Jacqueline Susann transformed the literary world by treating her books like laundry detergent.
In short: Before Jacqueline Susann, publishing was a gentlemanly profession. Susann changed everything by pioneering the modern book tour, treating her novels as consumer brands. She served coffee to delivery drivers, tested covers for television visibility, and became the first author to land three consecutive novels at number one.
Born in 1918, Susann spent decades as a struggling actress and television personality before finding her true calling. Following a 1962 breast cancer diagnosis, she made a pact to become the world's best-selling author, driven by an urgent need to secure the future of her severely autistic son, Guy. This personal mission fueled a relentless work ethic that revolutionized how books reached readers.
Her breakthrough came with Valley of the Dolls in 1966. Despite scathing reviews from critics who dismissed her prose, the book became a commercial juggernaut, selling over 17 million copies by 1974. Susann famously coined the term 'dolls' to describe the amphetamines and barbiturates central to her characters' lives. She ignored the literary establishment, focusing instead on direct engagement with the public through television appearances and personal bookstore visits.
Susann’s influence extended beyond her sales figures. She was the first 'brand-name' novelist, proving that a book could succeed independently of critical acclaim. Her husband, Irving Mansfield, was instrumental in this strategy, treating every release like a major product launch. By the time of her death in 1974, she had cemented her legacy as a cultural force, even if the literary elite remained unconvinced of her artistic merit.
While critics like Gore Vidal and Truman Capote famously disparaged her writing, Susann remained unapologetic, often responding with sharp wit. She viewed her work as entertainment, once comparing a new book to a new brand of detergent. Today, she is remembered as a pioneer of self-promotion, a writer who understood that in the modern era, the author is as much a part of the product as the story itself.
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