Dolly: My Life and Other Unfinished Business by Dolly Parton
Most people look at the cover of this book and see a trampy blonde with big boobs, big hair and too much make-up. What they don’t see, and many choose never to see, is the strong, spiritual, caring, emotional, self-conscious person underneath the glitz and glamour. I once read in an interview that Dolly modeled her look after the town tramp. Again, most people take that at face value and don’t see what lies beneath. That in rural east Tennessee a tramp seems like a magical thing with her make-up, tight clothes that couldn’t possible be hand-me-downs, and big hair that must contain something other than what God gave her.
This book gives most of us a glimpse of what rough rural roads Dolly had to travel to get to where she is today. People who think she is trashy are the ones who need to read this the most. I’ve always known she had a heart of gold, but this book proved to me that it might actually be platinum.
The first movie I ever saw was “The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas,” when I was six month old, by the time I was five I could sing every word by heart. Thus began my love affair with Dolly. To anybody out there who thinks she is not a good role model, you must not have grown up in a log cabin in the foothills of the Smokey Mountains. She dug her way out of there, not many can say that, and now she give back so much to the community, even fewer can say that. If it wasn’t for Dolly lots of folks would never have had the chance to learn to read or have a job off their own farm.
It’s also nice to find out how human some celebrities are. Who knew one of Dolly’s fond memories is the same as mine, making snow-cream. For those of you confused, that’s what us poor folks make in lieu of ice cream.
Dolly was wonderfully descriptive in this book; I laughed out loud and cried in public places while reading it. I’ve always wanted to meet Dolly Parton, but after reading this book I might move Carl Dean ahead of her on my list.
