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About The Book

From the New York Times bestselling author of Bobby and Jackie comes the riveting, true story of the passionate, volatile relationship between baseball great Joe DiMaggio and Hollywood icon Marilyn Monroe.

When Joe DiMaggio and Marilyn Monroe eloped in January of 1954, they became an international sensation. Joe and Marilyn reveals the true inside story of these two iconic figures whose marital troubles were Hollywood legend. Though their marriage only lasted nine months, they remained close until Monroe’s mysterious death in 1962 at the age of thirty-six. He had a half-dozen red roses delivered three times a week to her crypt for twenty years. According to Heymann, DiMaggio remained devoted to her until his own death in 1999.

An intimate, sensitive, shocking, and richly detailed look at two of America’s biggest stars, Heymann delivers the expertise and passion for his subjects that his many fans so love. Based on extensive archival research and personal interviews with family and friends, Joe and Marilyn offers great insight into this famously tragic romance. Sixteen pages of striking photos accompany this unforgettable love.

About The Author

Photo Credit:

C. David Heymann (1945-2012) is the author of several New York Times bestselling biographies, including Bobby and Jackie, American Legacy, The Georgetown Ladies' Social Club, and RFK: A Candid Biography of Robert F. Kennedy. He lived in Manhattan.

Product Details

  • Publisher: Atria/Emily Bestler Books (July 1, 2014)
  • Length: 448 pages
  • ISBN13: 9781439191798

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Raves and Reviews

“Celebrity gossip aficionados will thoroughly enjoy Heymann’s well-researched yet approachable style…impressively intimate…as entertaining as it is informative.”

– Publishers Weekly, Starred review

“The author’s approach is frank but fair to all parties…recommended for movie and popular biography buffs.”

– Library Journal

“Maestro C. David Heymann…succeeds in providing a richly intimate portrait of the couple…extensively researched but never dry in its retelling, this book is every celebrity aficionado’s dream. There’s no doubt it should grace the top of your beach bag as you hit the sands this July.”

– Hampton Sheet Magazine

“In the beginning chapters, DiMaggio is described as petty, mean and inconsistent. But later, and contrary to more contemporary bios, Heymann refers to him as a kinder, gentler soul, heartbroken to realize he did not enjoy her favors exclusively, which led to the verbal and occasionally physical abuse. Despite these conflicts,DiMaggio was always there for Marilyn, which is what makes this love story so compelling, even 50 years after her death.”

– BookReporter

"An excellently-heartbreaking love story, a juicy gossip piece, a slice of culture, and sports – all rolled into one. And if you’re a fan of those, of DiMaggio, Monroe,or Hollywood of yore, then “Joe and Marilyn” is a book you really can’t be without."

– Terri Schlichenmeyer, The Bookworm Sez

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More books from this author: C. David Heymann