About this Event
Join us for a special conversation on the publication of Dear Marilyn: The Unseen Letters and Photographs, a new book that brings Marilyn Monroe to life through photographer Sam Shaw’s images of the star and his correspondence with her. Melissa Stevens, Shaw’s granddaughter and director of his archive, will be in conversation about the book with Jen Davis, photographer and Creative Director of Film & Photography at New York City Tourism. Together, they will celebrate Monroe’s upcoming 100th birthday, the 70th anniversary of her iconic Seven Year Itch subway-grate scene, and the ongoing Founded by NYC campaign marking the city’s 400th anniversary in 2025 and America’s 250th in 2026. The discussion will be followed by a book signing.
PLEASE NOTE: RSVPs are encouraged but not required. Seating is limited and will be first come, first served. Doors open at 5:30 pm.
Can't attend?(please specify that you would like it signed in the comments box at checkout).
A MEMOIR OF MARILYN MONROE BY HER FRIEND SAM SHAW
“This is a Marilyn story. The Marilyn I knew. The many faces of Marilyn… Her independence. Her search for herself. She enjoyed life to the hilt.” – Sam Shaw
Dear Marilyn is at once a memoir and a tribute by photographer and filmmaker Sam Shaw—a long-time confidant who knew Marilyn Monroe not as an icon, but as a cherished friend and artist in her own right.
Featuring previously unpublished photos, letters and memorabilia, Dear Marilyn illuminates, with respect and affection, the funny and complicated soul behind the Hollywood persona. Told through Sam Shaw’s journals and his letters to Marilyn, this intimate portrait offers an insider’s view of a young actress’s rise to stardom and her quest for authenticity and artistic freedom.
Here, in word and image, we rediscover Marilyn Monroe—above and beyond the legend—at her most personal, spontaneous and radiant.
Melissa Stevens is the granddaughter of internationally renowned photographer and filmmaker Sam Shaw. For nearly twenty years she has been the Director of Shaw Family Archives, a family-owned company that preserves and promotes Sam Shaw's artistic legacy through events, exhibitions, books and licensing projects.
Before managing Sam Shaw's photography and film collection, Melissa worked in the movie and television industry on productions such as Wes Anderson's The Life Aquatic and HBO's The Sopranos. She is a graduate of Wesleyan University.
Jen Davis is a Brooklyn-based photographer and creative director with a focus on visual narrative. As Vice President and Creative Director of Film and Photography at NYC Tourism + Conventions, she oversees photography and video projects that authentically reflect the city’s diverse communities and culture—helping shape how people see and experience New York City.
Her personal work explores themes of self-portraiture, identity, and masculinity. Her latest project examines the intersection of herself and male subjects in Reykjavik, Iceland. Davis holds an MFA from the Yale University School of Art (2008) and a BFA from Columbia College Chicago (2002). Her work has been widely exhibited and is included in major museum collections.
Event Venue & Nearby Stays
Rizzoli Bookstore, 1133 Broadway, New York, United States
USD 0.00
