What do readers think of Ain't Nobody's Fool by Martha Ackmann? Write your own review.

AIN’T NOBODY’S FOOL: The Life and Times of Dolly Parton
By Martha Ackmann

Martha Ackmann’s biography follows the incredible journey of Dolly Parton, from her humble upbringing in Tennessee to becoming a singer, songwriter, actor, businesswoman, and one of the most beloved philanthropists around.

Ackmann takes a close look at the twists and turns that shaped Dolly’s career. While many people were surprised by her success, Dolly always believed in herself—even at a very young age—and never stopped chasing her dreams. Her generosity really stands out, from starting the Imagination Library and donating millions of books to children, to helping fund research for the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine. The book also gives us a glimpse into her longtime marriage to Carl Dean, which she has always kept mostly out of the spotlight.

I’d read a bit about Dolly before, but this book made her story feel especially alive. Ackmann doesn’t shy away from showing both Dolly’s strengths and her struggles as she made her way through the music industry and Hollywood. One detail I found interesting was learning that Nelson Mandela found comfort in one of Dolly’s songs during his imprisonment and what he asked the guards to please do.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the eARC.

Nicely written biography of Dolly Parton that focuses on her career. I'm not a country music fan but l'd grown to like her music - especially her duets with Kenny Rogers - and loved her in Nine to Five. So when this came as a free read on NetGalley (thank you and the publisher, St. Martin's Press, as well) I was intrigued.

Indeed Dolly is no one's fool. She may have grown up poor (the story of her family life is so sad), she was given gifts of music, sing and grit. Her early life of dong writing with her uncle was intriguing - I knew she had written I'll Always Love You but not many of the others mentioned in the book. And her journey to signing was quite a difficult one - again I didn't know this but learning about it and Dolly's perseverance was amazing. I especially loved those parts of the book where Dolly held her ground. She's one tough woman.

Dolly has done a lot to promote reading - the points out that Dolly's dad didn't let his children go to the library because he was sure they'd destroy the books. And her generosity in sharing her wealth is well known. I would have liked more of this to have emerged from the book. Nonetheless, if you are interested in a book about het career, this one is definitely for you.