Valley of the Dolls 50th Anniversary Edition

Great book

The soft numbness began to slither through her body. Oh, God! How had she ever lived without these gorgeous red dolls! This is probably the 5th time I've read this novel, the first being sometime in the late 90s ...and I've enjoyed it every single time. Jacqueline Susann was so far ahead of her time, it's almost laughable. Written in the 60s, and published for the first time in 1966, so much of this book is still relevant, and holds true, today. I guess very little ever changes in the lives of celebrities: body dysmorphia, pills, lesbianism, cheating, scandal, rehab...it's all here, but it sure sounds like 2019, right? While I don't appreciate some of the outdated vocabulary used, I've read that Jacqueline Susann was actually incredibly supportive of the LGBT community. She gave them a voice in Valley of the Dolls, probably one of the first forms of media to do so. According to Simon Doonan, who wrote in the foreward of the 50 year anniversary edition, "members of the gay community were thrilled to find themselves, at long last, unleashed with such gusto onto an international stage." Following the lives of Anne, Jennifer, and Neely, from 1945-1965, the novel covers their struggles and triumphs...and their responses to the inevitability of aging. Age settled with more grace on ordinary people, but for celebrities—women stars in particular—age became a hatchet that vandalized a work of art. In Susann's own words, this story isn't dirty: it's savage, shocking, and unfair...but never dirty. However you define this book, it's hard to argue it's a highly entertaining, engrossing read. Having never seen the movie, I can't speak to it, but the novel will always be a favorite of mine. I hope my book club enjoys it, as I selected it as one of our Book of the Month options for June '19.

This is not fine literature but it's a fun read. The movie was set in the wrong time period, and the book is perfect for when it was set. The three girls trying to make their fortunes is a time tested trope, and this is one of the best examples. Anne, the cultured Bostonian, Jennifer, the beauty and Neely the talented mess. When this first came out, there was a load of speculation about who was based on whom. After reading a lot of background stories, I've decided I don't much really care. It's fun to guess but it's better to just take the characters at face value. Jackie Susann knew this world, and I can imagine that when it first was published it was shocking. Now, it's just a glimpse into a world that's gone.

I have of course heard about this book for years but never picked it up. Not because I was worried that it would be "trashy" or something I would not be interested in just because I simply never got around to it. The Kindle version of this book is so horrible and made it very hard to read so if you pick this up do not read it on your kindle! The letters are all over the page , the type set is hard to read and the some words are just missing it looks like they just faded out of the page. To charge $10 for this crap is insane so that is why the 3 stars the actual book would have been 4 or 5. For the time I can understand why this book so considered trash and the story was interesting and I never got bored however today you can find much trashier novels if that is what you are looking for. Neely annoyed me the entire book but I guess at least towards the end that she was meant to be annoying. I love Anne but was very disappointed with the ending I kept rooting for her but nothing ever worked out. The ending did fit very well with the book tho so I guess I can't complain to much about that. Overall worth your time, a good read and I see why it is still loved today.

The fast paced writing and slick clever dialogue Valley of the Dolls gives you a tale of three women drawn into the fame and fortune of the world of Hollywood and broadway granting insight on how too much drugs, sex, and money can ruin you and turn you into a hollow shell of yourself

It was a good read. Twists and turns throughout it. It kept my interest, and I was always hurrying to finish what I was doing to read some more. The ending kind of bummed me out, guess I expected an unexpected twist, but it just ended. Kinda sad.

I remember seeing this on my Mom's bookshelf as a child and when I got to my teen years I read it, along with many other novels like The Exorcist, Audrey Rose, Sybil, etc. As far as Valley Of The Dolls go, I fell completely in love with the characters and their stories. (The movie does this book NO justice). It's a fun read, sometimes a little sad and always interesting. I also love Susann's other books! If you've never read this guilty pleasure, then what are you waiting for?

A classic that never gets old. If a novel is still a seller 50 years later then you can be fairly certain it is worth a read. This is a early sensations novel which people gleefully read even if they had to read it privately so they wouldn't get tsk'd at. It has all the highlights of love, betrayal and friendship as well as a still accurate look at the darker side of fame. I can't count how many times I have re-read this and recently added it to my Kindle.