Lovely Me:A Biography of Jacqueline Susann

The definitive biography of Jacqueline Susann, author of the top 20 all-time bestselling novel in the 20th century, now a cult classic, Valley of the Dolls.

With a new introduction by Maris Kriezman for the 40th anniversary of the original publication of Lovely Me, a new generation of readers can experience anew the story of the trailblazing woman who captured the zeitgeist of the 1960s.

On Christmas Eve in 1962, Jacqueline Susann anxiously awaited a doctor’s appointment, where she would undergo a breast biopsy. Unable to fall asleep, and at three in the morning on Christmas Day, she wrote in her journal: “I can’t die without leaving something—something big…I’m Jackie—I have a dream.” And thus began an incredible story that not only struck a chord with readers but also utterly transformed the publishing industry forever. Writing about such taboo subjects as abortion, women’s drug use, and fame, Susann went on to publish three mega-selling novels—Valley of the Dolls (1966), The Love Machine (1969), and Once Is Not Enough (1973)—becoming the first author to have three consecutive books ranked number one on the New York Times bestseller list.

In this pioneering biography of Susann, women’s health advocate Barbara Seaman examines the life of a woman who exhibited strength and courage in every aspect of her life—from her troubled childhood, to the rise of her public persona and acting career, to privately fighting her ultimate adversary, breast cancer. Seaman charts how Susann revolutionized book promotion by becoming one of the first “name-brand” novelists—popularizing book tours, television and print advertising, and celebrity endorsements. Because of Susann, for the first time ever, book publishing was an enthusiastically accepted part of the entertainment industry.

Lovely Me is at once a fascinating dissection and tender portrait of a strong-willed, controversial, imperfect, and charismatic bestselling author whose attempt to reclaim the narrative of her life crafted a space to think about women’s popular culture.

Includes 40 black and white photographs | “Riveting . . . beautifully written.” –Erica Jong

“A mesmerizing narrative.” –Cynthia Ozick

“Packed with anecdotes, larded with gossip and dense with cultural complexity, Lovely Me will keep you laughing and pondering for a long time.” –Patricia Holt, San Francisco Chronicle

“Seaman dishes out inside dope about Susann's roles in the greasepaint. Susann sexually zigged and zagged, and over the years acquired a tough hide, along with a butch reputation.” –James Wolcott, Vanity Fair | One of the nation’s most distinguished health advocates, BARBARA SEAMAN (1935-2008) co-founded the National Women’s Health Network and pioneered a new style of health reporting that focused on patients’ rights. Her groundbreaking investigative book, The Doctor’s Case Against the Pill (1969), prompted Senate hearings in the 1970s that led to a warning label on oral contraceptives and the drastic lowering of estrogen doses due to dangerous health effects. Her other books include Free and Female (1972) and The Greatest Experiment Ever Performed on Women: Exploding the Estrogen Myth (2003), as well as co-authored books Women and the Crisis in Sex Hormones (1977) and For Women Only: Your Guide to Health Empowerment (2000). She has contributed to many plays and documentaries, including I Am a Woman (1972), Taking Our Bodies Back (1974), and The American Experience Presents the Pill (2003). Known for mentoring younger women writers and feminist advocates, Seaman wrote columns for Brides Magazine, Ladies’ Home Journal, The New York Times, Washington Post, and Ms., inspiring women around the world to take control of their own health.