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Marilyn
Even 45 years after her death, Marilyn Monroe fascinates young and older audiences. As Lee Strasberg wrote in his eulogy, “She had a luminous quality—a combination of wistfulness, radiance, yearning—that set her apart and yet made everyone wish to be part of it, to share in the childish naïveté which was at once so shy and yet so vibrant.”
From her lonely childhood to the galaxy of celebrity, from the red-headed pinup girl to the blond actress, from Norma Jean to Marilyn, from Hollywood to the Actors Studio, from Joe DiMaggio to Arthur Miller, from Billy Wilder to Lee Strasberg, Jerome Charyn brilliantly tells the full story of this fascinating icon along with stunning photographs of Marilyn and documents about her life.
From her lonely childhood to the galaxy of celebrity, from the red-headed pinup girl to the blond actress, from Norma Jean to Marilyn, from Hollywood to the Actors Studio, from Joe DiMaggio to Arthur Miller, from Billy Wilder to Lee Strasberg, Jerome Charyn brilliantly tells the full story of this fascinating icon along with stunning photographs of Marilyn and documents about her life.
144 pages, Paperback
First published November 1, 2008
2 people are currently reading
61 people want to read
About the author
Jerome Charyn
221 books230 followersJerome Charyn is an award-winning American author. With more than 50 published works, Charyn has earned a long-standing reputation as an inventive and prolific chronicler of real and imagined American life.
Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist Michael Chabon calls him "one of the most important writers in American literature." New York Newsday hailed Charyn as "a contemporary American Balzac," and the Los Angeles Times described him as "absolutely unique among American writers."
Since the 1964 release of Charyn's first novel, Once Upon a Droshky, he has published thirty novels, three memoirs, eight graphic novels, two books about film, short stories, plays, and works of non-fiction. Two of his memoirs were named New York Times Book of the Year.
Charyn has been a finalist for the PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction. He received the Rosenthal Award from the American Academy of Arts and Letters and was named Commander of Arts and Letters by the French Minister of Culture. Charyn is Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Film Studies at the American University of Paris.
In addition to writing and teaching, Charyn is a tournament table tennis player, once ranked in the top ten percent of players in France. Noted novelist Don DeLillo called Charyn's book on table tennis, Sizzling Chops & Devilish Spins, "The Sun Also Rises of ping-pong."
Charyn's most recent novel, Jerzy, was described by The New Yorker as a "fictional fantasia" about the life of Jerzy Kosinski, the controversial author of The Painted Bird. In 2010, Charyn wrote The Secret Life of Emily Dickinson, an imagined autobiography of the renowned poet, a book characterized by Joyce Carol Oates as a "fever-dream picaresque."
Charyn lives in New York City. He's currently working with artists Asaf and Tomer Hanuka on an animated television series based on his Isaac Sidel crime novels.
Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist Michael Chabon calls him "one of the most important writers in American literature." New York Newsday hailed Charyn as "a contemporary American Balzac," and the Los Angeles Times described him as "absolutely unique among American writers."
Since the 1964 release of Charyn's first novel, Once Upon a Droshky, he has published thirty novels, three memoirs, eight graphic novels, two books about film, short stories, plays, and works of non-fiction. Two of his memoirs were named New York Times Book of the Year.
Charyn has been a finalist for the PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction. He received the Rosenthal Award from the American Academy of Arts and Letters and was named Commander of Arts and Letters by the French Minister of Culture. Charyn is Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Film Studies at the American University of Paris.
In addition to writing and teaching, Charyn is a tournament table tennis player, once ranked in the top ten percent of players in France. Noted novelist Don DeLillo called Charyn's book on table tennis, Sizzling Chops & Devilish Spins, "The Sun Also Rises of ping-pong."
Charyn's most recent novel, Jerzy, was described by The New Yorker as a "fictional fantasia" about the life of Jerzy Kosinski, the controversial author of The Painted Bird. In 2010, Charyn wrote The Secret Life of Emily Dickinson, an imagined autobiography of the renowned poet, a book characterized by Joyce Carol Oates as a "fever-dream picaresque."
Charyn lives in New York City. He's currently working with artists Asaf and Tomer Hanuka on an animated television series based on his Isaac Sidel crime novels.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
October 31, 2022
Pe langa informatiile sigure, ne sunt prezentate si multe presupuneri, ce nu se pot verifica.
Mi-a placut mult selectia de poze si partea de Marturii si documente.
"N-am fost niciodata obisnuita cu fericirea, deci n-am considerat-o niciodata un bun castigat."
"Trebuie sa fie un fel de usurare in faptul de a-ti fi atins scopurile. E ca un soi de sprint in care tocmai fortezi, dupa care treci linia de sosire si-ti tragi sufletul - ai reusit! De fapt, niciodata nu reusesti - intotdeuana trebuie s-o iei de la capat."
"Inauntru, ea statea intepenita in fata unei oglinzi slab luminate. Am intrebat-o: Ce faci aici? Mi-a raspuns: O privesc pe EA."
Mi-a placut mult selectia de poze si partea de Marturii si documente.
"N-am fost niciodata obisnuita cu fericirea, deci n-am considerat-o niciodata un bun castigat."
"Trebuie sa fie un fel de usurare in faptul de a-ti fi atins scopurile. E ca un soi de sprint in care tocmai fortezi, dupa care treci linia de sosire si-ti tragi sufletul - ai reusit! De fapt, niciodata nu reusesti - intotdeuana trebuie s-o iei de la capat."
"Inauntru, ea statea intepenita in fata unei oglinzi slab luminate. Am intrebat-o: Ce faci aici? Mi-a raspuns: O privesc pe EA."
November 3, 2021
My mother was at Beverly Hills High School when Norma Jeane and Jane Russell were there. Marilyn Monroe is an iconic figure in film, music, art, poetry, etc. - and she was very intelligent, as well. She was a petite woman, but larger than life, and remains a beloved cultural influence. My late husband and I both wrote poems inspired by her own poetry, painting, and life. Jerome Charyn writes with love, wit, empathy, and a sense of knowing.
July 24, 2012
Scurt si la obiect.
January 9, 2016
Un eseu care instiga la descoperirea lui Marilyn, nu elucideaza subiectul pana la capat, ramai cu sentimentul ca mai sunt multe de spus, ca Monroe e inepuizabila si misterul continua. Nu.sunt fana Monroe, dar am gasit-o aici trista si captiva propriei imagini create, prizoniera unui singur rol, incapabila sa evadeze din " cutiuta " simbolului pe care L-a creat. Marilyn Monroe Ultima zeita, doar iti face pofta s-o cunosti mai mult. Sa-i scoti eticheta de sex -symbol si sa mergi mai departe...
April 1, 2009
The Last Goddess is a small, glossy paperback, crammed with well-chosen photographs and a concise, but surprisingly insightful text. Marilyn Monroe was always much more than just a movie star, but a woman who `managed to cut a very wide swathe right through American culture.' Charyn shows that the real tragedy of Marilyn's life was not that she was weak, or a victim, but that she was constantly underestimated by others.
The Last Goddess is only a summary of Marilyn's story, and doesn't claim to unravel her every last thought. But Charyn does succeed in celebrating her remarkable talent, which has outlasted most of her peers. The book ends with a selection of excerpts from books about Marilyn, a filmography, and information on each of the 130 pictures makes this a valuable source and useful introduction to the legendary star.
The Last Goddess is only a summary of Marilyn's story, and doesn't claim to unravel her every last thought. But Charyn does succeed in celebrating her remarkable talent, which has outlasted most of her peers. The book ends with a selection of excerpts from books about Marilyn, a filmography, and information on each of the 130 pictures makes this a valuable source and useful introduction to the legendary star.
July 5, 2022
Un compendio veloce da leggere che ripercorre in maniera tutto sommato scorrevole le principali tappe della vita di Marilyn Monroe nel mondo dello spettacolo e della vita privata.
Avrei preferito leggere più citazioni o comunque pensieri e parole dell'attrice e della donna come prima cosa, ma delle piccole pillole qua e là sono presenti e rendono un po' più ricca la narrazione.
Avrei apprezzato anche degli approfondimenti in po' meno brevi sulla sua vita privata prima della carriera stellata (che era meno dorata di quello che non sembrava, soprattutto da un certo momento in avanti nella sua età più matura), per conoscerla più come persona, magari attraverso i contributi di chi l'ha conosciuta e le è stato vicino in vita, nel lavoro come nella vita privata.
Tutto sommato ho apprezzato questa lettura che aveva lo scopo di dare un'infarinatura il più globale possibile, il linguaggio utilizzato non è troppo tecnico e nella seconda parte si fa più emotivo nel rievocare il possibile stato di disagio mentale in cui Marilyn visse nei suoi ultimi anni di vita.
Ottimi i vari riferimenti cinematografici, anche minori, che mi sono stati utili per fare delle digressioni parallele alla lettura.
Avrei preferito leggere più citazioni o comunque pensieri e parole dell'attrice e della donna come prima cosa, ma delle piccole pillole qua e là sono presenti e rendono un po' più ricca la narrazione.
Avrei apprezzato anche degli approfondimenti in po' meno brevi sulla sua vita privata prima della carriera stellata (che era meno dorata di quello che non sembrava, soprattutto da un certo momento in avanti nella sua età più matura), per conoscerla più come persona, magari attraverso i contributi di chi l'ha conosciuta e le è stato vicino in vita, nel lavoro come nella vita privata.
Tutto sommato ho apprezzato questa lettura che aveva lo scopo di dare un'infarinatura il più globale possibile, il linguaggio utilizzato non è troppo tecnico e nella seconda parte si fa più emotivo nel rievocare il possibile stato di disagio mentale in cui Marilyn visse nei suoi ultimi anni di vita.
Ottimi i vari riferimenti cinematografici, anche minori, che mi sono stati utili per fare delle digressioni parallele alla lettura.
January 8, 2024
Demult n-am citit o carte cu atâtea poze și să știți că m-a relaxat. Chiar mi-a făcut bine cartea asta care a venit ca o briză în perioada tumultoasă și încinsă a sfârșitului de an cu toate dările de seamă.
Am îndrăgit-o pe M. M. de aici, sau mai curând, pe Norma Jeane - un copil abandonat de mic, mai întâi de tată, apoi și de mamă, nevoită să se descurce singură, fără hartă sau busolă într-o lume mare. A primit iubire de la oameni străini. Și-a făcut drum, își croiește singură soarta așa cum o taie capul. Trei căsătorii și tot atâtea divorțuri. Dar o macină singurătatea, deși sclipitoare și zâmbitoare, lipsa dragostei de părinți și sentimentul abandonului, al inutilității o va urmări toată viața ca o umbră.
Mi-au plăcut documentele prezentate aici.
Dar voi știați că MM se bâlbâia? Sau că cel mai tare îi era frică de camera de filmat?
Recomand!
Am îndrăgit-o pe M. M. de aici, sau mai curând, pe Norma Jeane - un copil abandonat de mic, mai întâi de tată, apoi și de mamă, nevoită să se descurce singură, fără hartă sau busolă într-o lume mare. A primit iubire de la oameni străini. Și-a făcut drum, își croiește singură soarta așa cum o taie capul. Trei căsătorii și tot atâtea divorțuri. Dar o macină singurătatea, deși sclipitoare și zâmbitoare, lipsa dragostei de părinți și sentimentul abandonului, al inutilității o va urmări toată viața ca o umbră.
Mi-au plăcut documentele prezentate aici.
Dar voi știați că MM se bâlbâia? Sau că cel mai tare îi era frică de camera de filmat?
Recomand!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 31, 2014
Nice little book, but with typical amount of errors. Thus only two stars. The pictures are nice, but nothing to write home about, i.e. no rarities ;) But ok for a beginner or for someone who just wants to past time and nastily pinpoint the mistakes (that is someone like me...) There was nothing major though, so the book was OK.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews