Product Description

This stunning visual compendium of Marilyn's life includes hundreds of rare photographs and easy access to all of the information on Marilyn's life and times. With complete information on Marilyn's films, including comprehensive credit listings, cross-referencing, a comprehensive bibliography, and an extensive name index, The Marilyn Encyclopedia surpasses everything that has come before it.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #859966 in Books
• Published on: 2001-10-01
• Released on: 2001-09-04
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 342 pages

Amazon.com Review
The Marilyn Encyclopedia is, according to its jacket notes, "the most comprehensive book about [Marilyn Monroe's] extraordinary life and legacy ever published." This may easily be true--it is incredibly, insanely detailed. Author Adam Victor has taken every conceivable source of Marilyn information--admittedly including Internet rumors and Hollywood gossip among the more well-documented tidbits--distilled them down to alphabetical entries, and cross-referenced them to within an inch of their lives. While the casual fan can check out Marilyn's Look covers or a list of the screenwriters she worked with, hardcore devotees can look up such vital information as the name of the first restaurant she and Joe DiMaggio ate at on their honeymoon (a controversy--was it the restaurant at the Hot Springs Hotel or at the Clifton Inn?) or the name of Marilyn's poodle (Maf Honey). The meticulous cross-referencing makes The Marilyn Encyclopedia an extremely enjoyable browser's read, allowing the reader to hop from Marilyn's disdain for underwear to her working relationship with John Huston to the fact that she never had much trouble with gambling--all with the flip of a page. This encyclopedia of course contains a rich assortment of photos: posed studio portraits, pinups, and candid shots vie for space throughout the tome. Despite his obvious devotion as a fan, Victor is remarkably evenhanded in his choice of the quotes and anecdotes sprinkled throughout the book. The reader cannot help but be left with the impression that, for all her magical appeal, Monroe may well have been a trying person to deal with on a day-to-day basis. This is the perfect book for the dedicated fan who wants to know everything--no, really, everything--about Marilyn Monroe. --Ali Davis

From Library Journal
From artichokes to hair color, it seems nothing has been left out of this comprehensive encyclopedia of Hollywood's premier starlet, a woman who continues to fascinate nearly four decades after her death. Combining gorgeous color photographs with articles on everything related to or influenced by Marilyn Monroe, Victor, a freelance writer and translator, has composed the definitive question-and-answer book for fans and scholars. Entries range from a few lines to several pages, but all whet the appetite for more. Rather than take sides, Victor simply presents the fact and the folklore that make up the Marilyn mystique, including gossip, anecdote, and conspiracy theories. The photos alone make this a worthy purchase, but its exhaustive scope and impartial presentation make it highly recommended for public libraries and necessary for film collections.
-Kelli N. Perkins, Herrick P.L., Holland, MI
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist
What movie star besides Marilyn Monroe, the quintessence of white, feminine sex appeal, could credibly be the focus of a lavish, 350-page encyclopedia? The question is rhetorical, especially when Marilyn's rags-to-riches career and embodiment of the smiling-on-the-outside, crying-on-the-inside celebrity are factored in. Victor has combed the vast literature, folklore, and fakelore about the great star and packed the results into a dictionary of people, places, things, and concepts. Sure, there is an entry on DiMaggio and on each of Marilyn's movies; here, too, however, is a "Films" entry about movies in which she might have starred, an entry on "Beauty" and Marilyn, and a nifty list of the books she read. A fan could get lost for days in Victor's achievement, even if it weren't copiously illustrated with small news and candid photos and plenty of full pagers of Marilyn fully dolled up for the camera, though virtually every man will dream she has done it just for him. Ray Olson

Customer Reviews

The Most Marilyn
Before describing the book, you should know that it contains photographs of Ms. Monroe that would earn this book an R rating if it were a motion picture.

". . . [T]his book does not claim to have a monopoly on the truth of Marilyn's life." The book ". . . aims to be a work of reference and an extraordinary read." " . . . [I]t is only apt for the fans to seek out their own truths about Marilyn."

When stars are alive, fan magazines and television reporters capture endless amounts of information about the person's activities. This context for Ms. Monroe's life comes alive in easy-to-use detail in this remarkably complete volume. Think of an aspect of her life that you want to know. Look that point up alphabetically, and you will probably find it here. For example, I looked up Hugh Hefner, and found that he had published nude photographs of Ms. Monroe and was a fan of her work. To follow that thread, you can also find the photographer who made those images and who published the famous calendar. This reference includes a photograph of the photographer, with the calendar on the wall behind him. Very nicely done!

The references were even-handed in almost all cases, so those who have a point of view about that aspect of Ms. Monroe's life will see the other side. For example, there is a section on her suicide attempts that details when they occurred and the circumstances surrounding each of them.

I was impressed that the book contained details that I never thought I would know. Unless you are a real Marilyn expert, you will probably have the same reaction. For example, there is a section on the movies she considered acting in, but did not. You even get her connections to the Academy awards. She never won one, but she presented. You get a photograph of the outfit she wore that night.

As great as the detailed written references are, I enjoyed the visual references more. There are 170 color and 205 black and white photographs in the book. Many of them are very small, as befits a reference work rather than a photography book. They expose new sides of Ms. Monroe by showing her mood, body language, and clothing styles at various stages in her life. You can see the gradual shift from vibrant young woman, to carefully posed star. The book shows you movie posters, publicity stills, shooting on the set, informal scenes with co-stars, vacations, dates, and family photos. There is even a section containing photographs of the women who have acted as Ms. Monroe in television shows and movies.

If you are a Marilyn Monroe fan, I suspect that you will want to have this book and that you will treasure it for years to come.

After you finish looking up everything you can think of, I suggest you also just read each page. There are many details here that you would never think to look up.

If you just think Ms. Monroe was beautiful, you'll be pleased with the many full-page images of her.

After you finish this book, I suggest that you think about the irony of how someone who provided so much happiness for others was so unhappy herself. What can you do to help people who share her unhappiness?

Give love . . . always!

The Marilyn Encyclopedia is a hit, a palpable hit.
The Marilyn Encyclopedia is sure to become the standard reference work for all MM fans now and in the future. The book is a stunning compendium of people, places, and things in the life of "the divine Ms M". As well, it is richly illustrated with both black-and-white and colour photos of Marilyn and friends (and a few not so friendly people in her life). This book supercedes both "The Unabridged Marilyn: Her Life from A to Z", and "The Ultimate Marilyn". It is a handsomely produced volume, and deserves a place of pride in anyone's library. It is an absolute MUST for all fans of Our Lady, Marilyn.

WOW!
This truly is an encyclopedia of Marilyn's life. If you're a Marilyn fan, you absolutely will not be disappointed in this book--it's expensive, but worth every dime. There are pictures in this book that I've never seen before, so many pictures. It will take you hours to get through all the information, & you will want to go slowly through all the pages to stop & just focus on all the beautiful pictures of her--absolutely stunning! The one main drawback is that the print is small, so those with eye problems might have a little difficulty reading it, & also, the book is large & heavy. But this book is chock-full of information about her, about her career & personal life, very thorough. I am extremely pleased with this book, & am very glad I bought it!