In the Summer of Ought-Two, I voraciously read the 752-page novel “Blonde” by Joyce Carol Oates, which to this day ranks in my Top Three Favorite Books, Ever. It’s one of those books you are reluctant to finish, where you find yourself stalling at that last page, because you are worried that every work you read after it will be dreadfully unsatisfying. As a writer, I basically worship at the Church of Oates — she’s so effing good, it makes me want to throw the towel in forever.
“Blonde” is a fictionalized biography of Marilyn Monroe, loaded with gorgeous prose and stream-of-consciousness. I just…got it. Got her. While my mother was not institutionalized, and while I wasn’t giving BJ’s under the desks of Hollywood executives, I did relate to that almost maniacal, “I-just-want-to-be-SEEN-and-LOVED” part of her story. And, you know, not so much the glamourous, breathy, Happy-Birthday-Mister-President part. Probably not alone in that.
That Summer, I went from not giving a damn about Marilyn to becoming OBSESSED with her, a fixation I held until I learned that Megan Fox was a Monroephile. My hatred for that vapid, fish-faced bitch runs so deep that I refused to share any common interests with her (besides a love for Brian Austin Green, but that was the 90s, and it’s too late go back and change that). I dropped my Marilyn fascination like a bad habit.
UNTIL I SAW THIS PICTURE, THIS MORNING:
OH, NORMA JEAN –
I’VE NEVER FELT CLOSER TO YOU THAN I DO RIGHT NOW.
(PS. This is from an AMAZING post - “Rare Photos of Famous People” from CrackTwo.com. Brought to my attention via the lovely Emily Abigail.)
July 8th, 2010 at 10:50 am
Yes! Amazing! Last week I found this: http://allaboutmarilynmonroe.tumblr.com/ and have started a big file of photos on my desktop. Some of my favorite are of Norma Jeane/pre Hollywood - a search on Flickr for that name turns up some terrific images.
[Reply]
July 8th, 2010 at 12:51 pm
Aw yes! Reader’d!
And Amy? Thanks for always commenting. Even though we are internet strangers.
[Reply]
July 8th, 2010 at 10:24 pm
lady,
ARE WE TWINS SEPARATED BY BIRTH AND ALSO A FEW YEARS?
because that would be a scientific wonder.
i was OBSESSED with her mostly after seeing a biopic that i think was based on that book you referenced (at least it seemed to have the same tone and content centralized around Norma Jeane) and i fell in love with the tortured part of her etc. AND THEN wanted to gag when i read about that pinky troll loved her. blech.
but OH MY WORD that photo! you’re right; what a treasure of a lady. flawed and beautiful. sigh.
[Reply]
Jenn Reply:
July 9th, 2010 at 8:49 am
Um, I think our twinship was sealed when we became friends because I hotlinked a picture of Anthony Bourdain through your blog. :) They did make a movie version of “Blonde,” so that’s prob the one you saw. When Megan Fox falls off the face of the earth (i.e. in the next thirteen minutes) we can adore openly again.
[Reply]