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Editorial Review:
Picking up where the first volume of Ms. Monroe?s bestselling memoirs left off, Life Among the Cannibals continues the story of the late star?s life and times, ending with her death and funeral in October 2003. Following Monroe through the tumultuous years of political upheaval, assassination, and her own personal triumphs, this second volume explains how she earned her a spot on President Nixon?s Enemies List, which film projects she took on, and how she became known not as the sex symbol of the Fifties but as ?Hollywood?s Conscience.?Having been granted unprecedented access to the late star?s papers by authorization of her family, this second volume of Marilyn Monroe?s biography is the culmination of two and a half years of intensive research, including interviews with many of her costars, family members, and such notables as Hillary Clinton, Jane Fonda, and Aaron Sorkin. The result is a detailed look at Monroe?s response to the Vietnam War, the Civil Rights and Women?s Movements, as well as her role in the AIDS crisis and her growing interest in politics. Along the way she meets with such figures as Nancy Reagan, Janis Joplin, Mikhail Gorbachev, Dick Cavett, Kitty Kelley, Pat Nixon, and Peter Bogdanovich. Life Among the Cannibals ? The Life and Times of Marilyn Monroe (1962 ? 2003) puts an end to the innuendo and speculation surrounding the life and career of one of America?s most beloved figures. ?David's book is absolutely terrific and well deserves a space on your book shelves. Buy this book now - I promise you won't be disappointed.?Michelle Morgan Marilyn Monroe: Private and Undisclosed?David Marshall writes with sensitivity and an eye for changing times? instead of mourning what was lost, Marshall celebrates what should have been. With this highly entertaining book, Marshall gives Marilyn Monroe the second act she surely deserved.?Tara Hanks The Mmm GirlDavid Marshall is the author of The DD Group: An Online Investig
Life Among The Cannibals: The Life And Times Of Marilyn Monroe 1962 - 2003 Reviews:
Five Star Walk Through the Second Half of 20th Century With Marilyn Monroe 
2009-08-01 - Marilyn Monroe died at the age of 36 years, 2 months and 4 days of what some people claim to be an accidental overdose of barbiturates. What if Marilyn Monroe had been rescued in time? What would she have done with the second half of her life, had she lived? What changes would she have made, given such a close call with death? Would she have fallen back into old destructive patterns, repeating them until one of these episodes finally did extinguish her from this Earth? Would she have conquered her demons and charted a completely new course for her remaining years? Whom would she have included in her life? Whom would she have discarded? What would have been her future successes and achievements? What would have been her shortcomings and failures? How would she have matured in both her public as well as in her private life?
Mark Twain once said, "When in doubt, tell the truth."
Then again, Mark Twain was hardly ever in doubt. He was a writer of fiction, not the truth. Fiction, when told well, is far more captivating than the truth.
Mark Twain, through his many intricately-woven works of fiction over many, many years, became one of the best liars in modern history. And his writing was fun and yet insightful. Mark Twain's main focus was the fictional short-story and he spent most of his adult life writing fictitious tales for our amusement.
David Marshall accomplishes the same in his fictional biography "Life Among the Cannibals" while giving the reader far more than a mere short story which would amount to only 10,000 to 20,000 or so words.
But Marshall has not limited the scope and size of his work to that of the short-story, as Twain so often did. Most of Twain's works were of the short-story form. Mr. Marshall has created what is known as a super-class novel in his latest work. The super-class novel is defined to be any work of story-form literature in excess of 100 thousand words.
What impresses me most about Marshall's book is the enormous amount of effort and painstaking detail Marshall has poured into absolutely every page of this book with regard to the background from the period in time the story is told.
This piece of fiction clearly illustrates the cultural movement of North American and World Society through the second half of the 20th century. This, alone, makes the novel well worth its cover price.
Now, whom has he chosen as the main character in this novel? A president, perhaps? Noooo, they're good only for about 4-8 years or until people get sick of them, anyway. Then they go off and write their memoirs! And who are they, really, to say anything about history?
Marshall needed someone else, someone who had lasted longer in the public eye, rather than any of these political figures. This person needed to be nationally known, with lots of coverage in magazines and the like. The face (and in this case the entire human form) is well known. Lots of photographs were taken of this particular individual -- especially in the 1950s. The person seems to photograph well in bathing apparel -- for some very obvious reasons.
The mere thought of some of the Presidents posing in bathing suits for national magazines is simply too frightening to describe in the written word.
Then, again, Marshall came up with a better idea, a much more aesthetically pleasing person to illustrate the issues of the second half of the 20th century -- Marilyn Monroe.
"Marilyn Monroe?!?" you gasp. "She died in August of 1962."
Well, that might be true. Marilyn died in August of 1962 -- unless, of course, you're one of those who think she's still alive and well, living in a hidden, underground chamber up in Graceland with Elvis.
In Marshall's book, Marilyn Monroe gets to experience, enjoy and thrive in her Second Act of Life.
Thank you, David Marshall. Your writing is an intelligent, well thought out, thought-provoking piece of fiction.
What I really liked:
The book has some really suspense-filled moments -- like the scenes described during the rescue and resuscitation of Monroe. This is writing at its finest. The writer has obviously spent years honing his skills as a masterful narrator.
Monroe is by far and away the main character of the book and she gets politically involved. Well, she had to do something with that second chance at life, after all. Politics and social reform could be a possibility.
There is more potential there for a fulfilling life than how her actual life ended at 36 years of age in the original scenario of Marilyn's life.
Monroe gets politically involved? Well, heck, that's a much more interesting concept than reading about a politician who refuses to get politically involved until an election looms in the coming year. Then, he puts on the best fake smile and comes up with all sorts of promises.
It's called democracy.
But, I'm not a political person, I only tell the truth -- mainly. And usually, politics and the truth mix as well as the typical oil spill -- pick your ocean. You do have at least that much choice and that much control.
Americans have in their political system what is known as an Independent. George Washington was an Independent. An Independent sits there on the fence, not taking sides. And he or she has the splinters in his or her backside to show for it!
Well, I'm going to be like good old George. I'm not going to take sides when it comes to American politics because I can't vote south of the border! I'm a Canadian. Since I can't vote, I have no right to comment either way. Somebody mail me a Green Card and maybe my stance will change, but until then I must remain politically neutral.
I can say this much though, whether you agree or disagree with what Marilyn Monroe gets involved with in the story, you will pretty much have to agree the character of "Marilyn Monroe" in this novel has a strong sense of purpose and direction. This is more than I can say for the real Marilyn Monroe on which this character is based.
For those of you who will read this book and may get a little heated if your views are not expressed or are infringed upon, remember, this story is a piece of fiction. It is not reality. It should be treated and enjoyed as such. It provides the reader with the opportunity to exercise his or her own imagination.
The typical biography adheres as much as is allowable to the actual facts. Very little is left to the reader's imagination.
A fictional biography -- an extension of the second half of a life that was not allowed to proceed as in this case -- is simply a writing exercise in using one's own imagination.
Marilyn Monroe had a vivid imagination. She patterned and based her entire life by using her imagination.
So, too, does David Marshall, as he brings his own vivid imagination to life within the pages of "Life Among the Cannibals".
I will say one thing I really would have liked to have read more of in the novel from a political standpoint: Marilyn Monroe gets arrested at one point. I, personally, wish this had happened more frequently in the story.
I re-emphasize, "Life Among the Cannibals" is fiction. It is meant to provide escape. I, for the most part, thoroughly enjoyed the novel -- other than one particular section.
What I really disliked:
The Lipton Interview: This appears near the beginning of the novel and, to me, it comes across as flat and as phony as any interview that has ever been constructed or conducted -- fictional or otherwise.
Alright, I have just stated what I absolutely hated about the book! I may be independent, with my backside full of splinters (from all my political fence-sitting), but I'm honest. Remember Mark Twain's quote, "When in doubt, tell the truth." Well, I have told the truth here -- mainly.
However, it is also a well known fact that Marilyn Monroe was notorious for giving bad interviews and she (the character) could not and should not be held responsible for the questions. Marshall, though, as the author, is responsible for those questions in that interview and I am not about to let him off so lightly.
The quote and what followed that really got my blood starting to boil was "Don't you just love Audrey Hepburn?" as stated by Marilyn in the form of a question, in response to being asked who was her favorite actress. I proceeded to scan to the end of Mr. Lipton's interview.
My reaction: NO, I DO NOT "... just love Audrey Hepburn?" as Marilyn questioned in that interview. As a matter of fact, I don't give a damn about Audrey Hepburn, Meryl Streep or any of the other celebrities Miss Monroe "praises" in that Lipton interview.
I bought the book to read about Marilyn Monroe and the fictional second-half of her life, not her sitting there, praising some other celebrities, who, in my opinion, as far as `star' quality goes, shine just about as brightly as a burned out 40-Watt light bulb. The more useless so-called "star" names that were mentioned in this interview, the more steamed I became!
Now that I am past that wretchedly nauseating interview, the reader will discover the enormous amount of time and effort it must have taken Mr. Marshall to construct the background of this fictional work.
There is one more negative -- not so much a negative, but a built-in weakness -- that is my own personal beef about all biographical works.
This biography is posthumously written. This means the person being discussed is already dead.
There is no actual live-input in the book due to its subject having passed away. The work, therefore, out of necessity, relies heavily on the narrative with very little dialogue.
Remember, this is a fictional work. There was a missed opportunity to write the work while the subject was still living.
One of the themes I enjoyed most in the novel was the domestic scenes with Marilyn's husband, Joe DiMaggio and their children. Now, I know it was not possible, due to the book's being constructed in the third person, to truly present more dialogue into these scenes than was done, but had the book been written while the Marilyn character was alive, a better "feel" for the character would have been achieved.
The author clearly states that he is writing this novel based upon notes left by Miss Monroe, herself. So, Mr. Marshall is not entirely at fault here. I am, therefore, placing part of the blame on the "Marilyn" character who, in my opinion, should have taken a better, more complete set of notes to help enhance these domestic sections of the story.
A little more dialogue would have added a stronger connection to Marilyn's character. However, this was not possible due to the after-death telling of her story. Narration becomes the only device available. Effective, knowledgeable writing, to be sure, but it did seem to keep Marilyn at a distance. I wish we knew more of her thoughts, Marilyn's thoughts, rather than having them told to us through the narrator's description.
Back to what I really liked and something I really enjoyed in the novel:
Marilyn's domestic issues with her daughter Isabelle. They got into a difference of opinion that is purely precious! I wish the fight had gone on much longer, more intensely, and with even more ferocity and vigor of description and commentary by the author!
Some Final Philosophical Thoughts and Points to Ponder:
In spite of Marilyn Monroe living a much longer life in "Life Among the Cannibals", her overall influence on history and time seems to be negligible. Very little in history seems to have really changed as far as landmarks and key events are concerned.
Examples:
1. Joe DiMaggio, Jr. dies without Marilyn having any impact on his demise. Joe DiMaggio, Sr., especially, dies on their very same dates of death. Monroe had no effect, even though both were close to her.
2. President John F. Kennedy and Senator Robert F. Kennedy are assassinated on their same days in history. Monroe, indirectly, had no effect. But I guess her moving away from the Kennedy camp might explain this.
3. Janis Joplin and Judy Garland die on their given dates in history. Again, Monroe had no effect despite knowing them as friends.
There were some general cosmetic changes in Hollywood ("Hollywood's Conscience" for example) due to Monroe's longer life, but no noticeable effect on the overall course of history or time and events is evident in the story.
Is the author unconsciously or intentionally telling the reader that Monroe actually had very little effect on the course of history within her sphere of influence (or rather non-influence) and the people close to her within her own `world'?
I'm not finding fault here, I'm simply noting it. It did cause me to sit and think about the influence or non-influence a person has on the world and others in it. And, because this book by Marshall, "Life Among the Cannibals", made me sit and think in a philosophical manner after reading it, I score the book very highly. Yes, this is what good fiction is supposed to do -- make the reader think.
How do I rate any book? I start with a Perfect 10 and strike off the weaknesses, then add in the strengths as boost factors.
So, I'll strike two marks off for the blasted Lipton Interview! I could have gotten through the novel just fine without it, thank you. And I'll take another mark off for not extending that mother-daughter fight. There should have been at least three more chapters on this domestic squabbling, and I wish she had had a stronger influence on Joe DiMaggio, Jr., in my opinion.
Let's see ... that's 7.0 out of 10.0 ... which is the lowest point in my intermediate assessment.
Then, there are the "boost factors", to bring the book up in its rating for its final assessment.
Marshall has created a well-thought-out, extremely well-written, inventive novel, not just another picture book. This author has used the creative genius of his mind and historic knowledge of Pop Culture and American Politics. An enormous amount of research went into developing the background for this work. The rating just improved to an 8.0.
Finally, I'll boost my rating back up a bit more to a 9.0, as this book made me think about our overall meaning and influence that a person might have or not have on the world, after completing my read of its 508 pages, which is more than I can say for the majority of books written about Monroe. This one makes you think.
And, by the way, I not only bought the soft cover version, I additionally bought the eBook version from the IUniverse website and downloaded it directly to my computer, so I could convert it to an audio file with a text reader program I have installed for my own proofreading to listen to the book at night before going to sleep.
This book "Life Among the Cannibals" by David Marshall was good enough to listen to! It ranks right up there as a combination of literature somewhere between H.G. Wells' "The Time Machine" and Joyce Carol Oates' "Blonde". So, as you can see, I enjoy a wide variety of fictional novels. Let's see more of these fictional novels with Monroe in them.
Stuart Coates, Author of the novel: "Norma Jeane's Wishes in Time"
Norma Jeane's Wishes in Time: (A Four Part Adventure)
A Happy Ending For Marilyn 
2009-05-20 - David Marshall's first book, 'The DD Group' (2003), confronted one of the mysteries of the twentieth century - why did Marilyn Monroe die alone in her bed on a Saturday night in 1962, at the age of 36? Now, in 'Life Among The Cannibals', Marshall asks another question - if Monroe had survived her overdose, how would her life have progressed?
Marshall's narrative treads a tightrope between past and present, fact and fiction. He places himself, unobtrusively, within the narrative through a chance meeting with Marilyn in 1999. Marshall then acts as her biographer, covering the period from 1962 to 2003.
Marshall depicts a woman no longer ruled by stardom, finding renewed success on her own terms. He explores a possible reunion between Marilyn and her former husband, Joe DiMaggio, and grants Marilyn her last wish - she finally becomes a mother.
Beyond his thoughtful portrayal of Monroe, Marshall carefully places her story within a changing world. However, Marshall is not unrealistic in his view of Marilyn's potential. Indeed, the past returns to haunt her on occasion - the `dumb blonde' stereotype which she continues to battle against, and persistent gossip about her association with the Kennedys.
Marshall writes about Monroe with sensitivity. 'Life Among The Cannibals' is an important addition to the wealth of speculative literature on Monroe, because instead of mourning what was lost, Marshall celebrates what might have been. In this highly entertaining book, Marshall gives Marilyn Monroe the second and third acts she surely deserved.
