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Marilyn: Norma Jeane Kindle Edition

by Gloria Steinem (Author), George Barris (Photographer) Format: Kindle Edition
4.1 4.1 out of 5 stars 400 ratings
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The feminist icon and New York Times–bestselling author offers an intimate appraisal of the ultimate sex symbol—and the real woman behind the images.

Few books have altered the perception of a celebrity as much as Marilyn. Gloria Steinem, the renowned feminist who inspired the film The Glorias, reveals that behind the familiar sex symbol lay a tortured spirit with powerful charisma, intelligence, and complexity.
 
This national bestseller delves into a topic many other writers have ignored—that of Norma Jeane, the young girl who grew up with an unstable mother, constant shuffling between foster homes, and abuse. Steinem evocatively recreates that world, connecting it to the fragile adult persona of Marilyn Monroe. Her compelling text draws on a long, private interview Monroe gave to photographer George Barris, part of an intended joint project begun during Monroe’s last summer. Steinem’s Marilyn also includes Barris’s extraordinary portraits of Monroe, taken just weeks before the star’s death.
 
 “An even-handed introduction to the Monroe phenomenon.” —Library Journal
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  1. Print length
    181 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Sticky notes
    On Kindle Scribe
  4. Publisher
    Open Road Media
  5. Publication date
    March 19, 2013
  6. File size
    3968 KB
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Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

This latest in the flood of books about Marilyn Monroe comes from feminist-journalist Steinem. Steinem admits that as a teenager she walked out on the movie Gentlemen Prefer Blondes because she was embarrassed at Monroe's performance/persona. Now admiring of her subject, Steinem spends little time on Monroe's films but instead concentrates on her personality, believing it, along with her appearance, to be responsible for her status as a cultural icon. Occasionally Steinem's prose is too purple, but for the most part the book serves well as an even-handed introduction to the Monroe phenomenon. Barris's numerous photographs are attractive but somewhat repetitious, as they apparently were taken at just a few sessions. Fortunately, some photos from additional sources are used to depict other aspects of Monroe's life. John Smothers, Monmouth Cty. Lib., Freehold, N.J.
Copyright 1987 Reed Business Information, Inc.

About the Author

Gloria Steinem (b. 1934) is an American feminist, activist, writer, and editor who has shaped debates on gender, politics, and art since the 1960s. Steinem was born in Toledo, Ohio. Cofounder of Ms. Magazine and a founding contributor of New York magazine, Steinem has also published numerous bestselling nonfiction titles. Through activism, lectures, constant traveling as an organizer, and appearances in the media over time, Steinem has worked to address inequalities based on sex, race, sexuality, class, and hierarchy. She lives in New York City. 

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B00BLVSY8W
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Open Road Media; 1st edition (March 19, 2013)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ March 19, 2013
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 3968 KB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 181 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.1 4.1 out of 5 stars 400 ratings

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  1. Gloria Steinem

    Gloria Steinem

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    Gloria Marie Steinem (born March 25, 1934) is an American feminist, journalist, and social and political activist who became nationally recognized as a leader and spokeswoman for the feminist movement in the late 1960s and early 70s.

    She was a columnist for New York magazine and a founder of Ms. magazine. In 1969, she published an article, "After Black Power, Women's Liberation," which brought her to national fame as a feminist leader.

    In 2005, Steinem, Jane Fonda, and Robin Morgan co-founded the Women's Media Center, an organization that works "to make women visible and powerful in the media."

    Steinem currently travels internationally as an organizer and lecturer and is a media spokeswoman on issues of equality.

    Bio from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Photo by Ms. Foundation for Women (GloriaAwards_DN-250) [CC BY 2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons.

    See more on the author's page
  2. George Barris

    George Barris

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    Discover more of the author’s books, see similar authors, read author blogs and more

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Customer reviews

4.1 out of 5 stars
4.1 out of 5
400 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Ms. Caswell
5.0 out of 5 stars This is THE one !
Reviewed in the United States on January 18, 2011
Verified Purchase
I have read a good 40+ books on MM. I have found only a fraction rings true all combined.
This is concise, to the point and has bullets of "secret facts". Gloria Steinem wrote this and with FACTS that have not been disputed by any government official or any credible author. You no longer have a "conspiracy theory" except the conspiracy to keep a woman from being all she wanted to be. This is by far the most believable and honest book. The George Barris pictures are exquisite and her last pictures ever taken. I see sadness in her eyes but a free spirit who ushered in a new begining,a stronger woman and THE American woman in her looks and freedom of expression.
6 people found this helpful
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Jeanette Armstrong
4.0 out of 5 stars The early MM
Reviewed in the United States on March 25, 2014
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Norma Jean, aka, Marilyn Monroe, has had many books written about her but this is the first one I've ever read. I chose Gloria Steinem's book because I was sure she'd give an unbiased, non-judgmental look at her life, and she delivered. I really did not know too much about Norma Jean as a young girl and this book filled in the gaps. Her early life helps explain a lot about her adult life. Her mother, right from birthing the baby girl known as Norma Jean, was not a reliable, dependable, loving parent and she suffered from mental illness. Norma Jean was bounced from her mother's friends and relatives as they found room in their lives to take care of a little girl, who only wanted love and stability. She eventually winds up in a children's home, only to be retrieved by her mother during one of her brief interludes with sanity. Nothing with Norma Jean had any duration and she would end up being bounced around from home to home, and again back to a group home for juveniles. The unfortunate thing is someone actually wanted to adopt her and give her the stability she so badly needed, only to be denied by her mother's refusal to consent. Her arranged marriage at the age of 16 was just another adult in her life that offered a home lacking any stability or security, and certainly not love. Her two subsequent marriages to Joe Dimaggio and Arthur Miller were of her own choosing, but neither seemed to be for love. She craved permanent friendships that didn't happen. She wanted a baby that didn't happen. She wanted lasting love, and it didn't happen either. She was actually a pathetic person who achieved stardom and fame, and none of us would wish her life onto our daughters. One wonders how her life would have been different if she had been born to a normal married couple with other children. Would she still have become Marilyn Monroe, the sex pot who men lusted after, the box office star? I don't know the answer. I'd have to say, after reading this book I had a whole different perspective of Marilyn Monroe.
4 people found this helpful
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Mark Harry
3.0 out of 5 stars Not a life you would wish on anyone.
Reviewed in the United States on October 14, 2016
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It is a very well written medical review of the psychological effects of growing up without parents. Not the life I expected for so special a person.
2 people found this helpful
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Elizabeth Sowden
5.0 out of 5 stars A captivating portrait and historiography
Reviewed in the United States on January 19, 2023
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If you watched “Blonde” on Netflix and was to scrub that image-vomit from your brain, read this book. Gloria Steinem paints an honest portrait of a complicated woman. It’s not a traditional in-depth bio, but Steinem does us a huge favor by pointing us in the direction of those that are worth reading and let’s us know which biographies to skip. It’s an enjoyable read.
2 people found this helpful
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Kindle Customer
4.0 out of 5 stars A excellent essay on Monroe
Reviewed in the United States on June 17, 2013
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I first read this non-biography more than twenty-five years ago in paperback and enjoyed it immensely. But the feminist Steinhem is at times too critical of the men connected with Monroe and this brings the book's quality down one notch. She is, however, an excellent writer, and does justice to the memory of the remarkable legend that is Marilyn Monroe. This book was definitely an improvement upon the shameless hatchet biography by Anthony Summers written several years earlier, which claimed that MM had been married briefly to a studio gofer named Bob Slatzer. Steinhem was deeply sympathetic to her subject and chose not to portray Monroe as the helpless, neurotic dopefiend who enjoyed sleeping her way to the top of the cinematic ladder. If Monroe miraculously came back from the dead and had to read one book written about her, this one would be it.
14 people found this helpful
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5.0 out of 5 stars An interesting perspective
Reviewed in the United States on September 17, 2013
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I really enjoyed this biography of Marilyn Monroe. Ms. Steinem gives a sympathetic, intelligent, feminist perspective. I expected no less, & in fact purchased this book to see what Ms. Steinem would say about Marilyn Monroe. Other biographies have been written by men who painted her as, basically, a whore. Ms. Steinem shows us the lonely little girl. Well written, & great photos too! I recommend it to anyone interested in Marilyn Monroe, not just the sex symbol, but the woman who was actually much more intelligent & progressive for her times than given the credit. Hers is a sad story & Ms. Steinem tells it well.
4 people found this helpful
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Susan D. Roberts
5.0 out of 5 stars I loved this!
Reviewed in the United States on October 10, 2015
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I loved this!!! These are the last photographs of Marilyn taken in May and June, 1962 right before she died. The book combines pictures taken by George Barris and text by Gloria Steinem. Marilyn is very playful in the photos taken at the beach. There are others photos of her at home and when she was first modeling. Page 43 is a photo of Marilyn that you can hardly believe is her, since you cannot see THE Marilyn in it. That is the picture that was taken before she had a peace of cartilage taken off the end of her nose and cartilage that they added in her chin to make it look more stronger. So, here is a chance to see the real Marilyn before the Hollywood makeover. She looked beautiful then, too! In it she is wearing a stylish hairdo, which is very glamorous and piled on top of her head.
2 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

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Zeinah Kalati
5.0 out of 5 stars One of my favourite books!
Reviewed in Canada on February 12, 2018
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One of my favourite books! In love in love!
I read this all at once on the plane. I tried hard to not finish it so fast but alas when I would go to sleep, I would dream of Marilyn and Steinem had revealed about her.
As a woman, I am shocked my Monroe's honesty. It just shows how women should be more open with each other because her honesty made me feel less insane.
As a reader and who wants to learn about everything, I find that Monroe's enthusiasm through Steinam's point of view is extremely relatable. I think at first, I was not sure how a biography like this would come out but I'm so happy I read it.
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cbertin222426@gmail.com
5.0 out of 5 stars PERFECT
Reviewed in France on April 24, 2019
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book in very good condition, complete, get easily !!! tks, C*
One person found this helpful
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Fat Bloke
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent book, the last shots of Marilyn
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on November 11, 2016
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Excellent book, the last shots of Marilyn, hard to believe she was just months away from dieing when these were taken, she looks like she had so much to live for, and she did.The trouble is, other people didn't think so, looking at these shots is very poignanant, they are well presented and the process adds to the authenticity, a must for any Marilyn fan
One person found this helpful
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M B
4.0 out of 5 stars livre bien reçu, en bon état.
Reviewed in France on August 12, 2019
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Ce livre est très touchant. j'ai découvert qui était cette femme qui voulait vivre libre, et devenir plus qu'un produit de son époque. Il donne un éclairage particulier à son dernier film "les désaxés".
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barbie
5.0 out of 5 stars An interesting book on one of my favourite Hollywood stars! A sad life!
Reviewed in Canada on September 22, 2017
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I follow Marilyn Monroe a lot on pinterest - I was very interested in reading about her sad life! I feel so bad for her that she was an innocent child with so many problems and fell into the Hollywood trap! Any Marilyn fan should read this book!
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