Once Is Not Enough

Rating:
Summary: Jackie at her very best!
Review: Let me just start by saying that I don't agree with people who use the word "trash" when describing the work of Jacqueline Susann. Her books indeed did involve drugs and sex, but they show the DARK sides of drugs and sex; nothing glamorous about it. The language she uses is very straightfoward and "in-your-face", and above all, very real. A lot of people use the fact that the "f" word is used often as an excuse to call it trash, when, in reality, the "f" word is a word that is used often among the types of people in the book. As in all Susann novels, you'll find a bit of Jackie in the novel, and you might also find a bit of yourself.

Rating:
Summary: Jackie at her very best!
Review: Let me just start by saying that I don't agree with people who use the word "trash" when describing the work of Jacqueline Susann. Her books indeed did involve drugs and sex, but they show the DARK sides of drugs and sex; nothing glamorous about it. The language she uses is very straightfoward and "in-your-face", and above all, very real. A lot of people use the fact that the "f" word is used often as an excuse to call it trash, when, in reality, the "f" word is a word that is used often among the types of people in the book. As in all Susann novels, you'll find a bit of Jackie in the novel, and you might also find a bit of yourself.

Rating:
Summary: The Art of Excess
Review: Mrs. Susann was a cinematic writer. She was not content to write books in which poor people walk around in circles and talk about their problems. Instead, she wrote about rich, beautiful people-probably the only interesting kind-and exposed them for what they are: spoiled, lonely creatures who need to be constantly reassured of their uniqueness. Most serious writers hate Mrs.Susann because 1)she was a woman who defied convention, 2)she had more balls than most writers ever dreamed of having, and 3) she wrote about people most academics would love to be. With that said, Once is not Enough is not as good as Valley of the Dolls. You can tell that it wasn't well edited, but who cares? The protagonist January Wayne is really interesting: a rich, fragile girl with an Electra complex. She's involved in a motorcycle accident that leaves her in a coma and unable to walk. Mike, her daddy, stays by her side, but he loses his touch in Hollywood and becomes poor. He has to marry a rich society witch named Dee Milford Granger, who is secretly in love with a Polish actress named Karla, who in turn is in love with Dee's nephew David, who Dee wants January to marry when she is fully recuperated. There is also a horny magazine editor named Linda Riggs and an impotent Mailer type writer named Tom Holt. Needless to say, these characters commit all kinds of wonderful indecent acts. Once is not Enough is not the kind of novel you read for depth of character. You read it for its spectacle, and thank god, Mrs. Susann lived long enough to fill our boring lives with that. Jackie was a wonderful, brilliant woman who deserved more respect than she got.

Rating:
Summary: the best book ever!
Review: the book grabbed me and before I could blink, I was already in the amazing world of Jacqueline's imagination. We 'clicked' right away. I was fascinated by the way she described all of the details. While I was reading this book I realized that all of my fantasies already have been experienced by someone else. Sex! this is all I could think about. After the book ended I felt betrayed... I wanted more!

Rating:
Summary: Once wasn't enough for me! Again!
Review: The second time I read this book, I found that I really identified with Linda Riggs! Always the star in school, once she hit the real world, she found that nothing in life comes easy. But, why not use what abilities you have to get what you want? January was the perfect way for Linda to feel that she was still a creator and God all rolled into one! January was daddy's girl, and who better to have for a dad then one of the most accomplished directors in the history of Hollywood? After getting January a job at Gloss Magazine, Linda then wants her to use whatever pull she has to get an interview with Tom Colt. But, along the way, Linda finds herself attracted to Tom. But, one glitch in that is that January is also attracted to Tom. So, Linda pulls the childish tactic of getting January another assignment at Gloss so she can have Tom all to herself. Didn't work! So, a little tramp like Linda backs off when she sees that Tom really has feelings for January. But, in a sense, January is more of a lady than Linda could ever hope to be! But, keep in mind, that Dee (Mike's extremely rich wife) also was using Mike to keep her image to the public intact. If I were Mike, I wouldn't have stayed with Dee once he found out that Dee's only pleasure in life was running other people's lives. But, in a sense, Dee is like Linda in the sense that the one person that Dee can't run over is the one person she cares the most for. The Great Karla. But, I can see the similiarities between Mike and Karla. They both stay alive and Kicking by using and taking advantage of anyone who seems the least bit interested in them. But, January is in a sense trapped in two worlds. the one she had at Miss Haddons and the one that Mike throws her into after her accident. When you are between two worlds, of course, you can't be expected to fit into either one. Enter the Vitamin Shots. (LSD). January tries them, and finds that they help her to cope with the reality of her messed up perception of the world. Needless to say, Dolls and Lsd go hand in hand!

Rating:
Summary: Once wasn't enough for me! Again!
Review: The second time I read this book, I found that I really identified with Linda Riggs! Always the star in school, once she hit the real world, she found that nothing in life comes easy. But, why not use what abilities you have to get what you want? January was the perfect way for Linda to feel that she was still a creator and God all rolled into one! January was daddy's girl, and who better to have for a dad then one of the most accomplished directors in the history of Hollywood? After getting January a job at Gloss Magazine, Linda then wants her to use whatever pull she has to get an interview with Tom Colt. But, along the way, Linda finds herself attracted to Tom. But, one glitch in that is that January is also attracted to Tom. So, Linda pulls the childish tactic of getting January another assignment at Gloss so she can have Tom all to herself. Didn't work! So, a little tramp like Linda backs off when she sees that Tom really has feelings for January. But, in a sense, January is more of a lady than Linda could ever hope to be! But, keep in mind, that Dee (Mike's extremely rich wife) also was using Mike to keep her image to the public intact. If I were Mike, I wouldn't have stayed with Dee once he found out that Dee's only pleasure in life was running other people's lives. But, in a sense, Dee is like Linda in the sense that the one person that Dee can't run over is the one person she cares the most for. The Great Karla. But, I can see the similiarities between Mike and Karla. They both stay alive and Kicking by using and taking advantage of anyone who seems the least bit interested in them. But, January is in a sense trapped in two worlds. the one she had at Miss Haddons and the one that Mike throws her into after her accident. When you are between two worlds, of course, you can't be expected to fit into either one. Enter the Vitamin Shots. (LSD). January tries them, and finds that they help her to cope with the reality of her messed up perception of the world. Needless to say, Dolls and Lsd go hand in hand!

Rating:
Summary: Thrice is probably enough, but I'm not 100% certain
Review: This book chewed me up and spit me out. When it was over, I felt as though I had been abducted by aliens (hint hint). While this book has one of the ugliest covers of any book known to man (and I refer to the original cover, not the updated 90's version by celebrated graphic designer, Evan Gaffney), it does boast an Oscar nomination for Brenda Vaccaro for the film version. My favorite passage is the paragraph starting on page 447 of the new edition. January is doped up and feeling free (and feeling everyone else as well). That one compact paragraph uses the F-word 18 times plus the immortal line: "Sniff hard, January...It's a popper." BUY THIS BOOK NOW!!!! and then you need to read "Yargo" with the giant bumble bees in the cigar shaped ships. Don't question me, just trust me. All will be revealed at the proper time. Go! Buy! Read!