MAY 21, 2026 [New York, NY] – Marilyn Forever! Marilyn Monroe—A Symbol of Hope, a new book by celebrated photographer Amy Stanford Gaskin, is published in honor of Monroe’s centennial year. Culled from thousands of photographs and interviews of Marilyn Monroe’s most devoted admirers from around the world, Gaskin presents a never-before-seen view of the star. As Pulitzer Prize-winner Don Bartletti writes in his foreword, “At long last, a non-fiction book about a ‘bombshell’ movie star that redefines the 20th century cliché about Marilyn Monroe.” Monroe’s legacy as a symbol of hope is seen through the eyes of those who are inspired by the person she really was.
From photographs of 500 people swimming dressed as Marilyn in Australia to raise money for cancer research, to quiet moments in homes of her admirers, it’s clear that Monroe’s legacy surpasses the stereotypical image known through her film persona. With exacting research, interviews, and award-winning images, Monroe’s memory comes alive through the words of people today sharing how her remarkable personal story has inspired them to persevere through life’s most challenging moments. Marilyn Forever! Marilyn Monroe – A Symbol of Hope (Roche Publishing, 168 pages, 11 by 11 in., ISBN 979-8-90383-680-2, available at amygaskin.com)
More about Marilyn Forever!:
Much of the world is not aware of Monroe’s personal story and how it inspires: her difficult upbringing; her time in the orphanage and foster care; her struggles with depression; her challenging the studio system as a woman in Hollywood; forming her own production company; and having her intelligence underestimated. Many people are inspired by her will to rise above all of that, and to become a star despite adversity. She was known to be inclusive and kind. Many consider her a civil rights icon for the Black and LGBTQ+ communities. The connection is profound and encompasses all races, genders, and ages.
“This project is all first-hand accounts of why people today love and connect with Marilyn. There are no rumors. Real people, real interviews and photos illustrating Marilyn’s legacy. Her story didn’t end one Saturday night alone in August ’62,” Gaskin explains.
Marilyn Forever! was conceived during the pandemic lockdown. “I happened upon her crypt where I found wet lipstick kisses on the marble at a time when most of the world was standing six feet apart,” Gaskin explained. She was fascinated by those who left the safety of their homes and made the pilgrimage to Westwood Memorial Park in Los Angeles to visit. “Curious, I began to interview those who came to her crypt. During the height of the pandemic, only the most devoted were coming,” she adds. “As I met more people over many days, themes began to emerge. I realized this was a subject much deeper than I had imagined.”
What Gaskin discovered was a whole new world of Marilyn Monroe devotees, fans, and admirers. For the next six years, Gaskin spent time with people from around the world, from all walks of life, races, genders, and experiences fostering a new understanding of Monroe through their stories of joy, perseverance, survival, and celebration that Marilyn’s life had inspired.
The foreword by Greg Schreiner, President of the Marilyn Remembered Fan Club explains, “Despite hundreds of titles published about Marilyn over the years, there has never been a book that explains how her admirers relate to her, or the impact she has had on the world since her passing. This insightful new book is filled with fantastic images and stories of why Marilyn means so much to so many people of varied backgrounds, ages, and locations. The photos and stories are deeply personal, providing windows into why Marilyn means so much to them.”
For example, there is the story of Roy, who has traveled from NYC to the memorial service for the last 55+ years who honors Monroe partly for bringing famed jazz vocalist Ella Fitzgerald to prominence. “I thought that was beautiful,” Roy said. “She wanted to include everyone and give everyone a chance. She made a change in the world. People are often destroying people. But, instead, she was helping people.”
Giovanni, 20, admires her ties to the Mexican community. “She’s a big inspiration. Her difficult upbringing is inspiring,” he says. “I connect with her because of her story and her being a Mexican American. She has Mexican heritage on her mom’s side.”
Then there is George, 87, who is photographed with his massive collection of Marilyn-themed neckties and adores her for the strength she gave him as a child who struggled with his sexuality. “Marilyn conveyed that sex was not shameful, dirty and wicked – but fun.”
Perhaps one of the most poignant and heartrending chapters illustrates Marilyn’s impact in Australia where hundreds of women and men dress as Monroe and swim in the ocean to raise money for cancer research, support and prevention. The images are both awe-inspiring and profoundly moving. “The group of people that participate have all had a connection with someone who’s had cancer and come together to have hope and support each other. And be comfortable as you are, because that’s what Marilyn was,” Rachel, a cancer survivor, explains.
“I believe different people will see themselves somewhere in these pages,” explains Gaskin. “What is the legacy of someone who has died? How does our memory of a loved one continue to tell their story? Many people have preconceived ideas of who Marilyn was. After reading my book, I think people will reconsider her on a much deeper level.”
Marilyn Forever! Marilyn Monroe – A Symbol of Hope is available at amygaskin.com and will be available for retail purchase on July 28, 2026.
ABOUT AMY STANFORD GASKIN:
Amy Stanford Gaskin is a photographer and journalist based in Los Angeles. Extraordinary access is a hallmark of her images, which she earns by spending time with the people she photographs. She strives to capture intimacy and truth in her art.
National Geographic, The Washington Post, STERN Magazine, The Guardian, Associated Press, CBS, ABC, Los Angeles Times, and others have featured her work.
Awards include: World Report Award / Documenting Humanity – Top Ten Shortlist; Four-time National winner, American Photographic Artists (APA); Best of American Society of Media Photographers (ASMP); First Place, International Color Awards; Lucie Foundation (MOPLA); International Photography Awards; Leica Award and FujiFilm Awards: Palm Springs International Photo Festival; Critical Mass, Top 50 winner.
Her images have been selected for group shows by jurors from major museums and photographic organizations around the world, including the J. Paul Getty Museum; National Gallery of Art, Washington, DC; Museum of Fine Arts, Boston; Los Angeles County Museum of Art; San Francisco Museum of Modern Art; Elizabeth Avedon, and others.
She is President Emerita of the Press Photographers Association of Greater Los Angeles (PPAGLA), a 90-year-old organization of over 400 members of the broadcast and stills visual news media.
She earned her undergraduate degree from Northwestern and her Masters of Business Administration at USC (MBA).
In 2024, she was inducted into the Council of One Hundred at Northwestern University, an organization of the university’s 100+ distinguished living female graduates.
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