After making the decision to collect the Virago special edition Modern Classics, the second one I came across after the rather wonderful Excellent Women (thoroughly charming!) was Valley of the Doll’s ,and if I’m absolutely honest it’s reputation went before it and left me suspecting that the chances of me enjoying it were about as slim as me wanting to take to my bed with a bedside table heaving with pulp fiction of Jackie Collin’s ilk… But I was wrong. Yet again my inner literary snob (she who read’s Heat!) came over all tutty and huffy and successfully managed to keep me apart from a book that has had me using matchsticks to prop up my eyelids for the past two evenings, so gripping it is in a falling apart in the golden era of Hollywood kinda way… Dear Readers, I wish I was capable of writing an intelligent analysis of the books I recommend to you, but I’m not very bright and thus it is mere enthusiasm I have to rely on to tell you that HERE IS A BOOK I AM ABSOLUTELY LOVING (a book that bears no relation to the film, let it be said here and now!)…
It’s trashy and it’s sad and it’s fabulous. And yep there’s sex, drugs and the Vintage Hollywood/Broadway equivalent of rock and roll, but in this day and age it’s potency is diluted and it excesses oddly quaint.
I insist you love it as much as I do.
(P.S: As far as I can tell, the edition above with it’s cover designed by Barbara Hulanicki of Biba fame is not available stateside, but what the heck… in both the case of Valley and the Doll’s and Excellent Women it’s what’s inside that counts, so seek out the oh so kitsch glossy lips edition of The Dolls if you dare…)
Create your own Brocante Life Book, plan Christmas, set up routines and rituals or live life the BrocanteHome way with my guided workbooks and planners.
Other Things To Do At BrocanteHome Browse the Bookstore Discover a curated list of books to enhance and support life the BrocanteHome way Browse the Bookstore Life Love & Vintage Housekeeping the by BrocantePrintables on Etsy Create your own Brocante Life Book,…
Yes indeed, Rachel Ashwell has a gorgeous new blog. Just one of the many blogs I’ll be adding to my sparkly new BrocanteHome Reader over the next few weeks… Go swoon at the renovations of Rachels new house. Other Things To Do…
Opulence Stoves In my domestic dreams I am the proud owner of a darling little wood-burning stove. Nothing you see, makes me happier than finding myself sipping wine, late at night, in front of a crackling fire. But unfortunately I have to…
Happy Friday Sweeties, what better day to introduce you to a new friend with some utterly scrumptious ideas on surviving the daily drudge! Danielle is the fourth in my line up of occasional guest writers, and though she is a busy book…
I have been sitting here for much of the day trying to write something. When one finds that something won’t come, one starts rooting about for anything but all too quickly finds that anything is hanging around the same place as something…
There are things in this life I want: Robbie Williams (and I will have him), a Georgian house with three floors and a huge front door, a pink camper van, skinny thighs, and a new wardrobe. They are , you will appreciate,…
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