Rating: Summary: This book raises more questions than it answers. Review: As much as her fans would like to see the mystery of Marilyn Monroe's death solved once and for all, this book falls far short of that goal. The book is well-written, interesting, and thought provoking, to be sure, and Wolfe is one of the few authors who has written about her death that doesn't hedge his bets. Instead of saying "this is probably what happened," Wolfe's tone is, "I have proven that this is definitely what happened, when it happened, who did it, and why." But, merely having confidence in one's own conclusions, and claiming that they have been proven, doesn't make it so.Wolfe's main problem is that he relies too heavily on the account of Norman Jeffries, a man who spent 32 years known mainly as a minor character who saw Marilyn briefly on the morning of August 4. Somehow, Jeffries has become an important eyewitness who spent almost the entire day, evening, night, and next morning at Marilyn's house. Wolfe has no explanation for why we should believe Jeffries. How do we know Jeffries told Wolfe the truth? Why did it take him 32 years to come up with his story? These are important questions that Wolfe pretends don't need to be answered. Moreover, Wolfe is guilty of the same problem as other MM death theorists: he accepts the testimony of anyone who claims to have witnessed anything about her death. Everyone who claims Marilyn called them, everyone who claims she told them things she never confided in anyone else, everyone who claims they saw this or that person at her house -- all this heresay is repeated, without being subjected to any scrutiny or evaluation. If you're going to prove something, you have to do better than just take everyone who has anything to say on the subject at their word. Look, I don't believe Marilyn committed suicide, intentional or accidental. I believe she was murdered, and, in fact, I believe it went down pretty much the way Wolfe explains it. I just wish someone could prove it. Wolfe certainly hasn't.
Rating: Summary: No-nonsense investigative report on the death of Marilyn Mon Review: Donald Wolfe has done a splendid job of telling the nasty story of what happened to Marilyn Monroe, pulling no punches: "In the presence of Bobby Kennedy, she was injected with enough barbiturates to kill fifteen people." Wolfe presents a wealth of evidence that should be impossible to ignore or deny. One feels that Marilyn's memory deserves a fair and honest treatment after all these years, and Wolfe has worked hard to provide precisely that.
Rating: Summary: No-nonsense investigative report on the death of Marilyn Mon Review: Donald Wolfe has done a splendid job of telling the nasty story of what happened to Marilyn Monroe, pulling no punches: "In the presence of Bobby Kennedy, she was injected with enough barbiturates to kill fifteen people." Wolfe presents a wealth of evidence that should be impossible to ignore or deny. One feels that Marilyn's memory deserves a fair and honest treatment after all these years, and Wolfe has worked hard to provide precisely that.
Rating: Summary: THE KENNEDYS' DID IT Review: Even before I read this I was convinced that Bobby and JFK had something to do with Marilyn's Death. This book just help to bring the rest of the general public or at least, the fans who have read it, closer to the truth. The truth that Marilyn didn't commit suicide. This book really went into a lot of detail to show that it couldn't have been suicide. It went into too much detail also, of things that didn't pertain to marilyn or her death, that was the only thing I didn't like about it. Who cares about arthur miller's problems? I read enough about him in the other most recent Marilyn bio, if you could call it that. This book gave you alot of facts, some that shocked me greatly. The Cal-Neva weekend was gut wrenching to read. I feel that us true fans know that marilyn isn't a suicide victim, but a victim of murder. cold-blooded murder.. I never had much respect for the Kennedys before but after reading this, I find them repulsive. If they didn't want to her know about all those political things going on, and their plans, why did they tell her? What makes me truly ill, is there will never be justice done for marilyn. maybe by me and other fans that believe the same thing. But the Kennedys did a really good job at getting rid of evidence, and covering up so well that there is no way it could ever be proved. I am glad that this book was written, it was well written and it has helped me find some answers about MM's untimely death. thank you, donald wolfe!
Rating: Summary: Rediculous! Review: First of all...anything that lists Robert Slatzer and Jeanne Carmen as mayor sources is suspect right of the bat! Robert Slatzer, self proclaimed "second husband" and "life long friend" of Marilyn's and Jeanne Carmen, marilyn's "other best friend that nobody ever heard off before Marilyn's death" milk it for all it's worth!! What kind of actual proof does this Robert Slatzer have for saying he was one of Marilyn's closest friends....a couple of photographs taking at Niagara Falls in 1952. (marilyn posing w/ Robert Slatzer during the making of "Niagara"...he could have been any tourist). And to actually claim to have married Marilyn (without any proof whatsoever) takes the cake! This Book is very well researched in the area of marilyn's professional Life and goes into much detail...but it endlessly speculates and bases it's proof on questionable sources. But sensationalism sells Books,doesn't it? I recommend Donald Spoto's biography of marilyn as a much more realistic account of what might have happened.
Rating: Summary: No Statute of Limitations on Murder Review: I read this book from cover to cover to the point that my friends were simply sick of hearing me. Wolfe uncovers evidence that at the very least should cause the L.A. District Attorney's office to take notice. Based on what I know and Mr. Wolfe's account I still am unconvinced of a suicide. There were too many mitigating factors. American Movie Classics recently ran a 'last days' scenario. Her doctor and others were paraded before us - he talked about her depression and maintained the same story he had before. There are many people, still alive, who should be called for their account of what happened. They should be subpoened and compelled to give a full account of what they know of those days. Especially Patricia Lawford and Eunice Kennedy. Lawford in particular knew Ms. Monroe well. Mrs. Lawford was there. How much did Monroe know about various national security issues? Was she a national security risk? Had the Kennedy brothers leaked information to her? And then there is all the FBI expurgated evidence that is still blacked out - 40 years later - why? I have more questions than answers. I'm more disturbed by the questions raised that have no answers and the lack of response on the part of the government. This book ads fuel to the fire - bravo for Wolfe!
Rating: Summary: Thought-provoking Review: I thought this book was extremely well researched and disproved some of the myths surrounding her last months. Especially the lies that George Cukor and the studio made about MM's acting being groggy and the footage unusable. Just because they talk to Robert Slatzer and Jeanne Carmen shouldn't invalidate this book. If you see the put-together footage of "Something's Got To Give" you'll see a vibrant actress, even though she was under the influence of various drugs, some given by the studio itself. I loved this book and any MM fan should too.
Rating: Summary: Difficult to refute author's evidence Review: I've always been somewhat ambivalent about the conspiracy theories surrounding Marilyn's death & have vacillated between the foul play line & that she took an accidental overdose. I read Anthony Summers' "Goddess" when it was first published & was certainly of the conviction that there was indeed foul play. Having just read the first part of this book & skipped to the end missing out the biographical element of the middle section, I am yet again convinced that at best there was one huge cover-up to protect RFK and at worst that he actually had a direct hand in the deed or was at least present when the fatal barbiturate dose was adminstered. Earlier books I've read have all indeed questioned the validity of Marilyn's bedroom being the scene of death, no water present, the body lying in an unusual position, no evidence of convulsions or vomit which is usually the case with overdoses etc etc etc It is certainly difficult to refute the evidence presented in this book & the various testimonies that have only just come to light, ie those of Norman Jeffries (this I had never read about before & I've read numerous MM biogs) and of the ambulence driver James Hall. The events that the author concludes took place that night are totally plausible, but what is surprising is the fact that this disparate group of people present when MM died all conspired over the years & colluded in this cover up. The numerous versions of the suicide theory are all fatally flawed & key witnesses such as Eunice Murray the housekeeper have constantly changed their stories over the years - lending them no crediblity whatsoever. However, it is unfortunate that we will never ever know for sure as RFK, Ralph Greenson & Peter Lawford all took their secrets to the grave with them. This is indeed a compelling read, although sometimes I found I was so bombarded with facts that it was a little difficult to absorb. If you're an MM fan, then read this book & Anthony Summers'"Goddess".
Rating: Summary: The best Marilyn Monroe book ! Review: The best Marilyn Monroe book to date and I've read them all. It answers so many of the questions I've had concerning her life and what seemed to me to be an extensive cover-up of her death. This writer's research seems solid and the book is a real page turner.
Rating: Summary: Wolfe proves murder and coverup Review: This book begins with a spellbinding account of the considerable evidence that independent investigators have amassed over the decades following Marilyn's death. Parts two to five are devoted to the star's life, and the final chapter reconstructs the terrible events of her last day.
Wolfe presents abundant evidence that the Kennedy brothers, John and Robert, then U.S. president and attorney general, had a hand in murdering Marilyn Monroe to protect their own reputations. The Los Angeles police department responded to the Kennedys' power and influence by covering up the murder and refusing to conduct anything resembling a proper investigation.
One example of this is that none of the many witnesses was ever compelled to testify under oath. Independent investigator William Woodfield, for example, quotes key witness Dr. Ralph Greenson saying, "Look, I cannot explain myself without revealing things I don't want to reveal. You can't draw a line and say, 'I'll tell you this but I won't tell you that.' I can't talk about it because I can't tell you the whole story....Listen, talk to Bobby Kennedy."
It is an outrage that the LAPD allowed Greenson, Kennedy and others to remain silent. Thank you, Donald Wolfe, for researching Marilyn's murder and its coverup and giving us the truth.
I would like to comment on questions raised by another reviewer, Thomas Hughes. He asked, "Why would Murray and Greenson, who spent so much time spying on Marilyn, do that for the sake of the Communist Party?" I was baffled by this too. The communist party was powerless by 1962. My own guess is that Murray and Greenson, like Pat Newcomb, were keeping an eye on Marilyn to protect the Kennedys.
Incidentally, the FBI also classified Marilyn herself as a communist. This was probably just an all-purpose label that J. Edgar Hoover applied to everyone he didn't like.
Regarding Greenson's injection at the death scene, Wolfe wrote that ambulance driver James Hall said it was a shot of adrenaline to the heart intended to revive the fallen star. What killed Marilyn was a previous injection containing enough chloral hydrate and pentobarbital to kill from nine to twenty people.
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