufficient and constantly made her feel like a whore that he grew to be ashamed of yet used her name to pay child support and fund his projects because he himself was going broke. After 5 years of suffering they called it quits but after her death he was still using her to get money in his greedy little pocket.
I think Charles Casillo did a great job putting this book together from other people's books and forming his own opinions. Although this might annoy and bother people it did not for me. He gave everyone credit when credit was due. He put in so many details and read between the lines of things he read and let me form my own opinion into her story.
This was a great Biography that I would recommend for the sake of reading or just learning about someone you didn't know about. So much great Hollywood gossip. Sad, tragic, hopeful even when you know the ending (which is kinda sketchy.)
I always knew of Marilyn Monroe but knew nothing of Norma Jeane Baker and her transformation into Marilyn Monroe. Now I feel educated and in the know of this very beautiful, seductive yet tragic woman. She had a messed up childhood since birth (which is usually the case with celebrities, more often than not). She grew up to have daddy issues (not knowing hers) and looked for father figures in the men she would seduce and even marry. Her mother had mental issues leaving her in the hands of family friends, orphanages, and foster homes. I think these mental issues ran down the family tree, it became apparent in Monroe's personality throughout her life. She was of the first in Hollywood to publicly talk about rape and sexual harassment which was a constant to her life from the tender age of nine.
She gave her body willingly (like her mother) to men and woman as a way to say Thank You for your help. She didn't view herself as a hussy because she did it out of her own free will. Baker and Monroe alike never had anyone looking out for her well-being and just letting her know she was great the way she was and she was welcome. She always felt like an impostor and an outsider and had to quickly adapt at a moments notice. That would serve her well in the artistic world.
I think I can sit here and type away her life and have it be its own book. So I will just highlight the point of interests that wowed me. I happened to Google Bobby and John F. Kennedy and it sent me straight to their Wikipedia page. As I stroll through I notice Marilyn Monroe is just a quick commentary. I'm sure they are just basic, not in depth, points but Monroe was a big part of the Kennedy family. She was having affairs with both brothers but was enamored with Bobby. John was told to stop the affair by Jackie, that knew of his 20 second quickies with anything that walked in heels, and he told Bobby to stop it and that hurt Monroe so much it caused her depression to come back. The Kennedy's obviously had bad, negative mojo. They were like an advertisement for syphilis and STD's, as was she.
I liked her marriage to Joe DiMaggio but that was an odd pairing that couldn't have worked out. They wanted different things. They did stay close friends until her death though, which was sweet on his part, even when she was having sex with his buddies. Arthur Miller was the worst husband a woman can wish for. He left his sexless marriage for Monroe, she converts to Judaism to satisfy him, then can't stand the fact she isn't educated and that she has had many "lovers" many of which he has to guess at parties. He loved her but made her feel insufficient and constantly made her feel like a whore that he grew to be ashamed of yet used her name to pay child support and fund his projects because he himself was going broke. After 5 years of suffering they called it quits but after her death he was still using her to get money in his greedy little pocket.
I think Charles Casillo did a great job putting this book together from other people's books and forming his own opinions. Although this might annoy and bother people it did not for me. He gave everyone credit when credit was due. He put in so many details and read between the lines of things he read and let me form my own opinion into her story.
This was a great Biography that I would recommend for the sake of reading or just learning about someone you didn't know about. So much great Hollywood gossip. Sad, tragic, hopeful even when you know the ending (which is kinda sketchy.)
January 10, 2019
What a very good book this is! I finished it at 2 a.m. last night. I've read other books about Marilyn Monroe, but this author seemed to understand her quite well. Highly intelligent, highly vulnerable, incredibly hyper sensitive, it took tremendous will power to continue to try to function in Hollywood during the time of her life.
As she aged, she grew very paranoid that she would lose the only thing she felt she had going for her -- her body/her looks/her chemistry. When the magical number of 36 occurred, she spun out of control. Drinking champagne to excess, while popping lots and lots of pills rendered her sloppy and disheveled. Her relationship with Frank Sinatra in particular could have worked, but he couldn't handle her addictions and her sloppy, foul behaviour as as the night went on.
Many said she walked into a room and time stood still. Her beauty created a glow around her, and it was difficult for both men and women to look away.
While her friend Pat Newcombe knew her perhaps more than any other. She too betrayed Marilyn with a simultaneous relationship with Bobby Kennedy when Marilyn was also his token. As time went on three marriages failed, mis carrying babies made her feel useless. Her second marriage to Joe DiMaggio, the famous baseball player, was solid in the beginning. But his jealousy and need to dominate at the expense of pursuing her career led to the downfall. Still, throughout her life, it was Joe who was there for her.
Tragically, she allowed both John Kennedy, President at the time, and his brother Bobby, to use her, and spit her out.
Her famous Happy Birthday Mr. President sung in a breathless, sex filled, manner while she wore a skin tight dress that made her appear naked on stage, was the downfall of the relationships of the Kennedy brothers. She became a loose cannon, and the press would only remain at bay for so long. Fearing her fragile personality and need to cling to them was part of her downfall when she was rejected.
So much that is written is already known, but it is the way in which the book is written that made me continue reading her story.
She tried to commit suicide often throughout her life. Each time, except the last one, someone rescued her. And, she could have been rescued by those close to her who did not take the extra time to heed her slurred speech on that tragic night. If only, someone would have visited her to make sure she was ok...but, this did not occur. Taking 24 nebutal pills from a prescription of 25 was most likely what killed her.
Her enigma survives. In history, she is the stunning blonde who sang diamonds are a girl's best friend, who stook on a subway grate as her dress flew up around her. Her coy, beautiful smile, her body barely covered in sheer material, and her extreme vulnerability were traits that she leaves as her legacy will remain for a long, long time.
As she aged, she grew very paranoid that she would lose the only thing she felt she had going for her -- her body/her looks/her chemistry. When the magical number of 36 occurred, she spun out of control. Drinking champagne to excess, while popping lots and lots of pills rendered her sloppy and disheveled. Her relationship with Frank Sinatra in particular could have worked, but he couldn't handle her addictions and her sloppy, foul behaviour as as the night went on.
Many said she walked into a room and time stood still. Her beauty created a glow around her, and it was difficult for both men and women to look away.
While her friend Pat Newcombe knew her perhaps more than any other. She too betrayed Marilyn with a simultaneous relationship with Bobby Kennedy when Marilyn was also his token. As time went on three marriages failed, mis carrying babies made her feel useless. Her second marriage to Joe DiMaggio, the famous baseball player, was solid in the beginning. But his jealousy and need to dominate at the expense of pursuing her career led to the downfall. Still, throughout her life, it was Joe who was there for her.
Tragically, she allowed both John Kennedy, President at the time, and his brother Bobby, to use her, and spit her out.
Her famous Happy Birthday Mr. President sung in a breathless, sex filled, manner while she wore a skin tight dress that made her appear naked on stage, was the downfall of the relationships of the Kennedy brothers. She became a loose cannon, and the press would only remain at bay for so long. Fearing her fragile personality and need to cling to them was part of her downfall when she was rejected.
So much that is written is already known, but it is the way in which the book is written that made me continue reading her story.
She tried to commit suicide often throughout her life. Each time, except the last one, someone rescued her. And, she could have been rescued by those close to her who did not take the extra time to heed her slurred speech on that tragic night. If only, someone would have visited her to make sure she was ok...but, this did not occur. Taking 24 nebutal pills from a prescription of 25 was most likely what killed her.
Her enigma survives. In history, she is the stunning blonde who sang diamonds are a girl's best friend, who stook on a subway grate as her dress flew up around her. Her coy, beautiful smile, her body barely covered in sheer material, and her extreme vulnerability were traits that she leaves as her legacy will remain for a long, long time.
December 26, 2022
Fascinating!
March 26, 2019
Well, this was a surprise.
Prior to reading this, I knew very little about Marilyn Monroe. I had an image in mind -with her white skirt being blown up by the wind, I knew that she was rumoured to have an affair with JFK and I knew that she died under extremely suspicious circumstances. That's all but this book looks into the person beyond all that, through the lens of her mental illness, her debilitating depression and her manic depressive disorder now known as bipolar disorder. Now, add extreme abandonment issues, physically and psychologically abusive marriages, an employer who was constantly trying to discard and humiliate her, and an obsession with vanity and age - that is the formula for Marilyn Monroe - atleast 37% of her. It has been commented that she was ahead of her time, smarter than she looked and reformed the movie industry as it stands today. All of that is true in my opinion.
Throughout the course of her career, she made multiple attempts to take her own life to the point she was put in a psychiatric hospital. Her playwright husband, Arthur Miller, propelled his own career using her name to get out of court cases and then added humiliating lines to her scripts emphasising on her sexual history and her lack of proper education. In two of her movies, he put the words "I never finished high school" in her mouth. Tacky, cheap and opportunistic? Yes!
To say that Monroe was troubled would be an understatement, the last few years of her life showed a steady decline where she was discarded by both the Kennedy brothers, fired from her last movie, under the care of a psychiatrist who created an extreme dependency and her dwindling obsession with her increasing age and receding beauty was all too much to take.
The thing that was so striking to me was the fact that this was an extremely well-written biography. The author does not in any way taint her image or give us preconceived notions about her but instead lets us decide for ourselves after a very accurate presentation of the facts. While reading this, I watched a few of her movies and now I can understand the fascination with her.
The life of Marilyn Monroe has been the subject of discussion, widely covered in literature but if you had to pick a biography - I would say read this one.
Prior to reading this, I knew very little about Marilyn Monroe. I had an image in mind -with her white skirt being blown up by the wind, I knew that she was rumoured to have an affair with JFK and I knew that she died under extremely suspicious circumstances. That's all but this book looks into the person beyond all that, through the lens of her mental illness, her debilitating depression and her manic depressive disorder now known as bipolar disorder. Now, add extreme abandonment issues, physically and psychologically abusive marriages, an employer who was constantly trying to discard and humiliate her, and an obsession with vanity and age - that is the formula for Marilyn Monroe - atleast 37% of her. It has been commented that she was ahead of her time, smarter than she looked and reformed the movie industry as it stands today. All of that is true in my opinion.
Throughout the course of her career, she made multiple attempts to take her own life to the point she was put in a psychiatric hospital. Her playwright husband, Arthur Miller, propelled his own career using her name to get out of court cases and then added humiliating lines to her scripts emphasising on her sexual history and her lack of proper education. In two of her movies, he put the words "I never finished high school" in her mouth. Tacky, cheap and opportunistic? Yes!
To say that Monroe was troubled would be an understatement, the last few years of her life showed a steady decline where she was discarded by both the Kennedy brothers, fired from her last movie, under the care of a psychiatrist who created an extreme dependency and her dwindling obsession with her increasing age and receding beauty was all too much to take.
The thing that was so striking to me was the fact that this was an extremely well-written biography. The author does not in any way taint her image or give us preconceived notions about her but instead lets us decide for ourselves after a very accurate presentation of the facts. While reading this, I watched a few of her movies and now I can understand the fascination with her.
The life of Marilyn Monroe has been the subject of discussion, widely covered in literature but if you had to pick a biography - I would say read this one.
May 29, 2025
Marilyn Monroe: the woman, the myth, the legend.
I absolutely adored and flew through this book. It was easy to read, not at all boring, and it communicated Marilyn's mysterious life honestly and openly without being uncomfortably profane. The author perfectly captured the aura of fascination and the pull of Marilyn's broken, innocent yet risqué nature.
My personal takeaway was the heartbreaking result of a life void of the realization and fulfillment of God's love and and an individual's attempt to numb, soothe, and fill that void elsewhere as well as the devastating reality of an inauthentic life of facades and true loneliness.
People need people, and people need God.
Highly recommend! Very well researched and written!
I absolutely adored and flew through this book. It was easy to read, not at all boring, and it communicated Marilyn's mysterious life honestly and openly without being uncomfortably profane. The author perfectly captured the aura of fascination and the pull of Marilyn's broken, innocent yet risqué nature.
My personal takeaway was the heartbreaking result of a life void of the realization and fulfillment of God's love and and an individual's attempt to numb, soothe, and fill that void elsewhere as well as the devastating reality of an inauthentic life of facades and true loneliness.
People need people, and people need God.
Highly recommend! Very well researched and written!
October 2, 2019
Very interesting book. Read for a challenge and learned a lot.
April 5, 2022
Ugh there’s a LOT to say about this book but I feel like I could wind up ranting about it forever so I’ll try to keep this brief. The early parts are good, when in reference to Marilyn’s childhood it is truly is a good biography. I would say this is the case for about the first third or so of the book, but after that there is a complete tonal switch.
Even beyond the fact that there’s a tonal shift, the author no longer tells the story as an impartial narrator, but now gives his own input. The authors notes are truly UNBELIEVABLE. I cannot believe this book was published in 2018 in a post Me-Too era world. My biggest takeaway from this book was primarily what people were saying about Marilyn’s body at different points in her life; and the author makes no attempt to criticize this behavior, despite acknowledging that it MAY have affected her mental health. In fact, he goes one step further in his authors notes to give HIS input on what her body looked like at the time (at one point he’s telling of when she was complimented by a photographer for having perky breasts in her mid-30s, and was quick to clarify that now in the age of plastic surgery they seem “unremarkable.” Excuse me?!). He also criticizes her for gaining wait, and remarks on it CONSTANTLY. He tries to clarify that it’s within the context to her mental health, but with such frequency it really becomes apparent it is criticism. I understand weight fluctuates within seasons of life and particularly when substance abuse is involved, but it is mentioned SO often that it becomes clear it is a personal disdain towards women who let themselves gain weight. He at one point says she is “particularly plump” in the bikini scene in The Misfits, which led me to look it up and find that she couldn’t have been bigger than MAYBE a size 12 by today’s standards. If this book was published in the 1960s after her death I would’ve said sure, but again, this book is from 2018! In the age of body inclusivity that we are in now it’s hard to imagine how any of this made it past the publishers.
Also about the aforementioned tonal switch, the author uses a style where he tries to contextualize every event in her life by her death. There’s plenty of occasions where he could be mentioning anything from a gala event to cooking dinner, and the story would still end with a throwaway line akin to “too bad it would all end too soon.” Almost as if it’s a thriller novel in those moments? She had one of the most famous deaths in modern history, so I don’t see why he would make that choice. Literally every single person that picks up this book knows how it is going to end.
Overall, I actually would recommend this book wholeheartedly to someone who wants to read about her childhood. The research and writing that were done to write about her childhood were excellent. I would just say put the book down the second she’s about to become a teenager, because despite still being Norma Jean, it’s clear that in the authors eyes this is when the Marilyn we know today “developed.” 🤢 Unfortunately he falls into the trap many men do where he sees girls/women as nothing but children or sexual beings, and the second they hit the age where they become said sexual being they’re fair game (at one point he describes the “perky breasts and full hips” she’d developed as a teenager. Ew.) The author makes no attempt to sympathize with Marilyn and frankly has no problem criticizing her and her body similarly to how those of the era did. Marilyn is one of the most beloved figures of all time, and yet this author couldn’t make the attempts to sympathize with her that he could Norma Jean.
Even beyond the fact that there’s a tonal shift, the author no longer tells the story as an impartial narrator, but now gives his own input. The authors notes are truly UNBELIEVABLE. I cannot believe this book was published in 2018 in a post Me-Too era world. My biggest takeaway from this book was primarily what people were saying about Marilyn’s body at different points in her life; and the author makes no attempt to criticize this behavior, despite acknowledging that it MAY have affected her mental health. In fact, he goes one step further in his authors notes to give HIS input on what her body looked like at the time (at one point he’s telling of when she was complimented by a photographer for having perky breasts in her mid-30s, and was quick to clarify that now in the age of plastic surgery they seem “unremarkable.” Excuse me?!). He also criticizes her for gaining wait, and remarks on it CONSTANTLY. He tries to clarify that it’s within the context to her mental health, but with such frequency it really becomes apparent it is criticism. I understand weight fluctuates within seasons of life and particularly when substance abuse is involved, but it is mentioned SO often that it becomes clear it is a personal disdain towards women who let themselves gain weight. He at one point says she is “particularly plump” in the bikini scene in The Misfits, which led me to look it up and find that she couldn’t have been bigger than MAYBE a size 12 by today’s standards. If this book was published in the 1960s after her death I would’ve said sure, but again, this book is from 2018! In the age of body inclusivity that we are in now it’s hard to imagine how any of this made it past the publishers.
Also about the aforementioned tonal switch, the author uses a style where he tries to contextualize every event in her life by her death. There’s plenty of occasions where he could be mentioning anything from a gala event to cooking dinner, and the story would still end with a throwaway line akin to “too bad it would all end too soon.” Almost as if it’s a thriller novel in those moments? She had one of the most famous deaths in modern history, so I don’t see why he would make that choice. Literally every single person that picks up this book knows how it is going to end.
Overall, I actually would recommend this book wholeheartedly to someone who wants to read about her childhood. The research and writing that were done to write about her childhood were excellent. I would just say put the book down the second she’s about to become a teenager, because despite still being Norma Jean, it’s clear that in the authors eyes this is when the Marilyn we know today “developed.” 🤢 Unfortunately he falls into the trap many men do where he sees girls/women as nothing but children or sexual beings, and the second they hit the age where they become said sexual being they’re fair game (at one point he describes the “perky breasts and full hips” she’d developed as a teenager. Ew.) The author makes no attempt to sympathize with Marilyn and frankly has no problem criticizing her and her body similarly to how those of the era did. Marilyn is one of the most beloved figures of all time, and yet this author couldn’t make the attempts to sympathize with her that he could Norma Jean.
September 3, 2018
Fame doesn’t get you everything. We take our problems with us. Beauty is only skin deep. All these platitudes speak to Marilyn and her ultimately sad, lonely life. Heartbreaking to read how the people she called friends would end up failing her- although the question remains: if she had been saved again, at what point would she have overdosed again? When do you stop saving someone who doesn’t want to be saved?
November 23, 2018
Reads more like a gossip column...
Probably biggest claim in the book is cited to a "trusted, but anonymous" source... Never like(or trust those)!!!
Probably biggest claim in the book is cited to a "trusted, but anonymous" source... Never like(or trust those)!!!
April 9, 2024
4.25⭐
This well-researched, biography shares so much in-depth knowledge about the troubled mental and emotional life of the icon, Marilyn Monroe.
I have to give credit where credit is due: Charles Casillo did his homework. This biography told so many details that I think the average Monroe fan would be amazed to learn. Casillo is able to weave the story of Marilyn in a way that keeps you intrigued by her choices and engrossed in the emotional turmoil of her life.
This story is not for the faint of heart. I finished this and I felt like I needed to take a break for a second to catch my breath. It honestly made me feel so sad, not only for the lost life of Monroe, but because I found her so relatable in her motivations and her desires to be loved and wanted.
I'm only knocking it a couple points just because the work can seem a little too lengthy. There were some details that I didn't necessarily find useful or informative. Otherwise, this is a must-read for any fan of Old Hollywood, Marilyn Monroe, or historical biographies of icons.
This well-researched, biography shares so much in-depth knowledge about the troubled mental and emotional life of the icon, Marilyn Monroe.
I have to give credit where credit is due: Charles Casillo did his homework. This biography told so many details that I think the average Monroe fan would be amazed to learn. Casillo is able to weave the story of Marilyn in a way that keeps you intrigued by her choices and engrossed in the emotional turmoil of her life.
This story is not for the faint of heart. I finished this and I felt like I needed to take a break for a second to catch my breath. It honestly made me feel so sad, not only for the lost life of Monroe, but because I found her so relatable in her motivations and her desires to be loved and wanted.
I'm only knocking it a couple points just because the work can seem a little too lengthy. There were some details that I didn't necessarily find useful or informative. Otherwise, this is a must-read for any fan of Old Hollywood, Marilyn Monroe, or historical biographies of icons.
October 23, 2019
One of the best Monroe books to date!! I love how Casillo doesn’t feed into the conspiracy theories about Marilyn. One can since the amount of admiration Casillo has for Marilyn, and in turn makes you fall back in love with this sad, beautiful, scared creature.
I really enjoyed how Casillo humanizes Marilyn. He depicts her as a scared woman who wanted nothing and yet wanted everything. He takes her away from the title of Goddess and reminds us how vulnerable and desperate a woman who wanted to be loved could be.
I really enjoyed how Casillo humanizes Marilyn. He depicts her as a scared woman who wanted nothing and yet wanted everything. He takes her away from the title of Goddess and reminds us how vulnerable and desperate a woman who wanted to be loved could be.
August 25, 2019
This is one heck of a book. It focuses on Marylyn’s childhood which explains why she was the way she was. I felt a tremendous amount of empathy for her. She searched for the love she never received as a child. On top of her mental illness I can only imagine how desperate she felt so often. Very sad book. Side note: EVERYONE was sleeping with EVERYONE! Goodness 🤦🏾♀️
October 5, 2023
Didn’t really know anything about Marilyn Monroe before this, feel like an expert now. Can’t speak to all the other biographies about her but this one was good! Losing a star because Marilyn was homophobic 🙃
August 20, 2025
Nie wiem jak to lepiej określić, ale widać z całą stereotypowością, że pisał to mężczyzna. Potępia to jak była traktowana Marilyn, a jednocześnie używa dokładnie tego samego dyskursu, żeby ją opisać. Male gaze all the way.
July 26, 2022
“Very often death was more enticing to her than life, and she chased after it like a dream, like a lover, like sleep.”
April 3, 2019
This isn't the first Marilyn Book Charles Casillo has written (I've reviewed "The Marilyn Diaries" before) - this book, however, is vastly different from his first take on Monroe's life. In The Diaries, Charles Casillo inhabits Marilyn's psyche so well, that you come to believe the book you hold in your hands is truly her journal, and that you're privy to some amazing, exhilarating discovery, the kind of excitement anyone who had access to such a diary would feel. I wasn't able to put that book down and it has stayed with me throughout the years.
The chronology in The Diaries is spot on and there is never a dull moment. Charles's prose is also beautiful. Nostalgic, a tad wistful, it seems to flow from the heart of Marilyn herself and as the book neared it's end, I came to believe that in another life, Marilyn and I could have been friends.
This book, The Private Life of a Public Icon is vastly different. The tone is scholarly, excellent writing, a fine balance between efficiency in words and ideas, and prose that flows quickly and well, constantly capturing and maintaining the reader's attention. And yet there are also moments of subtle beauty. A turn of phrase here and there, an insight into what Marilyn could have thought or felt. Truly, there was never an ill-conceived paragraph.
This book is also the result of meticulous investigation (Charles has been studying Marilyn throughout his entire life and was also a consultant for J. Randy Taraborrelli’s The Secret Life of Marilyn Monroe). In The Private Life, Charles seeks to explore the events and forces behind Marilyn's psychological and emotional persona: her deep-rooted pathologies (for lack of a better word), her struggle with feelings of inadequacy, her dependence on drugs, her kindness, her generosity; that magical, luminous, undefinable quality that made her such a beloved albeit mysterious force of nature- he focuses on all the information that would allow us to try to comprehend (as finitely as one can), the life that shaped the Marilyn we "know", the one who lives in our collective unconscious.
Yet Charles Casillo doesn't stop there, he also places special emphasis on Marilyn's relation to the public, a fundamental part of her character. Marilyn was a trailblazer in so many ways (and Charles conveys this wonderfully). A woman ahead of her time, courageous in defying a soulless star-system and assertive in her quest for independence, the stuff true heroines are made of. And yet... yet she was also a child. Lost and living on the brink of actions that defy the same kindness and generosity she was so capable of.
A dichotomy, a mystery. A truly complex human being (aren't we all?)
This book is a must-read for any Marilyn fan: the definitive go-to text for Marilyn researchers and passers-by. And also, the hours of work, interviews, emotional expense (pondering, thinking about Marilyn, being connected to the work of writing), this is also an amazing aspect of Charles Casillo's most brilliant book.
The chronology in The Diaries is spot on and there is never a dull moment. Charles's prose is also beautiful. Nostalgic, a tad wistful, it seems to flow from the heart of Marilyn herself and as the book neared it's end, I came to believe that in another life, Marilyn and I could have been friends.
This book, The Private Life of a Public Icon is vastly different. The tone is scholarly, excellent writing, a fine balance between efficiency in words and ideas, and prose that flows quickly and well, constantly capturing and maintaining the reader's attention. And yet there are also moments of subtle beauty. A turn of phrase here and there, an insight into what Marilyn could have thought or felt. Truly, there was never an ill-conceived paragraph.
This book is also the result of meticulous investigation (Charles has been studying Marilyn throughout his entire life and was also a consultant for J. Randy Taraborrelli’s The Secret Life of Marilyn Monroe). In The Private Life, Charles seeks to explore the events and forces behind Marilyn's psychological and emotional persona: her deep-rooted pathologies (for lack of a better word), her struggle with feelings of inadequacy, her dependence on drugs, her kindness, her generosity; that magical, luminous, undefinable quality that made her such a beloved albeit mysterious force of nature- he focuses on all the information that would allow us to try to comprehend (as finitely as one can), the life that shaped the Marilyn we "know", the one who lives in our collective unconscious.
Yet Charles Casillo doesn't stop there, he also places special emphasis on Marilyn's relation to the public, a fundamental part of her character. Marilyn was a trailblazer in so many ways (and Charles conveys this wonderfully). A woman ahead of her time, courageous in defying a soulless star-system and assertive in her quest for independence, the stuff true heroines are made of. And yet... yet she was also a child. Lost and living on the brink of actions that defy the same kindness and generosity she was so capable of.
A dichotomy, a mystery. A truly complex human being (aren't we all?)
This book is a must-read for any Marilyn fan: the definitive go-to text for Marilyn researchers and passers-by. And also, the hours of work, interviews, emotional expense (pondering, thinking about Marilyn, being connected to the work of writing), this is also an amazing aspect of Charles Casillo's most brilliant book.
August 22, 2018
Billy Wilder said Marilyn Monroe was "a puzzle without any solution," but biographer and novelist Charles Casillo (The Marilyn Diaries) has dug deep with his extraordinary biography and finds answers to questions that have haunted Monroe fans for decades. There have been dozens of full-length biographies written about Marilyn Monroe (1926-1962); however, Casillo's compelling and exhaustively researched biography does an outstanding job of sifting through conflicting testimonies and offering a compassionate and nuanced presentation of Monroe's tragic life.
The groundwork for Monroe's insecurities and neuroses forms when she's abandoned by a mentally unstable mother and grandmother, and shuffled from abusive foster families to an orphanage before she marries at 16--just to have a place to live. A modeling job leads her to film work in Hollywood where, she said, "They'll pay you a thousand dollars for a kiss and fifty cents for your soul." Her popularity in movies was meteoric but her desire to learn her craft and pick her projects was met with dismissive condescension by her studio and directors. Her almost daily analysis sessions brought her demons (isolation, sexual abuse and faltering confidence) to the surface and "slowly destroyed any kind of work ethic she had." Crushing loneliness, bad relationships (including Arthur Miller and both John and Robert Kennedy) and debilitating depression mixed with pills and alcohol led to breakdowns and multiple overdoses before her final overdose at age 36.
Monroe's sad but fascinating life has been told many times before, but Casillo's fast-paced, sympathetic and psychologically sound biography stands as one of the best.
Castillo's sympathetic and psychologically nuanced Marilyn Monroe bio is compulsively readable and well researched.
The groundwork for Monroe's insecurities and neuroses forms when she's abandoned by a mentally unstable mother and grandmother, and shuffled from abusive foster families to an orphanage before she marries at 16--just to have a place to live. A modeling job leads her to film work in Hollywood where, she said, "They'll pay you a thousand dollars for a kiss and fifty cents for your soul." Her popularity in movies was meteoric but her desire to learn her craft and pick her projects was met with dismissive condescension by her studio and directors. Her almost daily analysis sessions brought her demons (isolation, sexual abuse and faltering confidence) to the surface and "slowly destroyed any kind of work ethic she had." Crushing loneliness, bad relationships (including Arthur Miller and both John and Robert Kennedy) and debilitating depression mixed with pills and alcohol led to breakdowns and multiple overdoses before her final overdose at age 36.
Monroe's sad but fascinating life has been told many times before, but Casillo's fast-paced, sympathetic and psychologically sound biography stands as one of the best.
Castillo's sympathetic and psychologically nuanced Marilyn Monroe bio is compulsively readable and well researched.
May 20, 2021
Bottom line: how is it possible to make Marilyn Monroe more interesting? I don't know, but Charles Casillo has done it.
Like the author, I've been a quiet fan of Marilyn Monroe since I was about eleven years old. There is no more classic beauty, no greater classic movie star (though there is some strong competition in my heart), and no more enigmatic and fascinating personality. This book, however, is not just thrilling and hard to put down because of its subject matter. By covering the chronology of Marilyn Monroe's life, her struggles, and probing the depths of her relationships, Charles Casillo has produced a biography that only heightens the mystery and charisma of Marilyn Monroe, while at the same time enlightening the reader as to what still charms us today. Most of all, this biography makes Marilyn Monroe, the ultimate other-worldly love goddess of our time, into a human being. More fascinating, still thrilling and beautiful, but human in every regard. None of the biographies I read or documentaries I watched as a kid mentioned Marilyn Monroe gardening, cooking, driving, babysitting. Casillo does, and it seals the deal, making Marilyn Monroe (of all people) into not a regular person, but an extraordinary human being.
The themes of Marilyn's life are always kept in the forefront. From the very first page the author maintains a throughline of her psyche: her quest for attention, acceptance, and excellence in her craft. He doesn't shy away from the gritty details of her life, nor from her many affairs and personal problems. But those things are never the point. After the collapse of her third marriage, she had affairs with Frank Sinatra and two Kennedys (one of whom was president of the United States), but Casillo presents these juicy details not as titillation but as part of Marilyn's lifelong quest for her father. He builds a case not of Hollywood depravity, but of a woman navigating a life where she was worshipped for her beauty, tossed aside, and reviled by jealous women, costars, and movie executives. It's all part of a consistent package, all built on Casillo's extensive sourcing and his personal interviews with the important people in her life over the course of his decades of research.
I have two pet peeves about nonfiction and biography that Casillo manages to dodge, and it kept the book moving at a living pace: there are no sidebars, no digressions into themes that were relevant to Marilyn Monroe's life. Casillo could have chosen to write long chapters about how business works in Hollywood, how orphans and foster children were dealt with at the time, psychoanalysis, drugs, or the Rat Pack. Instead he keeps the focus on Marilyn and everything flows from the perspective of her own quest for acceptance and achievement. Another way of putting it is that he could have just said "well she was bipolar/borderline and bipolar people do X and Y." He doesn't bother. He writes about her as a living, breathing person with confused desires handicapped by the very things that made her successful.
The second pet peeve is when authors refuse to judge or come to conclusions. Certainly, we know more about Marilyn Monroe than we know about Emma of Normandy, but one could attempt to write a biography of such a modern figure by filling it with weasel words and saying "we just don't know" over and over again. Casillo handles many of the controversial events and themes in Marilyn's life as a balanced and moral observer, i.e. he's not afraid to say when something was done wrong. When events have differing accounts, he delves into all of the available perspectives and looks for a convergence of evidence. He isn't shy about saying when the evidence points to wrongdoing, especially around Marilyn's death and her handling by various psychiatrists. It's quite refreshing to read a book and just see the author write "What this person did was wrong" instead of endless hemming and hawing. On the other hand, he doesn't do this without stating his reasons, and he doesn't rely on the reader's values for interpretation. He builds his case, and states his conclusions boldly. Remarkably though, he does this without blame or short-changing those in question, even regarding the events around her death.
Marilyn Monroe is one of those enigmatic figures who straddles time periods we hear about as kids: she was born in Hollywood's silent era, grew up watching Jean Harlow movies at Grauman's Chinese Theater, lived through World War II, embodied 1950s cinema, and ended her life at the vanguard of a new kind of filmmaking. Casillo's real victory is to make these Hollywood eras come alive and to make Marilyn Monroe come alive as a whole person. He paints a picture of a woman who is known mostly (still) for her physical appearance and shows the struggles that created, how she used that to her advantage and to her own detriment. But he also shows how she was so much more than her looks, no matter how much people wanted to take advantage of them. I think what I got from this book that I haven't gotten from others is a real sense of what this struggle was like for her: it's as close as I've seen to really viewing Marilyn's struggle from the inside.
After reading this book, she's so much more than a movie star. It's hard to stop thinking about her anyway, but after Casillo's brilliant treatment, it's even harder (I honestly can't stop playing "Candle in the Wind" in my head since finishing this book last night). He's just a damned good writer and knows how to hold a reader's attention. I want to go get Elizabeth and Monty: The Untold Story of Their Intimate Friendship, his book about Elizabeth Taylor, and I don't even like Elizabeth Taylor!
Like the author, I've been a quiet fan of Marilyn Monroe since I was about eleven years old. There is no more classic beauty, no greater classic movie star (though there is some strong competition in my heart), and no more enigmatic and fascinating personality. This book, however, is not just thrilling and hard to put down because of its subject matter. By covering the chronology of Marilyn Monroe's life, her struggles, and probing the depths of her relationships, Charles Casillo has produced a biography that only heightens the mystery and charisma of Marilyn Monroe, while at the same time enlightening the reader as to what still charms us today. Most of all, this biography makes Marilyn Monroe, the ultimate other-worldly love goddess of our time, into a human being. More fascinating, still thrilling and beautiful, but human in every regard. None of the biographies I read or documentaries I watched as a kid mentioned Marilyn Monroe gardening, cooking, driving, babysitting. Casillo does, and it seals the deal, making Marilyn Monroe (of all people) into not a regular person, but an extraordinary human being.
The themes of Marilyn's life are always kept in the forefront. From the very first page the author maintains a throughline of her psyche: her quest for attention, acceptance, and excellence in her craft. He doesn't shy away from the gritty details of her life, nor from her many affairs and personal problems. But those things are never the point. After the collapse of her third marriage, she had affairs with Frank Sinatra and two Kennedys (one of whom was president of the United States), but Casillo presents these juicy details not as titillation but as part of Marilyn's lifelong quest for her father. He builds a case not of Hollywood depravity, but of a woman navigating a life where she was worshipped for her beauty, tossed aside, and reviled by jealous women, costars, and movie executives. It's all part of a consistent package, all built on Casillo's extensive sourcing and his personal interviews with the important people in her life over the course of his decades of research.
I have two pet peeves about nonfiction and biography that Casillo manages to dodge, and it kept the book moving at a living pace: there are no sidebars, no digressions into themes that were relevant to Marilyn Monroe's life. Casillo could have chosen to write long chapters about how business works in Hollywood, how orphans and foster children were dealt with at the time, psychoanalysis, drugs, or the Rat Pack. Instead he keeps the focus on Marilyn and everything flows from the perspective of her own quest for acceptance and achievement. Another way of putting it is that he could have just said "well she was bipolar/borderline and bipolar people do X and Y." He doesn't bother. He writes about her as a living, breathing person with confused desires handicapped by the very things that made her successful.
The second pet peeve is when authors refuse to judge or come to conclusions. Certainly, we know more about Marilyn Monroe than we know about Emma of Normandy, but one could attempt to write a biography of such a modern figure by filling it with weasel words and saying "we just don't know" over and over again. Casillo handles many of the controversial events and themes in Marilyn's life as a balanced and moral observer, i.e. he's not afraid to say when something was done wrong. When events have differing accounts, he delves into all of the available perspectives and looks for a convergence of evidence. He isn't shy about saying when the evidence points to wrongdoing, especially around Marilyn's death and her handling by various psychiatrists. It's quite refreshing to read a book and just see the author write "What this person did was wrong" instead of endless hemming and hawing. On the other hand, he doesn't do this without stating his reasons, and he doesn't rely on the reader's values for interpretation. He builds his case, and states his conclusions boldly. Remarkably though, he does this without blame or short-changing those in question, even regarding the events around her death.
Marilyn Monroe is one of those enigmatic figures who straddles time periods we hear about as kids: she was born in Hollywood's silent era, grew up watching Jean Harlow movies at Grauman's Chinese Theater, lived through World War II, embodied 1950s cinema, and ended her life at the vanguard of a new kind of filmmaking. Casillo's real victory is to make these Hollywood eras come alive and to make Marilyn Monroe come alive as a whole person. He paints a picture of a woman who is known mostly (still) for her physical appearance and shows the struggles that created, how she used that to her advantage and to her own detriment. But he also shows how she was so much more than her looks, no matter how much people wanted to take advantage of them. I think what I got from this book that I haven't gotten from others is a real sense of what this struggle was like for her: it's as close as I've seen to really viewing Marilyn's struggle from the inside.
After reading this book, she's so much more than a movie star. It's hard to stop thinking about her anyway, but after Casillo's brilliant treatment, it's even harder (I honestly can't stop playing "Candle in the Wind" in my head since finishing this book last night). He's just a damned good writer and knows how to hold a reader's attention. I want to go get Elizabeth and Monty: The Untold Story of Their Intimate Friendship, his book about Elizabeth Taylor, and I don't even like Elizabeth Taylor!
September 30, 2018
I learned some things I didn't know, but mostly confirmed what I already did. There is more detail about Marilyn's career here than I had read elsewhere.
Castillo's account of her last days doesn't include some material I had read earlier and I wonder if he found it not to be credible -- in particular, the witnesses who said they saw Robert Kennedy at her home on the afternoon of the night she died. There was some new information on motive, though. For Marilyn fans, this would be a good addition to your library.
Castillo's account of her last days doesn't include some material I had read earlier and I wonder if he found it not to be credible -- in particular, the witnesses who said they saw Robert Kennedy at her home on the afternoon of the night she died. There was some new information on motive, though. For Marilyn fans, this would be a good addition to your library.
January 26, 2021
I'm going to pick this book up again, but it was hard not to yell at the fact that the author names Miller as her 2nd husband. He was #3. Hopefully there aren't anymore mistakes that are so easily checked and corrected.
April 25, 2022
Terrible. Very poorly written with absolutely no new information or point of view. The only reason for publishing such a book is to profit off a sad story.
December 2, 2021
When a star shines that bright it's bound to burn out✨
I never wanted this to end...
✨Using quotes and facts this tell all book is an incredible source of knowledge on Marilyn Monroes life.
A damaged soul through lack of childhood stability and nurture, Marilyn never had strong foundations. Nothing was handed to her on a plate, including her career, she got dropped by numerous studios before she hit the big time. She learnt that her mix of innocent charm yet alluring beauty were the key to get her where she wanted to go and up she went. But her fear of aging and losing her sex appeal was her biggest fear
"𝘔𝘦𝘯 𝘨𝘳𝘰𝘸 𝘤𝘰𝘭𝘥 𝘢𝘴 𝘨𝘪𝘳𝘭𝘴 𝘨𝘳𝘰𝘸 𝘰𝘭𝘥 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘭𝘰𝘴𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘮𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘦𝘯𝘥"🎶 the irony of her lyrics were not lost on her...
However I think Marilyn was more beautiful at 36 than ever, (swipe to see my fave Marilyn photos),my fave ones on the beach were taken less than a month before her death! The beach photos look so current, they could have been taken yesterday!! Marilyn was so ahead of her time, choices she took which shocked the world of the 1950s would not cause an eyelid to bat nowadays....
✨Would she have had the same effect on the world if she was born in this generation? I'm not sure, I think she came along at a time when women were expected to behave a certain way yet she didn't, her tough upbringing gave her the strength to be who she wanted to be .... But in that era she was constantly up against the tide and her ever growing mental fragility would eventually lead her to fuel her system with constant cocktails of uppers and downers.
✨Why is she still such a legend? One of the most famous people ever!! I can't answer that but when I look at her photos she has the same effect on me she's had on millions of others, she sparkles✨
✨This book is such a fascinating read, it's left me with one whopping great book hangover....I'm off to search for another Hollywood star to read about
#marilynmonroe #biography #charlescasillo #bookstagram #bookreview #mustread #bookrecommendation
I never wanted this to end...
✨Using quotes and facts this tell all book is an incredible source of knowledge on Marilyn Monroes life.
A damaged soul through lack of childhood stability and nurture, Marilyn never had strong foundations. Nothing was handed to her on a plate, including her career, she got dropped by numerous studios before she hit the big time. She learnt that her mix of innocent charm yet alluring beauty were the key to get her where she wanted to go and up she went. But her fear of aging and losing her sex appeal was her biggest fear
"𝘔𝘦𝘯 𝘨𝘳𝘰𝘸 𝘤𝘰𝘭𝘥 𝘢𝘴 𝘨𝘪𝘳𝘭𝘴 𝘨𝘳𝘰𝘸 𝘰𝘭𝘥 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘭𝘰𝘴𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘮𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘦𝘯𝘥"🎶 the irony of her lyrics were not lost on her...
However I think Marilyn was more beautiful at 36 than ever, (swipe to see my fave Marilyn photos),my fave ones on the beach were taken less than a month before her death! The beach photos look so current, they could have been taken yesterday!! Marilyn was so ahead of her time, choices she took which shocked the world of the 1950s would not cause an eyelid to bat nowadays....
✨Would she have had the same effect on the world if she was born in this generation? I'm not sure, I think she came along at a time when women were expected to behave a certain way yet she didn't, her tough upbringing gave her the strength to be who she wanted to be .... But in that era she was constantly up against the tide and her ever growing mental fragility would eventually lead her to fuel her system with constant cocktails of uppers and downers.
✨Why is she still such a legend? One of the most famous people ever!! I can't answer that but when I look at her photos she has the same effect on me she's had on millions of others, she sparkles✨
✨This book is such a fascinating read, it's left me with one whopping great book hangover....I'm off to search for another Hollywood star to read about
#marilynmonroe #biography #charlescasillo #bookstagram #bookreview #mustread #bookrecommendation
May 7, 2023
The Private Life of a Public Icon was an extraordinary book.
This focuses on Monroe’s mental illness, her past, her projects, her friends, family, and lovers. It shows her slow decline, even from a young age. It talks about her parents and grandparents, how the mental illness was probably passed down by genetics.
This book also talks about her mental state during certain projects of hers, which was an experience to read about. Casillo didn’t paint Monroe as a good or bad person, he painted her as someone in between. Someone who just drifted with life, and took opportunities when they arrived.
He spoke about a woman who knew her self worth, but also knew when to provide to get what she wanted. She knew the business, but she also wanted to change it. She knew who she was to other people, but not to herself. She would always be Marilyn Monroe, not Norma Jean.
Her life is a truly bittersweet one. She inspired people, gave them the attention they needed. She provided for others who would never give back, and this book was perfect at capturing every bit of her life from every angle. A true inspiration.
This focuses on Monroe’s mental illness, her past, her projects, her friends, family, and lovers. It shows her slow decline, even from a young age. It talks about her parents and grandparents, how the mental illness was probably passed down by genetics.
This book also talks about her mental state during certain projects of hers, which was an experience to read about. Casillo didn’t paint Monroe as a good or bad person, he painted her as someone in between. Someone who just drifted with life, and took opportunities when they arrived.
He spoke about a woman who knew her self worth, but also knew when to provide to get what she wanted. She knew the business, but she also wanted to change it. She knew who she was to other people, but not to herself. She would always be Marilyn Monroe, not Norma Jean.
Her life is a truly bittersweet one. She inspired people, gave them the attention they needed. She provided for others who would never give back, and this book was perfect at capturing every bit of her life from every angle. A true inspiration.
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