Dolly Parton is the reigning queen of country music, an iconic artist in command of her own career and image, and a thriving business empire to boot. But her rise was not an easy one.
Born into poverty in east Tennessee, she left for Nashville at 18 with her belongings in three paper bags. Even as she shot to fame and conquered a male-dominated world that underestimated her at every turn, she never lost her connection to the working-class community she sprang from.
In this affectionate, sharply insightful book, Sarah Smarsh draws on her own experience growing up in rural Kansas to craft a resonant portrait of Parton's cultural importance, above all for the often unheard women who populate her songs: struggling mothers, pregnant teenagers, diner waitresses with deadbeat boyfriends. At once candidly intimate and searchingly analytical, She Come By It Natural captures the enduring appeal of this singular star.
Publisher: Pushkin Press
ISBN: 9781911590514
Number of pages: 208
Dimensions: 198 x 129 mm
[An] exhilarating reappraisal - The Times, Books of the Year
Compassionate and clear-sighted - Sunday Times Culture
An excellent study of the country queen reveals a nuanced political intelligence behind the glamour - Observer, Book of the Week
Thoughtful... sharply observed - Guardian, Book of the Day
Smarsh and Parton are a perfect pairing for the kind of in-depth examination into gender and class and what it means to be a woman and a working class hero that feels particularly important right now - Refinery29
Like Parton herself, She Come By It Natural offers a rare mouthpiece for a demographic that often goes unheard - Financial Times
Sarah Smarsh's biography reminds us of Dolly's energy and talent - and the philanthropy that has made her such a force for good - Spectator
A feminist story - Mia Levitin, Monocle
An engaging mix of thoughtful profile and personal memories - iPaper
In She Come By It Natural, which is part-memoir and part-celebrity biography, Smarsh sets out to show how Dolly's songs, and the way she has lived her life, have influenced a generation of American women - Daily Mail
A praise song for the cultural icon... deeply personal - LA Times
Smarsh seamlessly weaves her family's experiences with Parton's biography-triumphs and shortcomings alike-and cultural context. She Come by It Natural is, as a result, a relatable examination of one of country music's brightest stars and an inspiring tale of what women can learn from one another - BookPage
Affectionate and astute ... Smarsh's luminescent prose and briskly tempered storytelling make for an illuminating take on a one-of-a-kind artist - Publishers Weekly (starred review)
A highly readable treat for music and feminist scholars as well as Parton's legion of fans - Kirkus Reviews
[She Come By It Natural] includes sharp social commentary and well-placed personal anecdotes, [and] is at its heart a love letter both to Parton and to the women who continue to see themselves in her songs - Shelf Awareness
A real labour of love that tells the remarkable story of Dolly but also of the women she sings about - Marisa Bate, Writing About Women
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