She Come By It Natural

Dolly Parton and the Women Who Lived Her Songs

By: Sarah Smarsh

Narrated by: Sarah Smarsh

In this Time Top 100 Book of the Year, the National Book Award finalist and New York Times bestselling author of Heartland “analyzes how Dolly Parton’s songs—and success—have embodied feminism for working-class women” (People).

Growing up amid Kansas wheat fields and airplane factories, Sarah Smarsh witnessed firsthand the particular vulnerabilities—and strengths—of women in working poverty. Meanwhile, country songs by female artists played in the background, telling powerful stories about life, men, hard times, and surviving. In her family, she writes, “country music was foremost a language among women. It’s how we talked to each other in a place where feelings aren’t discussed.” And no one provided that language better than Dolly Parton.

In this “tribute to the woman who continues to demonstrate that feminism comes in coats of many colors,” Smarsh tells readers how Parton’s songs have validated women who go unheard: the poor woman, the pregnant teenager, the struggling mother disparaged as “trailer trash.” Parton’s broader career—from singing on the front porch of her family’s cabin in the Great Smoky Mountains to achieving stardom in Nashville and Hollywood, from “girl singer” managed by powerful men to self-made mogul of business and philanthropy—offers a springboard to examining the intersections of gender, class, and culture.

Infused with Smarsh’s trademark insight, intelligence, and humanity, this is “an ambitious book” (The New Republic) about the icon Dolly Parton and an “in-depth examination into gender and class and what it means to be a woman and a working-class hero that feels particularly important right now” (Refinery29).

Critic reviews

"Author/narrator Sarah Smarsh's blend of family stories of strong women and cultural insights makes her the best choice to narrate her anthropological profile of Dolly Parton. Expanded from her serialized articles for the music journal NO DEPRESSION, Smarsh's work covers the highs and lows of Parton's career, ranging from the boundary-pushing social content of her songs to her notable business acumen. Smarsh's slightly Midwestern inflection attests to her rural upbringing and the experiential feminism she's witnessed in working-class women who've never heard of Betty Friedan. The academic discourse interwoven with stories of Smarsh's grandmother will appeal to fans of Sarah Vowell and music history podcasts. Listeners will feel like they've just had a fascinating conversation with an enthusiastic friend."

Recommended for Anyone: Fans & Non-Fans Alike

I don't know much about Dolly Parton -- "Jolene" and a handful of other songs, a couple film roles -- but I know that people of all ages, cultures, backgrounds, and income brackets adore her and wanted to understand why, This short, engaging book explores the "current Dolly fervor," asking, "Why now?" then goes on to explore several compelling themes: the myth of Dolly and the woman behind the persona; the lives, experiences, choices, and opportunities afforded to working women, including the author and her own family; academic ideas of "Wild Women" archetype versus the women inspire that idea; and much more. It's part biography, part memoir, part academic treatise, but always accessible, absorbing, and fun.

Sarah Smarsh reads the work herself, and does an beautiful job: she's clear and consistent and her voice is lovely and warm. I look forward to listening to it again, and to reading Smarsh's first book, Heartland.

A couple choice lines (there are myriad) to give you an idea of the material, which covers Dolly's story but so much more:

"For the poor woman, there is much less social, economic, or cultural capital for changing a situation from the inside. But she might have a car and a bit of money for gas, which is enough to leave a situation behind."

"There is, then, intellectual knowledge -- the stuff of research studies and think pieces -- and there is experiential knowing. Both are important, and women from all backgrounds might possess both. But we rarely exalt the knowing, which is the only kind of feminism many working women have."

Appreciation for Dolly

I liked this portrayal of Dolly Parton by Sarah Smarsh, another accomplished woman who started out as poor, but became q writer.

Yeah, Dolly

I grew up on the other side of the mountain from Dolly, though it was a couple generations later I could relate to so much of what the author conveyed. I love her practical, down to earth sense of feminism and of giving back. Thank you Dolly you are an icon and a role model for everyone.

wonderful. world making.

This is a wonderful read from Sarah Smarsh. This book reads like home if you have any hook into Parton's (and one could also say Smarsh's) story. Insightful, informative, and has helped me better orient myself in the world as a young woman. Thank you.

This isn't just Dolly's story!

it's OUR story! It's a beautiful tribute to the smart (even if some are lacking in education) hard working, family loving women who have made this country great!