I bought this book in Salt Lake City at a used book store for 75 cents. I was almost done with the book I was reading and wanted something fun to read on the plane. I ended up saving “Once Is Not Enough” for the beach. It was a perfect beach read.
After reading LA’s post Anatomy of a Story on Waking Up on the Wrong Side of 50, I instantly thought of my beach vacation book. In her post, she discussed four different categories of books and what makes some books good all the way to a classic.
Of course I read “Valley of the Dolls.” But that was the only Susann book I’ve read. I found this one a blast to the past with nostalgia from the late 60s and early 70s.
The characters were good, the story was faced paced. It was an entertaining read, and not a heavy book. Perfect beach book. The book was published in 1973 and I would have been in the sixth or seventh grade. Definitely not a book my parents would have allowed me to read at that age with all the drugs and sex.
It’s definitely dated, but I enjoyed looking back at the era in time. This book was Susann’s third best selling novel. I just discovered there was a movie made from the book. I’ll have to see if it’s available online or to stream on our TV.
What books do you remember from the 60s and 70s?
What Jacqueline Susann books have you read?
I haven’t read a book in almost a year. Blogging takes up a lot of my time
I love vacation time to read, especially on the beach.
That’s one thing I’ve never done 😅
I have sunglasses with bifocals just so I can read at the beach!
How cool is that
👍🏼
As a teenager I remember reading two racy books: Valley of the Dolls by Jacqueline Susann and Fear of Flying by Erica Jong. They seemed so risqué yet gave me a few insights.
Yes! Those books were so risqué at the time.
Oh, that looks like a fun read. I’ve never read that author.
Your question makes me think of the Leon Uris books from the 60s and 70s. I had to look it up but the book I was thinking of is Trinity.
I remember that!
I graduated high school in 1973 and I remember reading this, and Valley of the Dolls, during the summer. I felt so grown up!
Isn’t that something? What memories.
I’ve never read her books. I recall reading Thomas Tryon’s “The Other” and the Kent Family Chronicles that began with “The Bastard.” Those were made into miniseries. I read a number of classics for high school. Also enjoyed reading Ed McBain’s police novels. That led me to getting a law enforcement degree (poor choice).
I remember Thomas Tryon’s “The Other.” Why did you think a law enforcement degree was a poor choice? I know two authors who started as a police office and one as a secret service agent. Joseph Wambaugh and Gerald Petievich. Gerry was a client of my husband’s and he started a writer’s conference in our hometown. Wambaugh spoke at it, because he was local.
I read Wambaugh also. I was poorly suited to police work. I found better choices later. I’m not enough of a “people person.”
That makes sense. Have you read Petievich”s To Live and Die in LA?” He was my writing mentor.
No, have not. How nice to have a mentor!
60’s and 70′? Why would I read books when comics were in abundance?
Comics were great. I loved Archie comic books.