All about Marilyn Monroe: 8 books about the Hollywood icon

There’s no shortage of media and memorabilia created by Marilyn Monroe and in her memory, all serving as a way to better understand the inimitable icon whose life was famously shrouded in mystery. Behind the blonde bombshell are complex feelings, deep intelligence, a storied history and an untimely death.

In one of the latest representations, Ana de Armas plays Monroe in the film “Blonde,” based off of Joyce Carol Oates’ novel. The film, like the book, is a reimagined version of Monroe’s life, fusing fact and fiction to paint a portrait of her era of Hollywood. It premieres on Netflix in September.

Activist Gloria Steinem created this complex portrait of Marilyn Monroe — one of the first that can be credited with changing the public perception of the historic actor and model.

Alongside Ben Hecht, Monroe tells her own life story in this autobiography, including her childhood as an orphan, her whirlwind romance with baseball player Joe DiMaggio, and dozens of passages that show her underappreciated intelligence and wit.

Lois Banner’s thoughtful curation in “MM Personal” feels like you’re wading through the cabinets, drawers and closets of the historic actor and model yourself.

You’ll find a vast collection of screenshots, documents and memorabilia from Monroe’s private archive that come together to paint a portrait of her impossibly complex life.

This 2018 biography of Monroe is considered one of the most definitive accounts of her life, based on years of exclusive interviews and research.

Bert Stern’s iconic “Last Sitting” photos of Marilyn Monroe, taken just weeks before her death, are combined with Norman Mailer’s 1973 biography in this photo book from Taschen.