The Genius & the Goddess, By Jeffrey Meyers

One of the least likely liaisons in showbiz, the marriage between Marilyn Monroe and Arthur Miller followed a predictable trajectory, which Jeffrey Meyers illuminates with fascinating filigree. We learn that she believed "marriage to Miller would make her a better person ".

Miller's infatuation requires less explanation: "He had sex on his mind constantly." At first, the beauty and "this sort of tall weird man" rubbed along happily. "They would disappear into the dressing room for about 10 minutes and she would reappear again 'refreshed'."

The marriage even survived a sojourn in Windsor. "I hear we're neighbours," the Queen told Marilyn. Considering her "intense distress", which is compared by Myers to Diana's, it is surprising that Monroe and Miller stuck it out for five years.