Sarah Churchwell studied at Vassar College and Princeton University. She currently teaches American literature and culture at the University of East Anglia. This is her first book.
Frequently dissected in an attempt to uncover the person behind the star, Marilyn Monroe now resides as a myth that reflects our culture's complex attitudes, values, and critical judgments of celebrity, success, and life. Taking a fresh approach to the subject, Churchwell (American literature & culture, Univ. of East Anglia) focuses on the stories themselves and the legend they created in an attempt to determine not who Monroe was but who she became as a result. Churchwell studies the writings of various biographers, novelists, journalists, and commentators (notably those of Norman Mailer, Joyce Carol Oates, and Monroe's onetime husband Arthur Miller), analyzing the content and nuance of these works and underlining subsequent reactions by the public and the media. The result is a well-researched yet disturbing look at an enigmatic woman and the confusing culture that made her an icon. For circulating libraries.-Carol J. Binkowski, Bloomfield, NJ Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.
Rather than add to the canon of morbid Monroe speculation, Times Literary Supplement contributor Churchwell steps back to examine the examiners and ask: why has so much been written about Monroe, and what does this fixation say about our society? She doesn't provide any answers, but focuses instead on the phenomenon-she's fascinated by the investigation itself. Although Churchwell touches briefly on the few factual areas where biographers and conspiracy theorists agree, such as Monroe's marriages and film stats, she chooses to linger on the numerous crux points for commentators. Even something as mundane as how Monroe developed her characteristic hip-swinging strut has been hotly debated: the head of the star's former modeling agency maintains it was because of weak ankles, but an acting coach claims he invented it, and a gossip columnist insists Monroe shaved off part of one high heel so her walk would be uneven. Instead of trying to find the truth, Churchwell ponders why such seemingly minor aspects of Monroe's image draw such fervid attention in a culture already saturated with image, celebrity and sex. Churchwell culls a wealth of information about Monroe, providing insight on our celebrity culture, with a refreshingly detached perspective. 13 b&w photos. Agent, Angela Rose at Granta UK. (Jan. 10) Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.
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