Dolls: red or black; capsules or tablets; washed down with vodka or swallowed straight-for Anne, Neely, and Jennifer, it doesn't matter, as long as the pill bottle is within easy reach. These three women become best friends when they are young and struggling in New York City and then climb to the top of the entertainment industry-only to find that there is no place left to go but down-into the Valley of the Dolls.
Did you know that Jacqueline Susann's groundbreaking Valley of the Dolls turns FIFTY this year? If this book is new to you, then I urge you to read it. It's a cult classic for a reason, you know. Think of it as a sassy older sister to Sex and the City, or maybe even the glamorous granny to Lena Dunham's Girls. Back in the 1960's Valley of the Dolls raised a few eyebrows, that's for sure. Not only did this book feature sex, drugs and starlets in abundance, Valley of the Dolls also tacked serious issues of women's rights and gay rights, making the book still and always inspirational.
To celebrate fifty years of Valley of the Dolls, Virago has issued a special anniversary edition (pictured above) with pretty pink-edged pages. Also, keep your eyes peeled for a social media extravaganza on July 9th and 10th when Virago will be celebrating Valley of the Dolls 50th birthday in style. Follow #valleyofthedolls on Twitter and Instagram to find out more!
*****
Praise for Valley of the Dolls
“Valley
of the Dolls is truly a timeless classic . . .Today Neely O’Hara would
become a YouTube sensation, Jennifer North would be an Instagram influencer,
and Anne Welles would be a Snapchat queen. No matter how high-toned people want
to be, there’s nothing more addictive than a juicy, scandal-filled, drama-laced
soap opera!”—Mickey Boardman, Paper Mag
“Susann
predicted the celebrity culture we live in now. Actually, she invented it: fame
is as fame does.”—Letty Pogrebin
“If
Jacqueline Susann was not precisely the ‘voice of the 60s,’ then she was its
aching female heart.”—Amy Fine Collins, Vanity Fair
“One
of the sexiest novels ever written.”—Earl Wilson
“Decades
ahead of its time . . . Mesmerizing . . . The equation of emotional
dependencies with drug addiction in one comprehensive personality disorder is,
if anything, more chic today than in Susann’s time.”—Mim Udovitch, Village
Voice Literary Supplement
*****
Author Jacqueline Susann
*****
Read an extract of Valley of the Dolls
Anne helped stow the suitcases back on the shelf. ‘I’d offer you my closet, but it’s filled – with your hand-me-downs.’
‘How does a hotel expect anyone to live with just two small dinky closets? Why couldn’t Adele have found some big English lord and stayed in London? God, how I miss that apartment.’
‘These are pretty large closets, Jen. It’s just that no one is supposed to have all these clothes.’
‘And I hate them all.’
‘Jen! Don’t you dare buy another dress! I have the best wardrobe in town already because you get tired of something the second you’ve worn it. Lyon’s eyes pop the way I keep turning up in new creations.’
‘Well, if Tony gives me the new mink for Christmas, you’re taking
my old one.’
‘Old one! You just got it last year!’
‘I hate it – it reminds me of the Prince. Besides, it’s a wild mink. It would look great with your hair. I want a real dark one.’
‘I’ll buy it from you then.’
‘Don’t be silly!’
‘I have money, Jen. Henry invested the ring money plus my twelve thousand.’
‘How are you doing?’
‘Well, we only got twenty thousand for the ring. It’s worth more, but they said it wasn’t a seller’s market. And Henry invested it all in A.T.&T. It hasn’t gone up too much, but I get very nice dividends.’
‘Well, don’t touch your stock.’
‘You’re a fine one to talk. You’ve got pictures in Vogue and Harper’s this month and you haven’t saved a cent. Honest, Jen, you must earn a fortune since you signed with the Longworth Agency. But you spend it all on clothes. It would be different if you cared about them.’
‘Between clothes and sending my mother money, how can I save? The modeling brings in three or four hundred a week, but that’s not real money. No, my jackpot is Tony. I’m twenty-six, Anne – I haven’t that kind of time or future. Tony is impressed with my clothes, and the newspapers call me glamorous. I think about this as an investment. I’m putting all my money on the line and rolling the dice for Tony. If the number comes up marriage, I’ll be independent for life.’
*****
Thanks to Virago Press I have TWO special edition copies of Valley of the Dolls to give away.
+ This competition is open to entrants in the UK only. You must have a UK postal address to enter.
+Winners details will be supplied to Virago Press.
+Prize will be sent directly from Virago Press.
+I bear no responsibility for prizes lost or undelivered - alternative prizes will not be offered.
+ Two winners will each receive one copy of Valley of the Dolls by Jacqueline Susann.
+This is a sponsored giveaway: please refer to T&C's for further information.
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