The Books Marilyn Monroe Couldn’t Put Down: Discover Her Unexpected Favorites

Though Marilyn Monroe is often remembered as a Hollywood icon, her lesser-known passion for reading offers a window into the more introspective, intellectual side of her life. With a personal library of over 400 books, auctioned by Christie’s in 1999, Monroe’s literary interests ranged widely—from classic literature and poetry to psychology and mythology—revealing a thoughtful, curious individual behind the glamorous façade.

A Literary Legacy

Monroe’s love of books has long been documented, with her collection featuring works by renowned authors such as James Joyce, F. Scott Fitzgerald, and W.B. Yeats. While she didn’t often explicitly name her favorite books, a handful of titles repeatedly appear in sources that examine her reading habits. Ulysses by James Joyce, for example, is frequently cited as her favorite. Monroe was famously photographed reading the novel, and its presence in her library has made it synonymous with her literary tastes.

Another standout is The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald. Appearing in multiple lists of her preferred titles, the novel reflects Monroe’s fondness for classic American literature. Other notable entries include W. Somerset Maugham’s Of Human Bondage, Edith Hamilton’s Mythology, and Mark Twain’s Roughing It. These books suggest Monroe’s interest in both timeless narratives and cultural history, as well as her appreciation for poetic and philosophical works like W.B. Yeats’s Collected Poems and Erich Fromm’s The Art of Loving.

A Broader Intellectual Portrait

The breadth of Monroe’s library reveals her varied intellectual pursuits. Beyond literature and poetry, her collection included texts on religion, politics, and psychology. This diversity underscores Monroe’s desire to understand and engage with the world beyond the movie studio, challenging the stereotypes that often reduced her to a one-dimensional image. Books such as Carl Sandburg’s biography of Abraham Lincoln and anthologies like The Portable Irish Reader suggest she sought inspiration from figures who represented resilience, creativity, and thoughtfulness.

Monroe’s interest in psychology, reflected in titles such as Fromm’s The Art of Loving, also aligns with her well-documented personal struggles. These books offered her not only knowledge but perhaps a form of solace and self-exploration.

A Refuge in Reading

For Monroe, her library was more than a collection of objects—it was a source of comfort and a refuge from the pressures of fame. As noted in several accounts, reading provided her with a sense of purpose and connection. Whether she was revisiting a classic novel or delving into poetry, books allowed her to explore deeper emotional and intellectual territory, offering a contrast to the often superficial demands of Hollywood life.

Challenges in Pinpointing Favorites

Determining Marilyn Monroe’s “favorite” books requires piecing together indirect evidence from her known collection, photographs, and various interviews. While she rarely named favorites outright, the consistency of certain titles appearing across multiple sources strengthens their credibility as her most cherished reads. Photographs of her reading Ulysses and Leaves of Grass lend additional weight to their inclusion on any list of her top choices.

A Complex and Curious Mind

Through her reading, Marilyn Monroe emerges as more than just a silver-screen siren. She was a woman who sought out great works of literature, grappled with life’s big questions, and found solace in the pages of her favorite books. Her literary passions not only defy the stereotypes often associated with her image but also reveal a complex, curious mind eager to understand the world—and herself.