BOOK REVIEW BY DAVID MARSHALL

So here it is January of a brand new year and even though youíve likely spent all you have on Christmas presents for other people, doesnít that make you yearn to spend a bit on yourself? Come on, even Santa figured out that youíd been good and you can always come up with some sort of rationalization when it comes to spending even more money on Marilyn, right?

 So with all that in mind, Iíve got to tell you about a MM book that came to me over the holidays. Feel like you couldnít possibly find any more coffee table books on Monroe of any interest? That theyíre all pretty much the sameólush photos, rags to riches, conquering Hollywood and on and on and on? I mean, really, by this point in the game how could you possibly find anything thatís new when it comes to yet another big olí book on Marilyn Monroe? Bad news is you are going to want to spend money. Good news is this book, Marilyn Monroe: The Life The Myth is Incredible and puts a whole new twist on what you want in a MM picture book.

 Always wanted to see what the inside of that special international issue of LIFE with Marilyn and Olivier on the cover was like? Or how about all those great Italian magazine coversóever wonder what the stories were like? How about the LOOK magazine layout featuring Marilyn and Carl Sandburg? Want to feel even better about your preoccupation with this woman by seeing that it is not just you, not just the US, but an entire globe full of people who share your admiration? This, I swear, is the book for you.

 Created, edited and originally published in Italy, the book was such a success that it was then issued in the US. So although, as someone who doesnítí understand Italian, you can read a good and detailed text while looking at illustrations from all of the Italian fan magazines. And, (even though by now this is to be expected), the pages are of the highest quality paper, the illustrations and photographs are reproduced in the very best of printing techniques, and youíve got terrific essays by names you recognize, (Eve Arnold, Carl Rollyston, Sam Shaw), but also by those you might not be familiar with, (Irene Bignardi, Marta Francocci, Antonello Villani).

 The book covers just about everything it can from her early modeling years, success in Hollywood and the ultimate sex symbol status as well as sections concentrating on Marilyn and Advertising, Marilynís Fashion Sense. Monroeís hold on Andy Warhol. There is an entire section of Marilyn as Muse showing some terrific examples of contemporary art works that feature Monroe.

 Look, I could go on and on like I often do but no matter what I say, it all comes down to this: This book is fantastic. Head over to amazon.com or your favorite book search and buy it. Now. It really is just that cool.