Overview

Rather than a traditional biography, Wilson chooses to examine Monroe's life through 100 selected snippets, ranging from the real story of the white piano to what Ralph Greenson really meant when he said, "Ask Bobby Kennedy." These vignettes pull together to show a woman who struggled with love, fame, Hollywood, and most importantly, herself.

Key Concepts

• Mythmaking: Wilson does not shy away from the fact the biggest mythmaker for the Monroe image was Monroe herself. One of my favorite chapters concerns the white piano, and Monroe never actually needing to track it down. Monroe created and repeated these stories to the point where they completely transformed her story.
• Multiplicity: Some of the most illuminating quotes I ever heard came from Anthony Summers' tapes. The overwhelming consensus was that Monroe kept her friends segregated, creating a different image for each friend group. This compartmentalization served Monroe well in life. Wilson brings these stories together to paint a fuller picture of the many faces of Monroe.
• Cultural Afterlife: Society has elevated Monroe to a level of fame she never truly experienced during her lifetime. As much as fan accounts want to call her the biggest star of the 1950s, that simply wasn't true. Monroe only made it on the Quigley's Top 10 Box Office Draws list three times in her life, and the last time was 1956. Wilson contextualizes Monroe in a way I have not read before.

Methodology

Wilson tackles Monroe primarily through the Anthony Summers tapes (with unparalled access to these materials) and files, but he also brings in research from other Monroe writers. The book opens with Wilson's thoughts as he listens to the tapes as well as his history with Monroe. Using his journalistic acumen, Wilson digs deep into Monroe's life to showcase Monroe as a real person above all else. His dedication to unearthining the "real" Monroe comes through from the moment the reader opens the book. He does not shy away from the downright ugly moments of Monroe's life and personality, most notably her homophobia, but refrains from judgement in favor of (again) contextualizing Monroe.

Tensions

Normally, I will discuss where I think a book could improve. I genuinely don't have anything I would change. There may be a few things I would frame differently (ex. I would've loved an examination of the Hollywood Bowl's facilities and hours to either support or debunk Natalie Trundy's testimony), but I am nitpicking at that point. I may not fully agree with every conclusion, but Wilson makes a strong argument about throwing the baby out with the bathwater regarding certain aspects of Monroe's life.

One thing I do think this book will bring up for readers, however, is popping the Monroe bubble. Wilson does not hold back in what he decides to tackle, and frankly, many of these narratives simply do not align with what people want to believe she was like. Monroe could be mean, cruel, and heartless at times, and it's refreshing to see her presented as she was rather than a mythological figure she herself would not recognize.

Closing Reflection

The last time I purchased a Monroe book was in 2023. What is there to really say at this point? Wilson proves there's plenty to share about the woman who came to symbolize the 1950s, but will superfans be receptive? I would hope so, but in addition to the cottage industry on her death, there's another dedicated to keeping Monroe relevant, morally safe, and the ultimate girl boss decades before the term sprang into the lexicon.

However, at the end of the day, Monroe was a product of her time, and a master of publicity capable of selecting the best stories to get herself ahead. As much as people want to fantasize about her being used and abused, she used and abused just as much. She could be incredibly progressive while still remaining as product of her time. Marilyn didn't live through the Civil Rights Movement becoming an issue on the national forefront, and she died before Second Wave Feminisim and Stonewall were properly contextualized.

Monroe feels eternal, but hopefully Wilson's book will allow her to finally stand on her own two feet as a complicated, troubled woman who did what she could to survive. She wasn't trying to make friends, and that's fine. Monroe protected herself by focusing on herself. Wilson finally frees her from the chains of enforced victimhood, but will the Monroe community be receptive? We'll see.

Full disclosure that I did receive a copy of this book for free in exhange for a fair and honest review.