Joyce Carol Oates - Blonde

This isa very good portrait of Marilyn Monroe. Her story has been told and retold so many times. This book was chosen as a finalist for the National Book Award. It tells of the life of Marilyn Monroe.
The book tells about Norma Jean Baker as a child growing up with a schizophrenic mother. It tells how she became Marilyn Monroe and how she struggled with the movie industry who exploited her sexuality. Ms. Oates writes about Monroe as someone who possessed allot of talent. She wanted love from the men in her life. Yet she was devastated by a Playwright, an ExAthlete, and other men in her life. She tries to give her respect and identity.
Marilyn Monroe is still a legend. I would recommend reading this book. It gives a fresh perspective and a new respect to this movie star. Many people have tried to put her life in words and tried to understand her. Ms. Oates reworks her myth to perhaps give us a better understanding of Marilyn Monroe. I think many things about Marilyn Monroe are still a mystery. Yet one thing remains is that she was a movie star. I think she questioned and wondered what fame meant for her and was it worth it. Did it really bring her the love from the men she desired?Was she really happy being famous?Joyce Carol Oates revisits the life of Monroe to make us think about these things.

by Artiste