Marilyn in Manhattan: Her Year of Joy

Poet and author Winder (Pain, Parties, Work) reinforces the adage that a picture is worth a thousand words in this overstuffed yet hollow "year in the life" biography of Marilyn Monroe (1926–62). The year in question is one Monroe spent in New York (late 1954 through early 1956), dodging sexist Hollywood executives and a crumbling marriage to Joe DiMaggio, teaming with photographer Milton Greene to form her own management company, studying Method acting with Lee Strasberg, and generally living it up in Manhattan. The stories of her adventures in the city feel choppy, most likely because of the numerous sources. Overlong and overcooked descriptions of the star's outfits, maquillage, eating and drinking habits, and hotel room decor are studded with adjectives that objectify Monroe nearly as much as the Hollywood moguls did. Despite the quoting of some poems and diary entries by the actress, there's very little insight into her head or heart. We see her pathos and humor, but at a remove, and from too many viewpoints.