The Personal Archives is a collection of thirty items telling the life story of Marilyn Monroe. It’s in similar style to Jenna Glatzer’s ‘The Marilyn Treasures’ from a couple of years ago but is completely different in content and packaging.
These style of books have become popular with publishers over the past few years in a way to entice potential book buyers with an irresistible format where you have removable facsimile items of memorabilia for added appeal. Marilyn is an ideal subject and it’s no surprise that two books in this style should be published in a very short time.This is Cindy’s third book with a Monroe theme (if you count the miniature Marilyn from 2008).
Cindy’s best selling previous book on Marilyn was Platinum Fox and she has a knack for making her books glamorous and interesting. Where the Fox book focused on Marilyn’s films for 20th Century Fox, this one is mostly about her life and all the landmarks.I like the way the book is set out and has folders with the items inside. Some of them are interesting, while some are not. There’s a letter from Grace Goddard to the orphanage which is very moving. The book is presented in a padded cover which gives it a luxury feel. The pictures are a mix of common and rare with contact sheets & alternate images from famous sessions.
The thing you notice is that the early Andre De Dienes photos and George Barris shots taken shortly before the end are plentiful and go really well together and brings home just how short her life really was, despite all that came between.It’s a nice book, published I think mainly in the UK to start with and a lovely companion to Cindy’s earlier book and The Marilyn Treasures.
By Fraser Penney
