Jacqueline Susann – the Ultra-Leo Novelist
Today is the birthday of Jacqueline Susann, the Ultimate Leo Novelist & a total pioneer of the clit-lit confessional women’s genre. Before Jackie Collins, Sex & The City or the Real Housewives franchise, there was Jackie…
So Ultra-Leo was she that she parlayed an unsuccessful career as an actress into a three Number One bestsellers in a row publishing & banned books sensation via such tomes as Once Is Not Enough, The Love Machine & Valley of the Dolls.
All were based on her life & weirdly, her fame happened after diagnosis with a serious illness. Leonically, she said she bargained with God for ten more years of life that would involve fame and she got. She’s famously quoted as saying, upon the assassination of President Kennedy: “Why is everyone so sad? I’m the one whose book tour is gonna get cancelled.” She saw the 60s as being about “Andy Warhol, the Beatles & Me.”
Her genius and manic self-promotion efforts totally revolutionised book marketing. Culture was forever altered by the candour & humour with which she depicted the feminine life in all its myriad shades; She did a lot to out clandestine feminine issues of the time… Valley Of The Dolls book is seriously sensational, poignant & camp.
So the bargain with her God worked & she scored sensational success – she was so classically Leo that she was even quipping and making jokes on her death-bed. The ultimate Leos are like ludicrous alchemists – shit to gold 24-7.
Valley of the Dolls is *such* a great movie. So camp, but also quite sweet. And don’t get me started on the hair & fashion! Patty Duke and Susan Hayward’s scenes together are OUTSTANDING.
I’ve never seen this movie now I’m on a quest to and read Susann’s book.
Yes the fashion it’s beautiful.
Can’t belive there are 60 posts about the punctuation freak, & only 2 about Jaquie Sussan. The world truly *has* gone mad.
Don’t despair TLE. Sometimes the appreciation is silent. I love the diversity of Mystic’s posts. She never lets us down.
I’ve never read Jacqui Sussan, but thanks to Mystic, now totally appreciate how groundbreaking and iconic she was. Gotta love them Leos!
All I’d be saying TLE, is YES to the above. Twas silent approval.
Expanded version is…
Yes she seemed to encompass so much, her own icon building self and lovely ability to just hook right in with how she saw her peers, yet able to be also poignantly true to her own experiences and to give voice to many…in a thoroughly entertaining way.
I particularly like Mystic’s comment that ‘the ultimate Leos are like ludicrous alchemists – shit to gold 24-7.’ Gives one hope.
why is everyone sad, what about my booktour, hahahahahaha
omg, ahahahaha, oh, oh, it hurts, hahahahahahha
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