Cursum Perficio: Marilyn Monroe's Brentwood Hacienda

About the Book

Cursum Perficio is the name of Marilyn Monroe's last home. Cursum Perficio, the book, is author Gary Vitacco-Robles' exploration of Marilyn's last home as a touchstone to her brief and extraordinary life.

A definitive testament of Marilyn Monroe's modest nature, simple tastes and spirituality was her selection of a house in which to settle at age 35. The Spanish Colonial hacienda symbolizes Marilyn's unfulfilled dreams and unfinished life. The Latin inscription on the tiles adorning the front doorstep, Cursum Perficio (translating to "My journey ends"), prophesied the screen goddess' death in the home in 1962.

Cursum Perficio invites us inside Marilyn's private life through 120 illustrations and previously unpublished photos of her hacienda and its contents. See the interior, Marilyn's art and decorations purchased on a shopping spree in Mexico, and the furniture delivered days before her death. Vitacco-Robles reveals the events during Marilyn's last months, her daily routine, and her random acts of kindness.

Cursum Perficio is not a sensational exploitation of Marilyn Monroe but a celebration of the human being behind the legend. It is a rare and refreshing exploration for the most devout fan and an insightful introduction for those just discovering this enduring icon of the Twentieth Century. This expanded second edition contains added chapters and new images by Brandon Heidrick.

About the Author

Gary Vitacco-Robles is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor who works with children and families who have survived sexual and physical abuse and adolescent males who have committed sexual offenses. Born in New York, Gary has lived on the Florida Gulf Coast since 1975. This is his first book.