What was Marilyn Monroe's favorite music? We know she loved jazz. Her own music was highly inspired by jazz of the era, and she was a huge fan of Ella Fitzgerald, which we know from this famous story of Marilyn boosting Ella Fitzgerald's career. But besides jazz, what did she listen to? Several weeks ago, … Continue reading Marilyn Monroe’s Favorite Music
Judy Garland’s Book of Poetry and Homer
While my primary research interests revolve around Marilyn Monroe's book collection, I also enjoy discovering books owned and written by other famous and interesting people from history. Eartha Kitt, for instance, wrote several autobiographies (see my review of one of her autobiographies here). Recently, I was looking for books Judy Garland owned. While I did … Continue reading Judy Garland’s Book of Poetry and Homer
Marilyn Monroe and John Steinbeck
Today, I wanted to share three first edition books written by Steinbeck that Marilyn Monroe owned. What was it about this author that she liked? And what drew her to these particular novels? These are questions I will be thinking about as I do my reading for this month.
Marilyn Monroe’s Library Review: This Demi-Paradise, a Westchester Diary
This month, The Vintage Book Club voted to read This Demi-Paradise, a Westchester Diary written by Margaret Halsey. The book is written in the form of daily diary entries of a middle-class suburban woman named Helen Fitzgibbons. Helen's wry sense of humor highlights many of the hypocrisies of white, middle-class suburbia, in topics ranging from … Continue reading Marilyn Monroe’s Library Review: This Demi-Paradise, a Westchester Diary
Marilyn Monroe, Medea, and Characters who Murder Children
Did Marilyn Monroe want to perform as Medea, the character from Ancient Greek tragedy who murdered her children? Marilyn Monroe owned the same editions of Mischief and Medea as shown here, from Carly Maris’ personal collection. It’s certainly possible. She owned a copy of the play Medea as rewritten by poet Robinson Jeffers. In the … Continue reading Marilyn Monroe, Medea, and Characters who Murder Children
5 First Edition Books that Marilyn Monroe owned
Marilyn Monroe owned over 400 books in her lifetime, and a large number of them were first editions. I have been able to add several to my recreation of her collection (including Hawaii and Invisible Man noted below). As I work my way through the books she owned to make the spreadsheet of all of … Continue reading 5 First Edition Books that Marilyn Monroe owned
The List of Books Marilyn Monroe Owned
As you may know, I am putting together a recreation of Marilyn Monroe's book collection--adding the same editions of books she owned to my collection. The list of books she owned can be found in various places online--in fact, when I began this project several years ago, I would use these publicly available lists. Eventually, … Continue reading The List of Books Marilyn Monroe Owned
Marilyn Monroe’s Library Review: The Cat with Two Faces
The same edition as the one Marilyn Monroe owned. (This copy owned by Carly Maris) February's book club reading was The Cat with Two Faces by journalist Gordon Young (who wrote for the Daily Mail). The biography tells the story of WWII spy Mathilde Carré, who worked as a double-agent for both Allied and German … Continue reading Marilyn Monroe’s Library Review: The Cat with Two Faces
The Pinup Book Club is now The Vintage Book Club
Hello everyone! I have a mid-week announcement. This has been a long time coming, but the Pinup Book Club name has changed to the Vintage Book Club. It was a difficult decision to change the name, but ultimately it came down to a combination of content and accessibility. Content-wise, the goal has always been to … Continue reading The Pinup Book Club is now The Vintage Book Club
Working on a Book
Something I have wanted to do for a long time is write a book about Marilyn Monroe's book collection, as there is so much to be said that really goes beyond what I can include in blog posts. Books shape minds and Marilyn Monroe's vast collection reveals how she saw the world. In reading and … Continue reading Working on a Book
