This is a wonderful interview. A real conversation about Marilyn Monroe with no hidden agenda or axes to grind. Thank you. To me her most admirable quality was that her intelligence never failed her. Marilyn knew, I think, deep down, that she was responsible for her life, no matter how difficult it was. While I was listening, I kept wondering what she would have thought of your interview with Charles. I think she would have liked it.
Mary, this is off topic, i haven’t listened to the conversation yet.
But just wanted to let you know I’ve been reading “Somebody With A Little Hammer” - so beautifully put, and moving. The title essay alone…and now I’m in the middle of “Lost Cat.” Thank you for everything you do, including these generous posts.
Thank you Mary for ‘context’ and Charles for ‘tone of voice’. Both so important and often forgotten.
How many of us are emotionally literate or can articulate our feelings accurately? Speaking for myself, 65, I am not. It wasn’t something taught in my all girls high school in England which prided itself on academic achievement. That I didn’t even hear feeling words wasn’t something I was aware of till I did the prerequisite class to start studying to be an Addiction’s counsellor when I was 54. Theoretically, with a PhD I was ‘more educated’ than my instructors-- yet while I could paraphrase something I heard I couldn’t reflect back the ‘feeling’ words because I simply didn’t hear them. I had to download lists of feeling words and use a thesaurus for the the first time in my life to pass the course. Stunningly ignorant and very revealing.
Terror beyond fear requires knowing what fear is, knowing what it is to be afraid and what is most frightening. Terror beyond is a whole other level.
Yes Marilyn was smart.
And who can blame her for not wanting to be a housewife in the suburbs, for caring more about her career? It’s too bad she lived at a time when careers weren’t considered womanly, when aging gracefully was not part of the deal for someone with her looks and talent.
Nov 11, 2022·edited Nov 12, 2022Liked by Mary Gaitskill
Terrific exchange--and, as part of this conversation, the "monster" image signifies to me a certain misogyny, all too common, particularly considering as Lahr says the "wit and curiosity and talent". In reading Miller's _Timebends_, though I read it a long time ago, recall having this hope that he could have helped more ...
Absolutely measures up to granularity of human emotion. Loved that holding her by the big toe.
Interesting instance of a complex person smudged into the impressionistic simple smear somebody thinks the public wants. Interesting and ugly. But wow, as this progresses, it opens the heart.
I have to say it is so unfair some have lost brains and looks in the birth lottery. That said, we should not lose sight of this brains/sensuality/beauty "package". Not PC, "package". Fuck it. Lazy tonight.
Good call Mary to let the Suicide vs. CIA, barbiturates slide to get to what we see as her essence.
Mary and Charles, thank you so much for your interesting talk regarding Marilyn. The time went by quickly, but was very informative. I think that a lot of people view her as a sex symbol, not realizing how intelligent she was and how human she was. I haven’t watched the new series regarding her, and likely won’t. Thank you again for your insight on someone who battled both the struggles of her past, and how dedicated to her art.
Absolutely measures up to granularity of human emotion. Loved that holding her by the big toe.
Interesting instance of a complex person smudged into the impressionistic simple smear somebody thinks the public wants. Interesting and ugly.
This is a wonderful interview. A real conversation about Marilyn Monroe with no hidden agenda or axes to grind. Thank you. To me her most admirable quality was that her intelligence never failed her. Marilyn knew, I think, deep down, that she was responsible for her life, no matter how difficult it was. While I was listening, I kept wondering what she would have thought of your interview with Charles. I think she would have liked it.
Mary, this is off topic, i haven’t listened to the conversation yet.
But just wanted to let you know I’ve been reading “Somebody With A Little Hammer” - so beautifully put, and moving. The title essay alone…and now I’m in the middle of “Lost Cat.” Thank you for everything you do, including these generous posts.
Thank you Mary for ‘context’ and Charles for ‘tone of voice’. Both so important and often forgotten.
How many of us are emotionally literate or can articulate our feelings accurately? Speaking for myself, 65, I am not. It wasn’t something taught in my all girls high school in England which prided itself on academic achievement. That I didn’t even hear feeling words wasn’t something I was aware of till I did the prerequisite class to start studying to be an Addiction’s counsellor when I was 54. Theoretically, with a PhD I was ‘more educated’ than my instructors-- yet while I could paraphrase something I heard I couldn’t reflect back the ‘feeling’ words because I simply didn’t hear them. I had to download lists of feeling words and use a thesaurus for the the first time in my life to pass the course. Stunningly ignorant and very revealing.
Terror beyond fear requires knowing what fear is, knowing what it is to be afraid and what is most frightening. Terror beyond is a whole other level.
Yes Marilyn was smart.
And who can blame her for not wanting to be a housewife in the suburbs, for caring more about her career? It’s too bad she lived at a time when careers weren’t considered womanly, when aging gracefully was not part of the deal for someone with her looks and talent.
Thank you
This was great. Thank you.
Terrific exchange--and, as part of this conversation, the "monster" image signifies to me a certain misogyny, all too common, particularly considering as Lahr says the "wit and curiosity and talent". In reading Miller's _Timebends_, though I read it a long time ago, recall having this hope that he could have helped more ...
Absolutely measures up to granularity of human emotion. Loved that holding her by the big toe.
Interesting instance of a complex person smudged into the impressionistic simple smear somebody thinks the public wants. Interesting and ugly. But wow, as this progresses, it opens the heart.
I have to say it is so unfair some have lost brains and looks in the birth lottery. That said, we should not lose sight of this brains/sensuality/beauty "package". Not PC, "package". Fuck it. Lazy tonight.
Good call Mary to let the Suicide vs. CIA, barbiturates slide to get to what we see as her essence.
A sound future lies ahead for you… and for us. Thanks!
This was great. Thank you both.
That was a very cool listen. A great gift on a rainy day. Thank you Mary and Charles.
Mary and Charles, thank you so much for your interesting talk regarding Marilyn. The time went by quickly, but was very informative. I think that a lot of people view her as a sex symbol, not realizing how intelligent she was and how human she was. I haven’t watched the new series regarding her, and likely won’t. Thank you again for your insight on someone who battled both the struggles of her past, and how dedicated to her art.
Ah, the complexity of being human. So beautifully investigated here. Thank you.