I’d asked for the two versions as I really liked the cover of the Spanish version although I must admit I felt a bit apprehensive about buying two books that were identical apart from the language, at the price they were. I do collect a lot of the foreign editions so it was a bit strange for me to feel this way. I think it was because Frederic has published books before and sometimes they weren’t always what you were expecting…
Anyways, I needn’t have worried because when this package came I was pleasantly surprised. When I saw the van pull up outside my house I couldn’t think what on earth it was & was sure it was for my neighbours. I just stood there, dead in my tracks to see what door he went to. And then, it was mine…
I rushed to the door and looked for a senders address & saw Frederic’s name. I thought “Wow” judging by the size & weight of the package, these books are huge and the £80 I’d spent on them seemed like a bargain & I hadn’t even seen the books yet… Frederic had wrapped the books so beautifully I wanted to open them carefully & just enjoy the whole experience. They looked stunning, beautifully printed, packed solid with Marilyn memorabilia. I had to sit down as it’s not the type of book you can just skim through. There was a lot here I hadn’t seen before… The book traces Marilyn’s life from the very first images printed of her in a Spanish magazine in 1949, right up to the present day and the images are from calendars, postcards, stills, film posters, magazine covers & articles, comparing certain images ie. Seven Year Itch images with how they were cencored in Spain but easily available in the more liberal Sweden . We also see some other early European covers which help to tell the story so it’s not just limited to Spain . We see before our eyes Marilyn evolve from model to starlet to worldwide superstar & eventual cultural icon – all from a Spanish perspective. A great idea… could this lead to future editions, Marilyn In France; Italy ; Germany ; England ; Australia … the list is endless but it would be a wonderful series of books for the collectors. The book is a real feast for the eyes. I liked seeing the magazine covers, especially the Hola! cover with Marilyn & Vivien Leigh & the Spanish film posters are just beautiful. There’s also little sections on Diana Dors, Jayne Mansfiled, Mamie Van Doren & Linda Kerridge who had an amazing similarity to our precious Marilyn…
At the back there’s a Spanish bibliography with every book cover reproduced in colour, which is great to see. Frederic has excelled himself with this book. It’s gonna be one of the most sought after books in a few years from now as only 600 have been published so I suggest you break the bank and invest your hard earned cash in a copy while the going is good. Trust me, it’s one book you don’t want to miss out on.
By Fraser Penney
