Full Breakdown
Marilyn Monroe’s Personal Library: Size, Contents, and Legacy
5/31/2026, 4:17:57 AM
Monroe’s Personal Library: Size, Contents, and Posthumous Fate
At the time of her death in 1962, Marilyn Monroe owned a personal library of more than 400 books. After her passing the collection was moved from Los Angeles to a Manhattan storage unit. Lee Strasberg, the primary heir of Monroe’s estate, retained the books until his death in 1982; his third wife, Anna Strasberg, inherited them and, in 1999, commissioned Christie’s to auction the library along with other personal effects.
Reading as Self-Improvement: Motivation and Habits
Monroe enrolled in two ten-week literature courses at UCLA in 1951, a move some observers dismissed as a publicity stunt. Biographer Gale Crowther notes that Monroe’s selections avoided contemporary best-sellers, suggesting she read to “better” herself and to counter feelings of imposter syndrome. Her collection included heavyweight works by Marcel Proust, Albert Camus, James Joyce, and philosophical texts by Sigmund Freud, indicating a deliberate focus on intellectual growth.
Key Figures in the Library’s History
- Marilyn Monroe – collector and avid reader.
- Arthur Miller – playwright and Monroe’s second husband; his diary insulted her intelligence.
- Lee Strasberg – acting coach and primary heir of Monroe’s estate.
- Anna Strasberg – inherited the library and arranged its 1999 auction.
- Gale Crowther – author of *Marilyn and Her Books*, chronicling Monroe’s literary life.
- Eve Arnold – photographer who documented Monroe reading *Ulysses*.
Scope of the Collection: Notable Titles and Numbers
The library spanned literary fiction, poetry, philosophy, drama, and memoir. Representative titles included:
- Literary fiction – *The Great Gatsby* (F. Scott Fitzgerald), *Ulysses* (James Joyce), *The Brothers Karamazov* (Fyodor Dostoevsky), *Madame Bovary* (Gustave Flaubert).
- Poetry – works by William Blake, Walt Whitman, Rainer Maria Rilke, and W.B. Yeats.
- Philosophy & Psychology – *The Psychopathology of Everyday Life* (Sigmund Freud), *The Philosophy of Bertrand Russell*, *The Prophet* (Kahlil Gibran).
- Drama – Shakespeare’s *Sonnets*, Arthur Miller’s plays, Clifford Odets’ *The Country Girl*, Eugene O’Neill’s *Long Day’s Journey Into Night*.
- Memoir & Biography – *The Magic Christian* (Terry Southern), *The Little Engine That Could* (Watty Piper).
Cultural Impact and Legacy of Monroe’s Literary Pursuits
Monroe’s extensive reading challenged the prevailing image of her as merely a “sex symbol.” Her documented engagement with complex texts has prompted scholarly reassessment of her intellectual interests and continues to inspire exhibitions, biographies, and public fascination with her private world of books.
Official Statements & Responses
Biographers confirm the library’s size and composition, and Christie’s auction records verify the 1999 sale. Gale Crowther’s forthcoming biography, produced with the cooperation of the Monroe estate, frames Monroe’s reading as a sustained effort toward self-education.
Criticism & Opposition
Contemporaries questioned Monroe’s literary seriousness, labeling her *Ulysses* reading a publicity stunt. Arthur Miller’s diary entry disparaging her intellect contributed to their divorce. Monroe herself described being treated by Miller’s friends as “a dull little sex object with no brains.”
On-the-Ground Reports: Anecdotes of Monroe Reading
A director observed Monroe reading Rilke’s *Letters to a Young Poet* on a set break, prompting the director’s inquiry. Photographer Eve Arnold recalled Monroe keeping *Ulysses* in her car, reading it aloud for its “sound.”
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
Sources differ on Monroe’s single favorite title: Woman’s World highlights *The Great Gatsby*, *Ulysses*, *The Prophet*, and Grace Paley’s *The Little Disturbances of Man* as top picks. No comprehensive catalog of the entire library has been released, leaving the full scope of her reading habits undocumented.
Verbatim Quotes
- “Those big tough guys are so sick, they aren’t even all that tough,” — Marilyn Monroe, on Hemingway.
- “a dull little sex object with no brains and talked to me like a high school principal with a backward student.” — Marilyn Monroe, describing Miller’s friends.
- “On nights when I’ve got nothing else to do, I go to the Pickwick bookstore on Hollywood Boulevard and just open books at random,” — Marilyn Monroe, to a director.
- “She said she kept Ulysses in her car and had been reading it for a long time. She said she loved the sound of it and would read it aloud to herself.” — Eve Arnold, photographer.
- “It is more or less a pattern for everyday living.” — Marilyn Monroe, 1953 interview.
What’s Next: New Biography and Ongoing Interest
Gail Crowther’s *Marilyn and Her Books: The Literary Life of Marilyn Monroe*—published with the Monroe estate’s cooperation—offers a detailed examination of the library, its literary connections, and Monroe’s enduring curiosity about literature.
