Treasure trove of rare letters to hit the auction block

NEW YORK (CNN) -- A treasure trove of rare letters from the likes of Marilyn Monroe and John Lennon is hitting the auction block. The collection also includes a correspondence from former president Dwight Eisenhower to his wife during World War II.

A collection of more than 200 rare personal letters, documents and photographs have been released from a private collector and will soon be sold by one of the world's largest auction houses.

Included is a poignant handwritten letter by Marilyn Monroe to acting coach Lee Strasberg -- with a reference to suicide.

Monroe's letter reads: "There is only concentration between the actor and suicide. As soon as I walk into a scene I lose my mental relaxation. My will is weak, but I can't stand anything. I think i'm going crazy."

Monroe seemed to be a very troubled soul who was losing her concentration because of her alcohol and barbiturate intake.

Also revealed is a scathing letter John Lennon wrote to Paul and Linda McCartney just before the Beatles broke up in 1970 -- with profanity sprinkled throughout.

Lennon's letter, the part that can be read without offending, reads: "Do you really think most of today's art came about because of the Beatles? I don't believe you're that insane Paul. Do you believe that? When you stop believing it, you might wake up."

Lennon's letter expected to fetch upwards of $50,000 -- and Monroe's about the same.

The collection is not limited to pop culture. There is fascinating, never-before-seen political history too -- including a series of letters sent by Dwight David Eisenhower as Supreme Ally Commander to his wife Mamie offering unprecedented insight into challenges Eisenhower faced fighting Nazi Germany.

One line says, "God I hate the Germans. This war is so difficult. It's so hard to win."

Going back further in history is a letter from George Washington back in 1786. In the letter, Washington is talking about perhaps having to hire some "Negroes" to help with a project and he phrases it very carefully and very politely.

Then, there's Thomas Edison's first patent application for the lightbulb, and a letter from financially-strapped Ernest Hemingway writing from Cuba.

The exhibit is on display starting next week at New York's Douglas Elliman Gallery.