Marilyn Monroe’s Hidden Library: 400 Books That Shaped a Star

Marilyn Monroe was an avid reader whose personal library grew to more than 400 books, accompanying her through dozens of moves and influencing her self-improvement efforts. The collection featured works from Joyce, Camus, Proust, Freud, and many others, reflecting her literary ambitions and sharp opinions. After her death in 1962, the books were stored, passed through estate heirs, and finally sold by Christie’s in 1999; the full list of titles reveals a lifelong engagement with classic literature, poetry, philosophy, drama, and biographies.