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My Story

by Marilyn Monroe, Ben Hecht, Joshua Green

4.05 of 5 stars 4.05 · rating details · 1,012 ratings · 147 reviews

Hardcover, 185 pages

Published September 29th 2006 by Taylor Trade Publishing (first published May 1st 1974)

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Aug 31, 2010 Laurel-Rain rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Written at the height of her fame but not published until over a decade after her death, this autobiography of actress and sex symbol Marilyn Monroe (1926-1962) poignantly recounts her childhood as an unwanted orphan, her early adolescence, her rise in the film industry from bit player to celebrity, and her marriage to Joe DiMaggio.

The Marilyn on these pages is a revelation: a gifted, intelligent, vulnerable woman who was far more complex than the unwitting sex siren she portrayed on screen. Lav...more Written at the height of her fame but not published until over a decade after her death, this autobiography of actress and sex symbol Marilyn Monroe (1926-1962) poignantly recounts her childhood as an unwanted orphan, her early adolescence, her rise in the film industry from bit player to celebrity, and her marriage to Joe DiMaggio.

The Marilyn on these pages is a revelation: a gifted, intelligent, vulnerable woman who was far more complex than the unwitting sex siren she portrayed on screen. Lavishly illustrated with photos of Marilyn taken by renowned photographer Milton H. Greene, this special book celebrates the life and career of an American icon—from the unique perspective of the icon herself.

There is apparently some doubt as to whether or not Marilyn actually wrote the words in this book, or if someone else did it for her. In either case, there is a poignancy about the book that is haunting.

Like many women growing up when I did, Marilyn was definitely a screen star in every sense of the word. Larger than life, glamorous, enviable...But then the image began to slip a bit, with stories of her various mishaps—her unreliability, her marital discords, her futile attempts to have a baby. Then one tragic night in August 1962, the whirlwind life of Marilyn was over. But the stories continued as the media ruthlessly circled the life and times of Marilyn, speculating about whether or not she died accidentally, or in a suicide attempt. Then later, there were conspiracy theories, hints of murder. But none of those questions were answered.

When I bought this illustrated tome a couple of years ago, I was hoping to find information not previously known to the public. Perhaps a peek into her world through her own eyes. Hearing the story in her words (if they are her words) satisfied some of that curiosity; she came across as a wounded, but spirited woman who always dreamed big, despite the odds. She conveyed that famously described depth often belied by the surface exterior.

The most chilling words in this "memoir" are the prescient vision she had of herself as "the kind of girl they found dead in the hall bedroom with an empty bottle of sleeping pills in her hand."

None of us growing up in the fifties will ever forget Marilyn, and her story lives on in the various books out there. But her own story in her own words adds significantly to the collection.

I give "My Story" four stars, primarily because so much is left unanswered....but then again, at the end of this book, the collaborator's note says: "This is where Marilyn's manuscript ended when she gave it to me." A book unfinished, perhaps—just like her life.

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Mar 01, 2008 Emily rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: auto-and-biography

Her unfinished memoir, and a spare, no-nonsense one. It by no means aims for thoroughness, and in fact simply offers a series of brief, haunting accounts of episodes in her life, most of which have little or nothing to do with her stardom. The first chapter, for instance, is called, "How I Rescued a White Piano," and delivers with disarming matter-of-factness an innocuous little story that reveals more about her tragic childhood than if she had addressed it directly. If this book had been a nove...more

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Oct 06, 2008 Newby rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Another really fabulous autobiography. I wish it was longer. It answers all the questions about Marilyn's youth and takes you up until she starts touring with the troops. She was a very smart lady. It does make me wonder, however, why every Marilyn biopic totally screws up the story of her youth. You can read it in her own words! There's no excuse to get the story wrong! And it's very dramatic, so it's not like any drama is added by changing the story. See? This is why I prefer autobiographies....more

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Feb 22, 2013 Kelsey Rae rated it 3 of 5 stars

"My Story" is a great read just because it is from Ms. Monroe's point of view. We all see the Marilyn Monroe quotes all over the internet but rarely do you get a story told by Norma Jean Mortenson. So, you have an account of her life told from childhood and how she felt unwanted and unloved, through her teen years where she had to be oversexualized just to feel loved, and her adult life where... it's much of the same. Because of this, the account is a bit sad, but most of us already knew that Ma...more

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Aug 08, 2012 Daniel Freedman rated it 4 of 5 stars

This book is wonderful. You've heard a lot about Marilyn now learn it from her lips. She was a terribly lonely and mistreated child who was in nine foster families who got $5 a week for housing her. Her mother tried desperately to take care of her, but ended up in a mental institution. It looked bleak for Norma Jean until one day when she was fourteen, she wore a tight white sweater borrowed from her sister, to math class! Marilyn was born on that day. She was disarmingly truthful, as if there w...more

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Jul 10, 2011 UrbanFirefly added it

Shelves: did-not-finish-good

It's hard to put a rating on this unfinished autobiography. Marilyn was a fragile woman and life gave her hell from beginning to end. She survived though, up until the day they found her dead with an empty bottle of sleeping pills in her hand, as she predicted in this book.

Marilyn was a lonely woman who was constantly abandoned by her mother, her father, her foster parents and apparently her friends as she never mentions one. She craved attention and as she puts it to belong to the world. Ironic...more

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Apr 21, 2013 Ivy Read rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

On connaît tous Marilyn, au moins de nom. On la connaît aussi par ce qu’on dit d’elle, les rumeurs qui courent sur son compte. L’image qu’on s’en fait est façonnée par ces bruits de couloirs. Qu’on ait vu ou non ses films, elle reste une icône.
Fascinée par ce personnage, encore très médiatisé à l’heure actuelle, dont je ne connaissais que peu de choses, il m’a semblé bon de découvrir sa vie par ses propres mots. J’ai toute une collection de biographies sur elle mais n’ai jamais eu l’occasion...more On connaît tous Marilyn, au moins de nom. On la connaît aussi par ce qu’on dit d’elle, les rumeurs qui courent sur son compte. L’image qu’on s’en fait est façonnée par ces bruits de couloirs. Qu’on ait vu ou non ses films, elle reste une icône.
Fascinée par ce personnage, encore très médiatisé à l’heure actuelle, dont je ne connaissais que peu de choses, il m’a semblé bon de découvrir sa vie par ses propres mots. J’ai toute une collection de biographies sur elle mais n’ai jamais eu l’occasion d’en ouvrir sérieusement une. Quoi de mieux que de commencer avec celle dictée par l’actrice elle-même ?

Le ton est doux, le style très fluide, on se laisse emporter par les souvenirs de Marilyn avec une facilité déconcertante et le plaisir évident de connaître son passé. Elle nous raconte plusieurs épisodes de sa vie à travers des chapitres différents. On apprendra plusieurs bribes de son enfance malheureuse, car ballottée de foyer en foyer à cause d’une mère internée en hôpital psychiatrique et d’un père qu’elle n’a jamais connu. Elle ne s’étend pas énormément sur cette partie, ce qui m’aurait bien plu.
Plus que des émotions, ce sont surtout des fragments de sa vie mis bout à bout qui nous montrent comment cette jeune femme s’est construite.

« Je passais mon temps à rêver tout éveillée, […] de mon père. Lorsque je revenais de l’école pour rentrer à la maison, à pied, sous la pluie, et me sentais déprimée, je me racontais que mon père m’attendait pour me gronder de ne pas avoir mis mes caoutchoucs. Je ne possédais même pas de caoutchoucs. Et je ne pouvais guère prétendre que je rentrais chez moi. C’était un endroit où je travaillais comme servante-enfant, faisais la vaisselle, les courses, la lessive, frottais par terre et me taisais. »

On l’y découvre peu sûre d’elle et renvoyant une image d’elle-même dont elle ne veut pas. Ces années en foyer ont fait de Norma Jean quelqu’un de presque invisible, que personne ne regardait. L’adolescence aidant, la nature la dota d’un corps de femme qui lui valu d’être remarquée par tous les mâles à la ronde et détestée par les femmes. Elle apprécie ces nouvelles attentions mais pas les intentions qui vont avec. C’est à ce moment-là qu’elle commence à devenir Marilyn Monroe mais, elle ne choisira ce pseudonyme que plusieurs années plus tard, en prenant son premier rôle à la 20th Century Fox.

« Les garçons se mirent à me faire la cour comme si j’avais été la seule créature de mon sexe dans tout le secteur. (…) J’aurais bien aimé désirer quelque chose autant qu’eux. Moi, je n’avais envie de rien. Ils auraient aussi bien pu faire la cour à une bûche. »

Durant sa carrière, elle tentera de se défaire de cette image de blonde écervelée dotée d’une sexualité débridée qu’elle ne comprend pas, sans succès. Elle deviendra d’ailleurs le sex-symbol que l’on connaît sans aide de la part de ses producteurs qui la jugeaient trop peu consistante pour devenir une véritable actrice. Quelques apparitions en tant que figurante lui valurent sifflements ravis et enthousiasme de la part du public qui l’éleva, avec l’aide de la presse, au rang de star.

Cette autobiographie, dictée par Marilyn et rédigée par Ben Hecht, débute donc aux premiers souvenirs de la jeune femme jusqu’à son mariage avec Joe DiMaggio en passant par ses déboires de mannequin et ensuite d’actrice avant d’enfin accéder à des premiers rôles et être adulée par son public.
Il manque donc énormément d’évènements à cette autobiographie mais, durant les 240 pages du livre, on fait connaissance avec une femme très torturée qui peine à accomplir ses rêves. Elle est très touchante et toutes ces confessions la rendent beaucoup plus accessible au public.

Petit plus : de très belles photographies de Marilyn sont insérées dans le livre et la préface explique les circonstances dans lesquelles a été prise chaque photo, ce qui est vraiment intéressant. On obtient donc un petit historique qui permet de savoir où ? quand ? et comment ? et qui satisfera amplement la curiosité de certains et ravira d’autres par ces anecdotes.

En bref, c’est un livre que je conseille car il se lit vraiment comme un roman, il est fluide et se dévore en quelques heures en nous donnant des informations sur l’existence de cette femme mythique. La fin se termine sur une note très positive pour la belle : son récent mariage et le véritable début de sa carrière d’actrice. Pour ma part, je vais aller satisfaire plus amplement ma curiosité et filer lire une biographie complète de la demoiselle !

http://plume-ivoire.overblog.com/conf...
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Mar 23, 2009 Shellie (Layers of Thought) rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: young women

Shelves: genre-memoir-bio-autobio, read-in-2009

I've always liked Marilyn Monroe - she did sexy with such innocent grace. As this is punctuated through the book as she describes her survival of a very difficult childhood, adolescence, and young adulthood with the strength and perseverance which would mold the woman that she would become. She also alludes to the circumstances of her death.
My Story shows us a side of MM that is contrary to her identity as sex symbol - she in fact felt anything but sexy. She was also strong, choosey, and had hig...more

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May 01, 2012 Ashley rated it 4 of 5 stars

****4.5 stars!****
I thoroughly enjoyed reading My Story by Marilyn Monroe. I recently saw My Week with Marilyn and became more interested in her. There are multiple books written about Marilyn but I wanted to read an autobiography first.
Marilyn was a very misunderstood person; people took her quietness as her being full of herself when in fact she was just timid, nervous, and often times unsure of herself. Her looks and success intimitated outsiders and they chose to believe that she thought hi...more

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Aug 14, 2007 Miller04 rated it 3 of 5 stars Recommends it for: anyone who is a Marilyn fan

I am about half way through this book....its nothing exciting or riveting.....it is simplistic in its approach. This book is more for fans who want to get to know the real Marilyn better. Her real thoughts may surprise some.

The pictures included are some I havent seen before and brought tears to my eyes, becuase some give us a glimpse of Norma Jean...not Marilyn.

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Nov 28, 2011 Maritza Salas rated it 5 of 5 stars

This book is amazing. It talks about Marilyn Monroe’s childhood, career, and love life. The whole story is based on Marilyn Monroe’s perspective. She talks about how she used to be an orphan. She would serve those who had taken her in their home. Marilyn Monroe was like Cinderella. She faced many obstacles to reach fame. Many directors thought she was good for a part in a movie, but not good enough to be the star. They thought she was not photogenic. If you read this book, you’ll get to know the...more

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May 14, 2013 Jenn rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I can't even tell you how much I enjoyed this book, though it was cut way too short. As an actress in LA, the years that I have spent here have been full of rejection, full of people wanting to change me, and full of tears. "Over night successes" make it look so easy, though they were the ones that committed and stuck it out through the years paying their dues. Through this book it seems like the business hasn't changed too much and it is nice to know that a beautiful bombshell struggled, cried,...more

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May 12, 2012 Yoake rated it 4 of 5 stars

Mi interés por Marilyn Monroe despertó mientras veía un documental en televisión. Era tarde y yo me encontraba en ese estado de duermevela en el que curiosamente todos los estímulos se graban en la memoria para siempre. El locutor decía que Marilyn en sus últimos años se había cansado de ser un objeto sexual y que sus grandes esfuerzos por convertirse en actriz empezaron a dar sus frutos cuando falleció. Y que siempre se había sentido muy sola.

Mientras escribo esto recuerdo una Nochevieja en mi...more

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Mar 20, 2012 Sue rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: favorites, library-books, womens-lit

I never really knew much about Marilyn Monroe until I read this book. Since she's been the subject of a bunch of new TV shows and movies, I thought I would check out her autobiography. And I loved what I found inside. She had an extremely hard life: her mother was unstable, and she was bumped around from foster home to foster home, until she married someone she didn't love at age 16...only to divorce him and become a struggling and starving actress that the movie executives never really liked. B...more

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Apr 19, 2011 Emily rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: biography

I would reccommend this book to anyone; from die-hard Marilyn fans to people who are curious about her life - it has fast become my favourite biography. I've always been a fan of Marilyn Monroe - for anyone interested in the 30s-50s, she is the poster child, and I especially liked her understated pin-up fashion and I was always fascinated by the woman I was sometimes granted a glimpse of underneath the mystique.
The book is illustrated with beautiful glossy colour pictures of Marilyn from the Mil...more I would reccommend this book to anyone; from die-hard Marilyn fans to people who are curious about her life - it has fast become my favourite biography. I've always been a fan of Marilyn Monroe - for anyone interested in the 30s-50s, she is the poster child, and I especially liked her understated pin-up fashion and I was always fascinated by the woman I was sometimes granted a glimpse of underneath the mystique.
The book is illustrated with beautiful glossy colour pictures of Marilyn from the Milton H. Greene Archive and has a foreword by his son. It is fascinating to hear of Marilyn's career - her films, for example, and it is also fascinating to just hear about her as a person - the shy, muddled Norma Jean, who only dreamed of being loved - and the ex-soldier boy conman who wanted to marry her, the old, rich, dying man who also wanted to marry her, and her "feuds" with such legends as Zsa Zsa Gabor and Joan Crawford.
Despite her on-screen reputation for being a bit of a vapid blonde, Marilyn was a deeper mind than she appeared and her autobiography is written with a lyrical, romantic prose. The earlier chapters, (the first one, entitled "How I Rescued a White Piano", incidentally belonging to movie star Fredric March, is especially tragic) about her childhood, are heartbreaking - especially where Marilyn speaks of her father, who was killed in an auto accident in New York City and whom she never knew, and how he reminded her as an innocent youngster of film star Clark Gable in a picture. It is also upsetting to hear about how she hated her orphaned past. Marilyn found out her parents were not her own when she was very young and was taken away by her mother - a tragic woman in her own right. After her mother was taken away to a mental home, Marilyn was moved to an Orphan Asylum and sent from pillar to post with different foster families, never fitting in. "Most of the families had children of their own, and I knew they always came first. They wore the colored dresses and owned whatever toys there were, and they were the ones who were believed."
Then, of course, there is the other, better-known side to Marilyn - the sex siren of stage and screen. She struggled to get to where she was and even when she was Hollywood's sweetheart she was still haunted by the ghosts of her past, and the ghost of Norma Jean in particular. "This sad, bitter child who grew up too fast is hardly ever out of my heart...With success all around me, I can still feel her frightened eyes looking out of mine. She keeps saying, 'I never lived, I never loved.'"
She is tragically matter-of-fact and honest addressing her experiences with Hollywood, the ups-and-downs. "The Hollywood I knew was the Hollywood of failure...I began to see it through their eyes, a merry-go-round with beds for horses."
The manuscript ends abruptly - after recounting her marriage to Joe DiMaggio, Marilyn is just flying out to Korea to entertain and cheer up some soldiers when the book ends. In all honesty, Marilyn's manuscript was based on her old diary entries and whilst it is completely from her own perspective I do believe some parts were added in by Ben Necht - the chillingly prophetic line about being the sort of girl they find dead with a bottle of pills was almost certainly added in by Necht after Marilyn's death. Still this is most definitely a must-have, and you should read it if you want to truly experience life through the dreamy eyes of both a Hollywood goddess and tragic soul.(less)

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Jul 24, 2012 Tiffany rated it 5 of 5 stars

Goodbye Norma Jean... I truly wish I had known you.

I've grown up listening to 50's and 60's music - in that regards, I'm an old soul. It's no surprise that Marilyn Monroe was an icon of that era. However, I knew nothing of her story and was ignorant of the sheer ambition this woman had.

"My Story" is an unapologetic glimpse into Marilyn's life. Other than a few inspired quotes, her writing is simple and straightforward. Miss Monroe didn't give into an industry that was (and is) known for the su...more

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Jun 15, 2012 Carl Rollyson rated it 5 of 5 stars

Marilyn Monroe "wrote" this book in collaboration with Ben Hecht. He does capture her voice. For many years, Monroe biographers have been wary of this text, but Lois Banner's new biography of Marilyn Monroe gives the fullest account of the circumstances in which the book was produced and explains why it is essential reading for anyone interested in Monroe. This edition includes Milton Greene's wonderful photographs. Monroe gave Greene a typescript of her autobiography. Many years ago I interview...more

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Sep 01, 2011 Aly (Fantasy4eva) rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: big-fat-tears, biographies, favourites

Written by the women herself, this is the go - to book if you are a fan. I didn't want to finish it, and when I did - it was strange knowing all that I did and also knowing that she had no idea about what was to come. About how the man she describes falling for near the end will love her until her last breath - even though they will not last - that she will marry one last time. It's a sweet and compelling read. But there's a lot of sadness tinged between these pages. It leaves you with a hollow...more

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Nov 28, 2011 Sara rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: memoir-biography

"I knew I belonged to the Public and to the world, not because I was talented, or even beautiful but because I had never belonged to anything or anyone else. The Public was the only family, the only Prince Charming and the only home I had ever dreamed of."

A short, incomplete, and ultimately heartbreaking memoir - it seems like the only thing she ever wanted was to be loved unconditionally, and its the only thing she ever didn't have at her fingertips. She was abused as a child, misunderstood her...more

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Jun 16, 2011 Cait Gosselin rated it 4 of 5 stars

I was really touched by Marilyn Monroe's autobiography. I didn't even know it existed until I found it in my sister's closet. If you've ever admired Monroe or if you like her movies, its a quick read that will leave you feeling nostalgic and touched by her story. Her unfinished work leaves you with an eerie feeling with it's abrupt ending (the manuscript was unfinished at the time of her death, and only gives an account of her life until the middle of her marriage to Joe Dimaggio). The book itse...more

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Aug 18, 2012 Kristin Shafel Omiccioli rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: memoir, non-fiction

Marilyn Monroe's memoir My Story is a simple, elegant, personal account of the infamous actress's life. Unsurprisingly, it's rather melancholy. Marilyn mentions often episodes of crying in bed all night and having moments when she had wished she were dead. Her haunting vision of herself as "the kind of girl they found dead in a hallway bedroom with an empty bottle of sleeping pills in her hand" was disquieting.

My Story begins with Marilyn's childhood as an orphan deep in poverty: mistreated, abu...more Marilyn Monroe's memoir My Story is a simple, elegant, personal account of the infamous actress's life. Unsurprisingly, it's rather melancholy. Marilyn mentions often episodes of crying in bed all night and having moments when she had wished she were dead. Her haunting vision of herself as "the kind of girl they found dead in a hallway bedroom with an empty bottle of sleeping pills in her hand" was disquieting.

My Story begins with Marilyn's childhood as an orphan deep in poverty: mistreated, abused, and unwanted. It reveals the emotionally and philosophically complex woman behind the sex kitten image on screen. It reveals a troubled woman with crippling insecurity and vulnerability, but also yearning for a sense of belonging, true unrequited love, and a place in this world. She possessed a strong appetite for learning about history and the arts. Marilyn's perseverance in pursuit of her Hollywood dreams despite the challenges and uncertainty in this business was inspiring, as was her drive to hone her craft. She talks about being desperately broke much of the time, but never comes off as pathetic or complaining. Marilyn regarded acting as an art form, something to be taken seriously, and she worked hard to reach the highest plateau she could in Hollywood. Marilyn climbed to the top with grace and integrity; she recalls refusing offers of starring roles for sex, which could have been career suicide. She also had several marriage proposals with large sums of money behind them, which she turned down because she wanted to marry only for love.

This is not a tell-all full of juicy scandals. Marilyn does talk about a couple of supposed feuds with other Hollywood starlets, but she claims these ladies (and many others) were just jealous and truly had no reason to be so. She had no interest in married men (or hardly any men, for that matter), and she had no interest in sleeping her way to fame. She was honest, reserved off-screen, and devoted to her work. It was heartbreaking that Marilyn seemed to be able to count the number of people who were kind and helpful to her on one hand, and the countless number of people who tried to exploit her.

My Story abruptly but sweetly ends during her marriage to Joe DiMaggio, on a bright note about looking forward to performing for U.S. soldiers stationed in Korea—a life unfinished. In the hardcover illustrated edition I have, Milton Greene's photos are peppered throughout in full color, showing many shades of Marilyn: the screen siren; the playful woman; and the sweet, poor girl inside.

I would have liked to see years included for significant events, or year ranges for chapters, but it's a beautiful book without anyway. Plenty of other places to find a detailed timeline of Marilyn's life.(less)

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Sep 19, 2012 Elizabeth Periale rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

http://xoxoxoe.blogspot.com/2012/08/m...

Marilyn may have pumped up some of the pathos in her early life and Hecht may have cleaned up the text, but of all the books on Marilyn Monroe that I have read recently (and I have been reading a lot) this is the best. Is it the most well-written? Absolutely not. But does it come closest to capturing the woman who fifty years after her death is still an icon, a movie goddess? It actually does. So many of the other books, by authors good and not-so-good, ha...more

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Aug 22, 2012 emily cryptic rated it 2 of 5 stars

I've never been a Marilyn fanatic, but I was curious about this book because I wanted to hear her story in her own words. Its impossible to be a living, breathing American human without stumbling into some rumors or stories about Ms. Jean/Monroe, but I had never seen a movie or heard her speak for herself. As it turns out she has quite a nice voice for story telling, full of character and just the right amount of emotion. I gave it three stars because, well, it's hardly half finished. Possibly t...more

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Jun 22, 2012 Sam W. rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: act

I've read this one twice. The second time I read it, I really saw the side of Marilyn the public refused to see. She was known as the "dumb blonde", when all she wanted in life was to be loved and to be taken seriously. At the end of the day she desperately wanted people to know she was SMART. The newly released book, "Fragments" is filled with photographs of Marilyn READING. The book is also filled with her never-before-seen writings and poetry. "My Story" illuminates the REAL Marilyn that ever...more

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Jun 27, 2012 John rated it 4 of 5 stars

Have read numerous books on her...intrigued by her psychological make-up! Her own account of her life adds to an understanding of what it took for her to become MARILYN MONROE...the character she brought forth. Most interesting is her own prediction of how she would die....though reading the book you realize she created her life and achievements and losses through her own will, desire, and need! Very simply written as you can hear the more under-educated, naive young orphan that always remained...more

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Apr 27, 2012 Fran rated it 5 of 5 stars

This is the best autobiography I have ever read (and I'm not just saying that because I love her!). It was written with such depth and beauty, and really shows off a side of Marilyn that many people did not get to see. Through this book she proves that she was not a dumb blonde, as so many people often believed her to be. Sadly, she never finished writing the memoir, as it only goes up to her honeymoon with Joe DiMaggio. Nonetheless, it is an excellent, insightful read that I highly recommend.

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Apr 06, 2013 Shelby rated it 5 of 5 stars

I have known many people to criticize Marilyn Monroe quite harshly but I have always had a soft spot for her, knowing there was more to her than meets the eyes. I am so happy to have read this book, it gave me so much insight into her a person! It is terribly sad how lonely she was and I felt much sympathy for how she was treated. But i was glad she found Mr. DiMaggio as i believe they truly loved each other and he seemed very sweet to her! She is a remarkable women and it is a shame her life an...more

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Mar 21, 2012 Katrina rated it 4 of 5 stars

From the starlet's own words come alive the story of this woman's sad beginnings. Written at the height of her career and during her marriage to Joe DiMaggio, her life seems to be filled with such promise. It is unfortunate to realize how those dreams tragically ended. These are revelations about the icon that I wish more people knew about, especially how so many misunderstood her. Excellent read if you want to know about Marilyn through her words..."Don't make a joke out of me"

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Jun 18, 2009 Patty rated it 5 of 5 stars

Marilyn Monroe is my favorite actress, so I was glad to get this bnook a a birthday present. The book is Marilyn's own words. She tells about her life as a ophan, a struggling actress, how other women treated her and how their men treated her. She tells about her marriage to Joe DiMaggio, their honeymoon in Japan, her being ask to entertain the troops in Korea. This is where the book aburbtly ends. Marilyn was a tragic soul, but she was no dumb blonde. Contary to what many think, Marilyn was sma...more

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Mar 01, 2013 Haleylyn23 rated it 5 of 5 stars

Marilyn Monroe has always been my idol since the 7th grade. And when my dad got me this book last year for Christmas, it started a whole new look. A look from her eyes. The way she explained life growing up as an orphan touched my heart. And then her journey through the modeling business and becoming an actress were remarkable and detailed very well. She worked her way to become what everybody knows her as today. She talks about how so many agents tried to get her to take the easy road, to just...more

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About Marilyn Monroe

Marilyn Monroe (born Norma Jeane Mortenson; June 1, 1926 – August 5, 1962) was an American actress, model, and singer, who became a major sex symbol, starring in a number of commercially successful motion pictures during the 1950s and early 1960s.

After spending much of her childhood in foster homes, Monroe began a career as a model, which led to a film contract in 1946 with Twentieth Century-Fox....more Marilyn Monroe (born Norma Jeane Mortenson; June 1, 1926 – August 5, 1962) was an American actress, model, and singer, who became a major sex symbol, starring in a number of commercially successful motion pictures during the 1950s and early 1960s.

After spending much of her childhood in foster homes, Monroe began a career as a model, which led to a film contract in 1946 with Twentieth Century-Fox. Her early film appearances were minor, but her performances in The Asphalt Jungle and All About Eve (both 1950), drew attention. By 1952 she had her first leading role in Don't Bother to Knock and 1953 brought a lead in Niagara, a melodramatic film noir that dwelt on her seductiveness. Her "dumb blonde" persona was used to comic effect in subsequent films such as Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (1953), How to Marry a Millionaire (1953) and The Seven Year Itch (1955). Limited by typecasting, Monroe studied at the Actors Studio to broaden her range. Her dramatic performance in Bus Stop (1956) was hailed by critics and garnered a Golden Globe nomination. Her production company, Marilyn Monroe Productions, released The Prince and the Showgirl (1957), for which she received a BAFTA Award nomination and won a David di Donatello award. She received a Golden Globe Award for her performance in Some Like It Hot (1959). Monroe's last completed film was The Misfits, co-starring Clark Gable with screenplay by her then-husband, Arthur Miller.

Marilyn was a passionate reader, owning four hundred books at the time of her death, and was often photographed with a book.

The final years of Monroe's life were marked by illness, personal problems, and a reputation for unreliability and being difficult to work with. The circumstances of her death, from an overdose of barbiturates, have been the subject of conjecture. Though officially classified as a "probable suicide", the possibility of an accidental overdose, as well as of homicide, have not been ruled out. In 1999, Monroe was ranked as the sixth greatest female star of all time by the American Film Institute. In the decades following her death, she has often been cited as both a pop and a cultural icon as well as the quintessential American sex symbol.(less)

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Fragments: Poems, Intimate Notes, Letters

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Quotes from My Story

“I don't mind living in a man's world, as long as I can be a woman in it.” — 5,163 people liked it

“How wrong it is for a woman to expect the man to build the world she wants, rather than to create it herself.” — 714 people liked it

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