Michelle Morgan does it again with another fantastic look at Marilyn Monroe, this time focusing on why she should be considered a feminist icon

I had really high hopes for this "The Girl". I love the old Hollywood stories and MM is great part of it. There is no doubt that MM was intelligent, beautiful and professional actress, as well as very fragile soul - so you want to hear it repeatedly in 320 pages? I don't think so...

Author does a great job depicting MM as amazon in the hollywood jungle. You will learn about each an every book she read and how much work she put in her acting, but unfortunately, this is super repetitive, thus all the good content get forgotten as reader might get just frustrated from reading thing all over again. If you can finish the book without frustration, you will be able to learn more about MM as a an actress committed to the method acting, about her fight for "non-blond-roles", about her as businesswoman and what she was like as person, not only actress. what you will not find is her love life. Facts are given, short periods of romance are included, but in this work, you will not find MM defined by her romances, which is amazing, as it allows to shed more light on her, than on the juicy gossips.

What a fabulous book!!! There aren't many Hollywood stars that I care enough about to even read about them, but I HAD to read this one!! This one gave me a little peek into the private, more reserved quiet life of Marilyn Monroe -- almost as though I was being introduced to an alter ego. So many facets to this wonderful woman, and we rarely hear about this one
Loved it!!!

First off I’d like to thank Netgalley, the author and of course the publisher, for allowing me to read this book in exchange for my honest review.

I thought my daughter who loves Marilyn would really enjoy this book, but I must admit, I really did enjoy reading this more! There are a lot of books out there about Marilyn Monroe, and most of them say the same thing about her. One thing I loved was you got to take a peek inside the feminist side of her.

One of the things she helped do was open the door to other women in Hollywood. Marilyn was more than the bleach blonde bombshell with a chest most men adored, and although some people think she was the “dumb blonde”, but she was much more than that. Marilyn was strong, independent, and was pretty smart, she was often underestimated. She wanted to break the mold of the dumb blonde in women, but in the era of the 50’s and 60’s times were so much different than they are now, and it was an uphill battle for her, but she did what she could and passed the torch onto the next generation, and the generation after that, and so on and so on.

This book also expanded on a few things in which was mentioned in other books, but was never followed through, as the other authors of those books didn’t want to say any more about it as it wasn’t what they were wanting to right the book on. I feel this book has been in the wings, waiting for the time to be written in the right time and era. I’m sure if Ms. Monroe was alive today, THIS would be the book she was most proud of that was written about her.

If you’re a Marilyn Monroe fan, and have or want to read books on her life, this is the mush have book for you to read.

Review featured at www.books-n-kisses.com

3.5 Hearts So I love Marilyn Monroe. We share the same birthday so I have always felt a kinship with her. I was excited to read this book. I enjoyed the story very much. It had a unique view on MM and really gave some information about MM that I didn’t know. And in a world that is dealing with so many women’s issues right now it was timely to read of her troubles and how she overcame them. She really learned to be her own woman more than the public gives her credit for.

The problem with the book is the writing. It is very immature. It is jumpy to me. Almost like it started out as a college term paper. And there was a lot of references to other biographers.

If you are a fan of MM then you should not miss this book because I would think you will find out information you did not know before but just be ready for a hard read.

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

This was an amazing and interesting read. Marilyn Monroe was a very intriguing, wild, loving and a smart woman. I learned so much about her and how she lived her life from reading this book. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes, loves or wants to learn more about this gorgeous woman.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Highly recommended read! Thanks for providing through Net Galley. Five Stars *****

In the wake of last fall’s revelations about sexual harassment in Hollywood, some were quick to point out that this was not a new phenomenon. Actress Joan Collins claimed that Marilyn Monroe had warned her about the ‘wolves’ who preyed on young starlets. Just as Monroe’s glamorous image has come to symbolise Hollywood’s golden age, she has also been linked to its darker side in a way that risks over-simplification. For not only was she one of the first to speak out about sexual abuse, she also battled for equal rights and fair pay, which women are still fighting today in Tinseltown and beyond. Michelle Morgan, author of 'Marilyn Monroe: Private and Undisclosed', paints a fuller picture in her new book, 'The Girl: Marilyn Monroe, The Seven Year Itch and the Birth of an Unlikely Feminist'.

“Marilyn suffered frequent frustration because people wanted to pigeonhole her into being just one kind of personality,” Morgan writes. “This undoubtedly came as a result of her unique and modern outlook on life – one more fitting to the twenty-first century rather than the 1950s.” This fascinating period of Marilyn’s life is also covered in another recent book, 'Marilyn in Manhattan'. Morgan follows Elizabeth Winder’s poetic tribute with a broader-based approach, setting the time, the place and the woman in a realistic context.

However, the way Monroe is represented today sometimes veers towards caricature. “History has been rewritten in the decades since her death,” Morgan argues, “and the woman who achieved so much in the 1950s lost in a haze of modern-day Internet memes and rumours … By humanising Marilyn, we are each given a lesson in empathy.” In The Girl, Morgan convincingly portrays Marilyn as an icon of female empowerment, and inspires her readers (irrespective of gender) to find that strength within themselves.

Marilyn Monroe has always been an actress that I have been in awe of. Not necessarily for her acting skills – I can’t say that I have seen enough of her movies to make a fair judgement on that but as an icon I have always been overwhelmed by her power of longevity. It is nearly sixty years since her death and really there is only one Marilyn. You don’t even have to say her surname and people know who you are talking about.

Lately I have read a few books about her life and each one has compelled me to read more. What I have found with the other books I have read is a lack of warmth and a detachment to Marilyn Monroe as a person. In Michelle Morgan’s books you are given a very warm and sympathetic look at her life and that was really refreshing. Whilst Morgan doesn’t claim Marilyn was perfect she tries to understand the flaws and imperfections rather than making sweeping gestures.

Of all the Marilyn Monroe books I have read of late this happens to be the one I have enjoyed the most. It only looks at a relatively small (but important) period of Marilyn Monroe’s life but it shows just how much of an impact Marilyn Monroe made on the movie industry and helped paved the way for women working in that field that is felt even today.

The Girl – Marilyn Monroe, The Seven Year Itch, and the Birth of an Unlikely Feminist by Michelle Morgan.

For more information regarding Michelle Morgan (@MMWriterGirl) please visit www.michellemorgan.co.uk.

For more information regarding Perseus Books (@PerseusBooks) please visit their Twitter page.

For more information regarding Running Press (@Running_Press) please visit www.runningpress.com.

Yet another biography of Marilyn, you say? There are so many already, right? Well, what if I told you that you need a lot of books to cover the life of a multi-faceted personality? Marilyn was one of a kind, and The Girl covers a part of her life few seem to have spoken about in detail – the feminist side of Marilyn, the way she opened the door for a lot of other women in show business and how she challenges the attitudes of the 50’s – things we all need to speak about more because Marilyn is rarely ever mentioned in these contexts. And this book is precisely the book to show you the side of her you have never seen on TV, or in the movies, or even read about much in other biographies.

3 Things You Might Not Know About Marilyn Monroe

It's About...

Why is Marilyn Monroe often so underestimated, sometimes to this day? Why is it that we equate this smart, strong and independent woman with the simple blondes she was often cast to play? Little do we know that Marilyn was actually one of the first to shake off the dumb blonde typecast. The Girl is a book of things you might have not known about Marilyn. Let’s look at at least some of these things.

#1. She Was An Avid Bookworm
As it turns out, Marilyn would never walk out of a book store without a stash of books. Can you relate yet? More over, it wasn’t dime novels she read. She preferred quite high brow literature, such as Mann or Kafka. Once she even signed up to a university course – arts and literature at UCLA – and despite frequently being looked down on for attempting to study something apparently ‘not for her’, she could often be seen on campus with books under her arm.

#2. Marilyn Wanted To Fight For A Woman’s Right To Both Be Beautiful And Smart
In the 50s this idea was irreconcilable. I mean, the idea of a smart woman wasn’t very popular back then – but smart AND pretty? Now, now, let’s not get ahead of ourselves. You can only have one thing. But Marilyn challenged this idea.

Time and again, she tried to get difficult roles, and when she wasn’t cast for them, she eventually ended up starting her own film company – a woman. In the 50’s. So before you equate her with her ditzy film characters next time, take a moment to ponder about that. You probably haven’t even started a company. And if you have, it’s not the 50s. And you probably haven’t been typecast as a beautiful blonde with no brain. What she tried to achieve, what she DARED to try, is nothing short of stunning and inspirational. Let me just quote Marilyn in 1959:

“I’d like to be known as a real actress and human being, but listen, there’s nothing wrong with glamour either. I think everything adds up. I’ll never knock glamour. But I want to be in the kind of pictures where I can develop, not just wear tights.”

#3. Marilyn Was One Of The First To Speak Of Sexual Harassment
So many decades later, the #metoo movement is finally taking off. And we’re feeling proud that it’s finally running. But think about how much safer it is for us to speak about this! And now imagine you’re in the 50s. How much more likely would you be to be attacked, if you spoke out? And yet, despite this, Marilyn spoke out about encounters in foster care, and also ones in Hollywood. She had the bravery to do that.

There are many other reasons to find out more about the side of Marilyn nobody really talks about much. I am happy I read this book – as I too had believed in my mid-twenties that my regard of Marilyn might have been wrongly placed (I loved her a lot when I was a teen), but after reading this book, I realized that my feelings were always in the right place. I’m proud to look up to Marilyn, as sadly as her story ended – there’s even more reason to love her for that, and for all she tried to stand in in a world where women like her weren’t really welcome. Marilyn was truly a woman ahead of her times.

I thank Perseus Books, Running Press for giving me a copy of the book in exchange to my honest opinion. Receiving the book for free does not affect my opinion.

I really enjoyed this book and learnt so much about a completely different side to Marilyn Monroe. I’ve seen the memes and photos of her reading, but didn’t really know much about her private life or that was she a real bookworm and lover of the arts. Like most people I always thought of her as a screen icon, for her looks and ditzy dumb blonde films.

This book really has opened my eyes and given me a new admiration for her and her achievements. I now want to watch her films, particularly Bus Stop and The Misfits and will definitely try and get hold of a copy of Norman Mailer’s book.

I definitely recommend this if you’re a fan or if you’re interested in another side to Marilyn Monroe.

This was just an ok read for me. I really didn't learn anything new about Marilyn Monroe. The writing left a lot to be desired. Thanks to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for the ARC of this book in return for my honest review.

Although this book is an easy read, I found it repetitive and not very engaging. True Marilyn fans may enjoy seeing another perspective of her personality but not a good overview of her life.

I rated the book a solid two stars, mainly for the author's efforts to present a thorough examination of Marilyn's career. I have read numerous biographies about her life that provided many more detailed accounts of her life and career. The book skipped around, wandering from one part of her life to another, with gaps in between,

The author attempted to portray Marilyn as a feminist before her time. I took exception with her views, as I did not see Marilyn as one who advanced women's issues in a positive manner. She used her body to advance her career. Once she did so, she expected to be treated with respect and taken seriously. By that time, it was too late!

I have read other accounts of Marilyn's early life that detailed neglect and abuse. I believe that her early abusive experiences with men seriously damaged her psychological development. The childhood abuse led to her maturing into an amoral being. She had absolutely no qualms about exchanging her favors for career advancement. It mattered not that those men were married and had families. She engaged in numerous affairs with married men and expected them to abandon their wives and families in order to marry her. She did that with Arthur Miller, JFK, RK and numerous others. The only man who seemed to care about her as a person was Joe DiMaggio and she would not curtail her actions in order to remain married to him.

At one point, the author described Marilyn as "one of the bravest women of her generation." Excuse me, taking off one's clothes, engaging in illicit affairs for profit and encouraging the dissolution of families was nothing to be glorified. When I think of brave women of that generation, Monroe never does come to mind. Women who worked hard, engaged in honest employment, in which they remained fully clothed, deserve such praise. Others may disagree with my viewpoint, but it is mine.

I would not read the book again and would not purchase it for anyone, as there are numerous other biographies about the actress that feature more factual information and less personal opinions about her life.

This was a great read and I loved that I learned new things about Marilyn while reading it! She is written about so often that it is hard to find new information about her.

Morgan delivers another stunning Marilyn Monroe biography!

Morgan applies the lens of the 2017/2018 social society and reviews Monroe's life. Through the post-Weinstein era and the rise of The #MeToo movement, the expectations of an actor in Hollywood have changed. Morgan shows us how Monroe was ahead of her time, refusing to be shamed for her photos, and took control of her own career in a time where women had very little say (and when they did speak, no one listened).

This biography is unique in this perspective, showcasing Monroe's strength and determination to be the best actor she could be, while working on projects that would further her career.

Well written, captivating the reader to bringing them along an amazing journey.

As someone who LOVES Marilyn Monroe, and even wrote a book inspired by her, I am super duper excited to read The Girl, Marilyn Monroe, The Seven Year Itch, and the Birth of an Unlikely Feminist by Michelle Morgan. This author wrote a fantastic book that I highly recommend called The Ice Cream Blonde all about actress Thelma Todd and her bizarre murder which was intriguing and would make a great movie.

Here’s the synopsis of The Girl:

When Marilyn Monroe stepped over a subway grating as The Girl in The Seven Year Itch and let a gust of wcaughtatch the skirt of her pleated white dress, an icon was born. Before that, the actress was mainly known for a nude calendar and one-dimensional, albeit memorable, characters on the screen. Though she again played a “dumb blonde” in this film and was making headlines by revealing her enviable anatomy, the star was now every bit in control of her image, and ready for a personal revolution.
Emboldened by her winning fight to land the role of The Girl, the making of The Seven Year Itch and the eighteen months that followed was the period of greatest confidence, liberation, and career success that Monroe lived in her tumultuous life. It was a time in which, among other things, she:

Ended her marriage to Joe DiMaggio and later began a relationship with Arthur Miller; Legally changed her name to Marilyn Monroe, divorcing herself from the troubled past of Norma Jeane; Started her own production company; Studied in private lessons with Lee and Paula Strasberg of the Actors Studio and became a part of the acting revolution of the day
The ripple effects her personal rebellion had on Hollywood, and in trailblazing the way for women that followed, will both surprise and inspire readers to see the Marilyn Monroe in an entirely new light.

I know so much about Marilyn from my years of practically studying her life that I look forward seeing Marilyn in a new light!

I have long had a fascination with MM and have accordingly read quite a few books about her. It's true that many of these facts have been outlined previously but this book is unique in its detailed exploration of a specific 2 year period of her life where she was learning to recognize and use the power she had gained. I found the book to be both well-written and interesting. Recommended.

My thanks to NetGalley for providing me with an eARC in exchange for my honest review.

"The reaction Marilyn got from many male party guests was of a lecherous nature, but from female guests it was something else entirely."
I received a free pre-release electronic copy from netgalley for review purposes and, given my keen interest in the subject matter I held high hopes. I was waiting to learn something new and exciting that further supported the title's description of the screen goddess as a feminist.
It is difficult to provide new insights into a personality that is so well known. Much has already been made of Marilyn and her attempts to be taken more seriously as an actress, her tumultuous love affairs and her short-lived life which ended all too abruptly. While this book delivers a functional treatise which is easy to read, it does not seem to add too much more to the existing Monroe canon. I wanted to love this so much more that I actually did.
The notion of Monroe as an unlikely feminist stems from her efforts to take a leading role in her destiny through her creation of her own film company and her ability to overcome unfavourable conditions by using her fame as a bargaining chip. Here was a woman who recognised her box-office worth and used it, when required, to her advantage.

The book appears to be well researched and eloquently delivered. Notwithstanding, I expected a little more in terms of interesting tidbits.





3 out of 5 people don't keep their panties in the icebox.

A lot of information presented in this book is common knowledge that is in every single Marilyn bio that's out there. However, since it focuses on a specific time period, the author was able to go into much greater detail, and I did learn a lot of facts about Marilyn's life that I had never read before.