What you NEED to read: Valley of the Dolls

A wise person (Dr. Seuss) once said, “The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go.” I know it sounds cheesy and the thought of reading for pleasure while in college is often daunting, but hear me out.

When you stop and think about it, you probably have more time to squeeze in a couple pages of a great book than you think (the few minutes before class starts when you’re usually just zoning out into space, while you’re on the elliptical or bike at the gym instead of reading trashy celeb mags, during a commute across campus on the bus, etc.) …You get the point.

I tell you this not as someone who successfully found time to read while in college, but as a recent graduate who has noticed how much more interesting and intelligent a well-read person is once out in the real world. Seriously.

So, with all of your best interests in mind, I will bring you occasional reviews and recommendations for books that are worthy of squeezing into your hectic jam-packed weekend. I would love to hear all of your thoughts and opinions on the selections as well.

First up on the list: Valley of the Dolls. An absolute CLASSIC and must read for any college girl about to start out on their own (Ah hem, Seniors!). Although written back in the late 1960s, this book was way ahead of its time in chronicling the struggles young women go through when setting out on their own and trying to make it in competitive industries such as entertainment or the media.

The novel follows three young women, Anne, Jennifer, and Neely, over the years from their very start as broke, bright-eyed, and enthusiastic newly transplanted New Yorkers to middle age where they are on top of their respective industries, only to wonder, was it worth it?

It touches on so many universal themes that all of us can relate to, even today: Small town girls moving to the big city, the complexities of relationships and love, scandals, broken friendships, the pressure to look a certain way and be thin, prescription drug abuse, and having a career as well as a personal life, just to name a few.

Don’t be intimidated by the size of the book. All 442 pages are equally interesting and keep you reading on and on, waiting to find out what happens to each of the characters.

I’m not the only one who thinks this book rocks. Valley has become one of the most commercially successful novels, was turned into a movie, and has even been translated into over eight languages. You can get a good deal on amazon with many different new and used options.

Buy it, read it, and let me know what you think.