Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, by Anita Loos (HC, first edition, 13th printing, 1926, $5, which is 1/3 the internet price.)
This is one of those books I meant only to skim, but soon found myself unable to stop laughing. I wanted to keep this book in my own library, but under the influence of the main character decided to be selfless and share it with one of you. After all, it is only right to bring happiness to as many people as you can. (And if you gather lots of diamonds as you go, all the better! Actually, the only diamond Loos ever "gathered" was from her uncle when she was 7. After that she refused them.)
She was a prolific writer for both Broadway and Hollywood. She wrote scripts for unknowns Douglas Fairbanks, Jean Harlow, Carol Channing and Audrey Hepburn, and made them all stars. Her talent was in suggesting sexuality enough to interest viewers, but not enough to offend the censors.
She married a man she thought was brilliant, but who wasn't. The man she met who really was brilliant was only interested in "dumb blondes". While pondering this phenomena she wrote several short stories. When Harper's Bazar published them, the magazine's circulation immediately quadrupled. The first printing of the book based on the short stories sold out in only 2 weeks. Gentlemen Prefer Blondes would continue for 87 editions, and be translated into 14 languages, including Chinese. (Chinese?)
Look for this gem on the new fiction table.
(Trivia- Her brother founded Blue Cross, the insurance company. How weird is that!)
