Marilyn. A biography

One of the greatest icons of the 20th century, the most recognizable face of all time. Loved by audiences, filmmakers, writers—and even a U.S. president—she died alone and misunderstood at thirty-six.

Who was Norma Jeane Baker, really? The most famous actress in film history, the ultimate sex symbol, the quintessential dumb blonde—these were masks hiding a woman we still don’t fully know.

After unveiling the hearts of Frida Kahlo and David Bowie, revealing their most human sides, María Hesse now brings forth the soul of Marilyn Monroe—a woman who, like many of her contemporaries, shattered societal molds and deserves to be remembered today more than ever for her talent, sensitivity, intelligence, and the barriers she broke.