Fragments: Poems, Intimate Notes, Letters

Marilyn Monroe

Oct 2010 · Sold by Farrar, Straus and Giroux

About this ebook

Fragments is an event—an unforgettable book that will redefine one of the greatest icons of the twentieth century and that, nearly fifty years after her death, will definitively reveal Marilyn Monroe's humanity.

Marilyn's image is so universal that we can't help but believe we know all there is to know of her. Every word and gesture made headlines and garnered controversy. Her serious gifts as an actor were sometimes eclipsed by her notoriety—and by the way the camera fell helplessly in love with her.

Beyond the headlines—and the too-familiar stories of heartbreak and desolation—was a woman far more curious, searching, witty, and hopeful than the one the world got to know. Now, for the first time, readers can meet the private Marilyn and understand her in a way we never have before. Fragments is an unprecedented collection of written artifacts—notes to herself, letters, even poems—in Marilyn's own handwriting, never before published, along with rarely seen intimate photos.

Jotted in notebooks, typed on paper, or written on hotel letterhead, these texts reveal a woman who loved deeply and strove to perfect her craft. They show a Marilyn Monroe unsparing in her analysis of her own life, but also playful, funny, and impossibly charming. The easy grace and deceptive lightness that made her performances indelible emerge on the page, as does the simmering tragedy that made her last appearances so affecting.

Ratings and reviews

There is just something about Marilyn Monroe. There's got to be. How else does one explain the enduring popularity of this '50's movie star even today in the year 2011? There was just something about the woman. I remember, as a kid, hearing her name mentioned on a plethora of television shows by the stars of that era. I kept wondering who this 'Marilyn Monroe' was. Why was she so adored? Someone tell me. Please. Then I saw her for myself, my first pictures of her, video of the woman when she entertained the troops during the Korean War. Wow. There was something about her. What it was - even as the kid I was at that time - I couldn't put a name to it; but there was something about her that would make one stand up and take notice. Thereby, when I catch sight of this book which professes to parlay 'poems, intimate notes, and letters' of hers for release to the public, I was naturally intrigued. I had no clue as to what I might learn - if anything - but as there is something about Marilyn Monroe, I knew it was a book I could never pass up. 'Fragments' is precisely that: fragments of her life. It begins with a rather lengthy type-written letter she wrote while married to her first husband James Dougherty.and concludes with answers to a list of interview questions she wrote out in 1962, the year of her death. In between it all is an array of personal notes, forays into poetry, letters to friends and associates, and a selection of photographs giving evidence to this 'dumb blonde' as not being all that dumb. She was a reader. The back cover of the book shows her reading James Joyce's 'Ulysses'. She was thinker. She started her own production company at one point, apparently seeking more challenging roles than what she is most popularly known for today. Her clear attachment to Lee and Paula Strassberg, and the acting classes they provided, show she meant business in this acting business. Thus, I opened the book and I sought to learn. Was this subtle undercurrent of a beautiful woman with an engaging mind the trait to make her who she was? Unfortunately, while I believe there in lies the unraveling of the mystery to Marilyn Monroe, this book fails to fill in all the holes. It is interesting, but as their is no steady narrative - either thematically or chronologically - to carry a reader forward, there can be difficulties in maintaining a steady interest. Sometimes, her notes say nothing - as any of our notes would say nothing. Mere scratches on a piece of paper. And yet, because it is about Marilyn, it was worth the time spent.

The book contains some photos that are nice, but its basically a book of just scribbled notes that you really don't understand. I think this book which came from things MM had wrote was just another way for the Strasbourg family to collect money from MM.

Simply Beautiful ^_^

About the author

Marilyn Monroe was the defining actress of her age. Born in Los Angeles in 1926, Monroe first gained notice for small but memorable roles in The Asphalt Jungle and All About Eve in 1950. Over the next decade, she starred in numerous films, including Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, Some Like It Hot, How to Marry a Millionaire, and The Seven Year Itch. Acclaimed for these and many other performances, Monroe also studied with Lee Strasberg at the Actors Studio. She died in 1962.