Now in her late 70s, June DiMaggio, niece of baseball legend Joe DiMaggio and a dear friend of Marilyn Monroe for 11 years, tells untold stories of the two legendary, very private stars that are insightful and engaging.The DiMaggio family has always been very private. In fact, no book has ever been written by a member of Joe DiMaggio's clan until now.June has been around celebrities all her life. A star in her own right, June befriended Marilyn and other Hollywood stars in the '50s. Candid and charming, June tells it the way it was: She sets the record straight, and she pulls no punches in describing Hollywood behind the glitz and glitter of the studios and cameras.She well understood-as did Joe and his family-that the real Marilyn Monroe was more than a movie star and sex symbol. June helps us see Monroe for who she was--intelligent, warm, funny, generous of spirit, good-hearted, well-read, articulate and a delightful, loving friend.And that her death was anything but suicide. June is the ultimate insider here, and she sheds great light on the 20th century’s highest profile celebrity marriage. --Mitchell Fink, author of The Last Days of Dead Celebrities The story of the Monroe she knew and the phone call she believes was interrupted by her killer or killers. --Lisa DePaulo, “A Special Playboy Report: The Strange, Still Mysterious Death of Marilyn Monroe” The real circumstances of Marilyn Monroe’s untimely demise remain one of the last century’s greatest mysteries. --Playboy, December 2005 As the publisher, I would like to respond to a few of the issues posted here. Many of the reviews critical of June DiMaggio and Marilyn, Joe & Me stem from one self-serving source and are written by people who have obviously not read the book or seen the photos that support June's memoirs. Moreover, many of the photos posted here with the intention of discrediting June are fatuous: For example, picturing a genuine Marilyn Monroe autograph is irrelevant; a photo taken at Marilyn's funeral that doesn't include June DiMaggio in no way precludes her being there. If you look at the relevant evidence in Marilyn, Joe & Me--the many letters, photos, and other evidence documenting her account--any objective person would reasonably conclude that June DiMaggio was very much part of the DiMaggio family and associated in the closest way with Joe DiMaggio and Marilyn Monroe. June recounts many family activities, including stories about her Uncle Joe and friend Marilyn Monroe, as well as her career in Hollywood, how she entertained troops overseas, her experiences with stars of stage and screen, and much more. The photos in the book further authenticate her presence and role. Several are posted in the photo section for Marilyn, Joe & Me, along with others provided by family members. One snapshot taken from the book shows June with her parents, Tom and Lee DiMaggio. Another portrays a relaxing Joe DiMaggio with June cradling his head in her lap. A photo taken at the opening of the Sky Room at DiMaggio's Restaurant in San Francisco shows June standing next to her Uncle Dominic DiMaggio. A fourth picture is a candid photo of Marilyn Monroe presenting Tom DiMaggio with a fishing tackle box as a birthday present in 1954, with Lee looking on. Additional photos from the DiMaggio family photo album show June and Tom at the Russian River; June dining with her folks; and June with family and friends in the Russian River. Chances are when you read Marilyn, Joe & Me, you too will be charmed by and amazed at the heartwarming--and shocking--memories June DiMaggio relates about Marilyn, Joe and her own experiences, as well as the photographic album. Sincerely, Hal Lockwood Publisher, Penmarin Books June DiMaggio is the daughter of Louise (Lee) and Tom DiMaggio, brother of baseball icon Joe DiMaggio. Marilyn, Joe & Me is the first book written by a member of the very private DiMaggio family. Ms. DiMaggio, whose family owned the famous DiMaggio’s Restaurant on Fisherman’s Wharf in San Francisco, knew Marilyn Monroe for eleven years. A musical theater star herself, Ms. DiMaggio knows firsthand the struggles beneath the glamour of Hollywood in the 1950s. She appeared in several films, including Ten Thousand Bedrooms, starring Dean Martin, and Walt Disney’s The Secret of Animal Island.Her television credits include “Dead Line,” “Wyatt Earp,” “San Francisco Story,” “Hey Jeannie” and “Tales of California.” A veteran of eleven musicals with the famed Music Circus, Ms. DiMaggio was featured in Look magazine in the 1950s.Her last musical role was in Wonderful Town, with Carol Channing at the Greek Theater. Her career also included numerous television commercials and radio appearances. Ms. DiMaggio has also been a popular lecturer about ESP. Most important, Ms. DiMaggio, now in her late seventies, spent time with Marilyn—the person—and here sets the record straight that her intelligent, funny, and openhearted friend did not commit suicide. She knows,