Marilyn
The Passion and the Paradox

Lois Banner

The story of Marilyn Monroe is a familiar one to most; the beauty, the movies, the famous husbands, the tragic death. It might seem difficult at this point to provide a new context for a biography, but Lois Banner has done just that.

From interviews with overlooked acquaintances, to delving into whether accepted narratives are accurate (in many cases, it turns out records do not support accounts that were given), to looking at Monroe's life and career from a modern perspective that is more aware of the constraints and barriers facing women in the 40's, 50's and 60's, Banner does not accept the conventional wisdom. While many accounts (provided mostly by male directors, biographers, and business associates) frame Monroe as nothing more than a temperamental sex kitten, Banner takes into account the lack of power available to women in both professional and personal spheres, and re-frames that narrative to reflect a smart woman, struggling with the effects of a lifetime of instability and abuse, who is using the only power she has - her sexuality and fame. Banner also uses modern understandings of the effects of abuse and genetics on mental illness to highlight how a traumatic childhood contributed to Monroe's insecurities and exhibitionistic behavior.

I would definitely recommend this biography, both for the research and the writing. It has left me wanting to read Banner's other book on Monroe, which is a rare occurrence with biographers.