Sex appeal: Monroe had it, all right. And sometimes that's all people could see: The trouble is being a sex symbol means being a “thing.” But she was, in reality, a complex, talented, and troubled woman. You can almost hear Marilyn's soft, breathy voice rising from these pages as the screen goddess discusses her difficult childhood, feelings of worthlessness, opinions on men, relationships with her co-stars, decision to train with famed acting teacher Lee Strasberg, and turbulent personal life. Gloria Steinem provides her uniquely feminist and sympathetic perspective on Monroe's persona.