Dolly, Dolly and More Dolly

Happy Birthday to Dolly Parton! Dolly turns 75 in January - and she continues to be one of the biggest and best badass women we know!

If you need more Dolly in your life (and who doesn’t?), check out these Dolly books and gifts!

 

A spirited homage to Dolly Parton that captures the unique humor, no-nonsense wisdom, flash, and sass of one of America's most iconic stars. This lively, illustrated book--part biography, part inspiration, part words of wisdom and life lessons--highlights the very best of the "Dolly Mama," from her quotable Dollyisms, unrelenting positivity, and powerful spirituality, to her belief in the human ability to overcome adversity. Drawing on Dolly's two autobiographies, cookbooks and songs; as well as artifacts; books by her family members; biographies; and decades worth of television, print interviews and performances, What Would Dolly Do? shows you how to tap into your Inner Dolly with confidence, faith, and humor.

 

Growing up amid Kansas wheat fields and airplane factories, Sarah Smarsh witnessed firsthand the particular vulnerabilities—and strengths—of women in working poverty. Meanwhile, country songs by female artists played in the background, telling powerful stories about life, men, hard times, and surviving. In her family, she writes, “country music was foremost a language among women. It’s how we talked to each other in a place where feelings aren’t discussed.” And no one provided that language better than Dolly Parton.

In She Come By It Natural, originally published in a four-part series for The Journal of Roots MusicNo Depression, Smarsh explores the overlooked contributions to social progress by women—including those averse to the term “feminism”—as exemplified by Dolly Parton’s life and art. Far beyond the recently resurrected “Jolene” or quintessential “9 to 5,” Parton’s songs for decades have validated women who go unheard: the poor woman, the pregnant teenager, the struggling mother disparaged as “trailer trash.” Parton’s broader career—from singing on the front porch of her family’s cabin in the Great Smoky Mountains to achieving stardom in Nashville and Hollywood, from “girl singer” managed by powerful men to leader of a self-made business and philanthropy empire—offers a springboard to examining the intersections of gender, class, and culture.

Infused with Smarsh’s trademark insight, intelligence, and humanity, She Come By It Natural is a sympathetic tribute to the icon Dolly Parton and—call it whatever you like—the organic feminism she embodies.

 

Dolly Parton, Songteller: My Life in Lyrics is a landmark celebration of the remarkable life and career of a country music and pop culture legend.
Mining over 60 years of songwriting, Dolly Parton highlights 175 of her songs and brings readers behind the lyrics. Containing rare photos and memorabilia from Parton's archives, this book is a show-stopping must-have for every Dolly Parton fan.

 

“Nobody knows Dolly like Dolly,” declares Dolly Parton. Dolly’s is a rags-to-riches tale like no other. A dirt-poor Smoky Mountain childhood paved the way for the buxom blonde butterfly’s metamorphosis from singer-songwriter to international music superstar. The undisputed “Queen of Country Music,” Dolly has sold more than 100 million records worldwide and has conquered just about every facet of the entertainment industry: music, film, television, publishing, theatre, and even theme parks. It’s been more than 50 years since Dolly Parton arrived in Nashville with just her guitar and a dream. Her story has been told many times and in many ways, but never like this. Dolly on Dolly is a collection of interviews spanning five decades of her career and featuring material gathered from celebrated publications including Rolling StoneCosmopolitanPlayboy, and Andy Warhol’s Interview magazine. Also included are interviews which have not been previously available in print.

Dolly’s feisty and irresistible brand of humor, combined with her playful, pull-up-a-chair-and-stay-awhile delivery, makes for a fascinating and inviting experience in downhome philosophy and storytelling. Much like her patchwork “Coat of Many Colors,” this book harkens back to the legendary entertainer’s roots and traces her evolution, stitching it all together one piece at a time.

 

 

We all need a dose of Dolly in our lives. Whether it’s her warmth and generosity, her humble roots and down-home values, her gifts to film and music, or her unforgettable style and humor, Dolly Parton has plenty of life secrets to share. Enjoy this collection of her wisest quotes, funniest cracks, and encouraging words for living life right.

 

 

For more than five decades, Dolly has been laying down her own brand of whip-smart wit and wisdom to the world, with many quotes and quips becoming as famous as her lyrical genius, for which she has won too many song writing awards and honours to mention. Stacked to the rafters with more than 150 bite-size bon-mots, one-liners and ripostes – as well profound and sincere observations – The Little Book of Dolly Parton is your new favorite life companion.

 

For more than five decades, Dolly has been laying down her own brand of whip-smart wit and wisdom to the world, with many quotes and quips becoming as famous as her lyrical genius, for which she has won too many song writing awards and honours to mention. Stacked to the rafters with more than 150 bite-size bon-mots, one-liners and ripostes – as well profound and sincere observations – The Little Book of Dolly Parton is your new favorite life companion.

 

Looking for books and gifts for you and the badass women in your life? Visit our Badass Women’s Book Club Online Store!  I do earn a small commission from sales made from this site (and the links above!) – so thank you in advance for your support!


Gina Warner