Rare book from Marilyn Monroe's personal library: Something to Live By, collected and annotated by Dorothea S. Kopplin. Later printing. NY: Permabooks, 1948. Hardcover, 4.25 x 6.5, 241 pages. Lines in a poem about life and death on pages 195-196 have been lightly underlined in pencil, presumably done by Monroe to underscore text that appealed to her. This book can be seen in multiple photographs taken in her various apartments between 1951 and 1953. Marilyn counted her personal library as one of her prized possessions, and though she lived quite a transient lifestyle and apparently wasn't that fussed about material things, she packed up her books and took them with her wherever she moved. The opportunity to acquire such a volume, so frequently captured with Marilyn in her varied photo shoots, rarely comes about. In fine condition, with light age toning to the interior pages. Provenance: The Personal Property of Marilyn Monroe, Part of Lot #559, Christie's, October 27-28, 1999; the Christie's "Personal Property of Marilyn Monroe" bookplate from the sale is affixed to the front pastedown.
