Jacqueline Susann (1918–1974)
Author of Valley of the Dolls
About the Author
Series
Works by Jacqueline Susann
Associated Works
Tagged
Common Knowledge
- Canonical name
- Susann, Jacqueline
- Legal name
- Susan, Jacqueline (birth)
- Birthdate
- 1918-08-20
- Date of death
- 1974-09-21
- Gender
- female
- Education
- West Philadelphia High School
- Occupations
- playwright
actress
spokesmodel
author
novelist - Awards and honors
- Guinness Book record holder
- Agent
- Irving Mansfield
- Relationships
- Susan, Robert (father)
Mansfield, Irving (husband) - Short biography
- Jacqueline Susann (born 8-20-1918) was the daughter of Philadelphia PA artist Robert Susan. Jacqueline went to New York City after high school to pursue an acting career. Known on Broadway more for her love affairs versus her acting talents, Jacqueline married press agent Irving Mansfield in the late 1930s. The couple had a single child, Guy born in the mid 1940s. After writing her first book "Every Night Josephine", Jacqueline was diagnosed with breast cancer in the early 1960s. Spurned to leave a legacy, Jacqueline wrote the classic "Valley of the Dolls", "The Love Machine" and "Once is Not Enough", all of which where NY Times bestsellers. Before her death, Jacqueline was the first person to have 3 back to back #1 best sellers on the NY Times best seller list.
- Cause of death
- lung cancer
- Nationality
- USA
- Birthplace
- Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
- Places of residence
- New York, New York, USA
- Place of death
- Manhattan, New York, USA
- Associated Place (for map)
- New York, USA
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Discussions
Found: 1980s Sci-Fi mass-market paperback in Name that Book (March 18)
Reviews
Given her background—a television starlet, who didn't quite make it to the top—it was impossible that Jacqueline Susann had written a novel. It was even more impossible that she had written anything worth reading. However, as it figures out, Jacqueline Susann didn't care about logic, and instead of the smutty predecessor of the modern chick lit novel, we get a socially conscious, audaciously feminist literary novel underneath the veil of a roman á clef in the now infamous and classic show more 1966 Valley of the Dolls. Chronicling the lives of three friends in a twenty year period, from 1945 to 1965, as they strive to reach the top in the social world of men, Susann's novel is stirring and beckons the reader to turn the page—again and again. Yet most striking, and what makes its readers continue, are her characters: Anne, the plainly beautiful protagonist who just wants to make a life of her own; Neely, a small but powerful lady with a voice to match; and Jennifer, the gorgeous lady who wields her power with her youthful body, all of whom are drawn out so completely, in their flaws, perfections, and most of all their power and claim to it, that readers have not choice but to believe and most importantly care. Simply put, Susann is a masterful storyteller. Running through the plot are themes of woman empowerment, the ability to choose, and the disdainful society treat women who have mastered these concepts. Sadly, this is lost in Susann's legacy of shock and scandal and perhaps at her sometimes (very) unskillful and clumsy writing, or as Truman Capote phrased it "typing." However, in the same vain that Jennifer Weiner claimed that chick lit was an elitist term, perhaps holding and labeling Susann's novel as merely romance (which is it not for many reasons) and popular literature of no use for serious readers is an elitist practice that bars us from socially active literature such as this 400-page volume of a story. show less
fabulously depressing, valley of the dolls is the perfect showbusiness corruption story. it highlights the decadence and alienation of the entertainment industry, whilst also commenting on the social restrictions placed on women in this era - all in a very camp manner (probably not intended, but a highlight nonetheless). i loved jennifer and anne (and had a love-hate relationship with neely), and found their stories fascinating. an intimately camp portrait of a descent into, well, the valley show more of the dolls. show less
Chick lit of the 60s. Maybe not the best prose I have ever encountered and somewhat predictable but easy to read and highly engaging. However, what I find most fascinating about this book is a depiction of societal attitudes and changes in social norms that were going on at that time (sexism, female roles in society, measures of success, mental illness etc.). That's what Funny Girl by Nick Hornby tried to do but failed miserably. Despite being a better written book language/character-wise show more the sixties setting felt contrived. I guess that's why it's hard to find a good historical fiction book: even a low quality piece written at the time described would almost always be better at relaying the feel of an era. show less
Yes, folks, it's another one of those books I'm embarrassed to love. It's sheer trashy soap opera, and pure fun to read. If you think the movie is one of those so-bad-it's-good classics (and it is), run out and get the book THIS SECOND. First of all, you won't be distracted by the dreadful, dreadful acting by Sharon Tate, Barbara Parkins, and of course Patty Duke. (Granted, the book doesn't have Susan Hayward, but nothing is perfect.) Second, you don't have to sit through the suck-ass show more musical numbers. Third, you'll get the thrill of having everyone on public transportation stare at you in disbelief, thinking, "Is she actually reading that book!?!" Way, way fun. show less
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Statistics
- Works
- 14
- Also by
- 3
- Members
- 5,746
- Popularity
- #4,292
- Rating
- 3.5
- Reviews
- 105
- ISBNs
- 187
- Languages
- 15
- Favorited
- 7