Marilyn Monroe is obviously one of the most celebrated women of all time, and her death came as a shock to most of the country. Staggs' work poses an equally shocking question: What if she didn't die? What if she were "relocated"? Interesting idea, and he makes it work to some degree.

Staggs certainly knows a lot about Marilyn -- from the layout of her house to her friends and enemies, and it seems nearly everything in between. However, he obviously did not know Marilyn herself. Some of my dearest friends, who were actors in Hollywood at the same time, thought she was a smart, funny, and ambitious woman -- not the vapid, neurotic, and ridiculous character Staggs describes. The vulnerability and supposed haze of confusion in "Norma Jean" is built up to such an extent that reading the book became a negative experience -- perhaps because it was such a mistaken potrayal.

The foundation for the work is a good one, but I was sorely disappointed in the final product.

I bought this book about ten years ago for $1.99. As a Marilyn fan, I was curious and thought it was a good addition to my collection. I finally read it, and I really liked it. Despite the other review here, I found it to be very entertaining, and it was interesting to discover "what if". While Staggs isn't Hemingway or Shakespeare, I think he is a very good writer. He is good with words and is very descriptive and has a knack for dialogue. It was a very interesting interpetation of MM's life had she not died. There have been a few other writers who tried to do the same thing. The two I have read are Marilyn's Daughter, which I liked as much as this one. Although, I don't remember it that well. But I would have remembered it if I didn't like it. Speaking of not liking, Blonde, by Joyce Carol Oates is the other book that displays MM in a fictious way. I didn't even finish that one as I did not enjoy it at all. This book starts with MM at the end of her Hollywood career and instead of her dying another woman takes her place. Everyone thinks it is her, and in the eyes of most of the world, MM is dead. but she is kidnapped and taken "underground", eventually she runs away from her captors. She lives her life under a different name, and meets alot of interesting characters along the way to a different kind of success. I would recommend this book for both MM fans and anyone just looking for something a little different. It is a great book.

I checked the 1988 edition of this book out of the library, and have renewed it twice. My gardening is somewhat impulsive, and this book is arranged by seasons, so I know what I can do "now". Recomend for gardeners not familiar with southern gardening, or gardeners finding themselves in a new zone of the South.

I have owned this book for many years and don't really know the difference between this book and Bert Stern's other listed book, "The Complete Last Sitting." When I bought this book, I considered this one of the best on MM, but now it seems a bit ghoulish because Stern published pictures that MM had rejected. She had even used a pin to destroy the negatives, but Stern published them anyway. In hindsight, this is disrespectful to MM. He even publishes a photo of MM dropping her scarf, looking nude and very vulnerable. He also calls this sitting MM's last sitting. However, she posed for George Barris a couple of weeks after Stern's sitting, making Stern's allegation untrue. More importantly, Stern really doesn't get to know her at all so his "insights" are superficial. However, if you love MM (as I do) and can ignore these defiencies, you will enjoy this book.

This book does not go into the endless details of Marilyn's life, but instead talks about her fans and the affect that MM had on them. I found this very viewpoint very interesting, but don't buy this one unless you're an avid collector. The photos are a nice addition, too.

This book provides a feminist viewpoint to Marilyn's films and life. When the book was written in the 1970s, the author provided a fresh insight into Marilyn. Now it might be considered "old hat" since so many authors now take the same viewpoint. Remember, Marilyn was not especially admired by women when she died. This book is written by a woman who is sympathetic to Marilyn's life and desire to improve herself. This book is valuable to those who are Marilyn collectors. Otherwise, pass on this one.

This book was good in my opinion because it told how her death could have either been suicide, an accident, or a murder. The problem was it wasn't very clear in the death part and it only associated with JFK, RFK, the mob and not as much with Ralph Greenson or the housekeeper

This book was written in the 1960s so many facts were not presented, such as MM's alleged affairs with the Kennedys. The author did not know MM so he presents MM from a distance: a hard-working, neurotic, promiscuous, fearful actress who eventually committs suicide. Now we know that MM's life is much more complex with many more questions about her death. Still, Hoyt tries to get to the real person behind the public mask. If you can locate this hard-to-find book, I think you'll find his perspective fascinating.

This book would be exellent if DeVries could accept the fact that his own research contradicts his "racial" views.

DeVries plainly states that the white community of Monroe, Michigan accepted the mobility of part-black whites into the white community. This again contradicts the "passing" myth. DeVries, however, is too much of a "liberal" racist to admit that and offend black elites. He even goes so far as to suggest that the white community of Monroe was "racist" for accepting part- black whites into the white community. Damned if you do and damned if you don't!

A quote from the book: "Crossing over was not the silent mechanism that some historians have indicated. It involved not only racial heritage but, ironically, family and personal identity. Could an individual known to have an African ancestry be regarded and defined as white? Yes, the interracial backgrounds and unions off the Fosters and Duncansons were matters of public knowledge. Each of the families had a long, continuous heritage in Monroe, and descendants residing in the community today beat no stigma of race and are generally viewed as Caucasian." (P. 150)

I first read this book in 1985, I was amazed at the ease of reading and the simplicity of the information. I have personally bought hundreds of copies and given them to all kinds and ages of people. The contents of the book, even though a bit scattered, give everyone hope, and ideas that are simple to incorporate into their lives. Therapeutic touch is so underrated in our society and this book gives people permission and insight to touch in healthy ways. I have noticed the book is out of print and am disappointed that I do not have access to it any longer. I hope if it is being edited that it will be bigger and better. I now teach at a Massage school and use it as a required text to open students minds to touch and the different ways we as humans touch each other. I recommend the book to anyone who appreciates touch as energy and it's impact on our lives.

This book is a great introduction into an overlooked topic. Far too often, Jews and Gentiles alike are ignorant or choose to ignore the history of Jews as people willing to defend itself.

Unfortunately, this book sparsely documented and is rather jingoistic. This is not an academic work, but one meant for mass consumption.

Finally, certain subjects have inaccuracies. The section on the Khazars, for instance, is based on outdated research. The authors would have done well to read DM Dunlop's research.

I hope that this book is reprinted so that more people can read it. I also hope that someone does more serious academic work on this forgotten subject.