Lorelei Lee Series by Anita Loos

“The Great American Novel (at last!)” by Hollywood’s first female scriptwriter, and the basis for the movie starring Marilyn Monroe (Edith Wharton). Meet 1920s flapper Lorelei Lee, aka Mabel Minnow from Little Rock, Arkansas. She has it a millionaire “benefactor,” a lavish lifestyle, and dazzling good looks. The problem is she may be falling in love with a man who is temporarily married—and permanently poor... more“The Great American Novel (at last!)” by Hollywood’s first female scriptwriter, and the basis for the movie starring Marilyn Monroe (Edith Wharton). Meet 1920s flapper Lorelei Lee, aka Mabel Minnow from Little Rock, Arkansas. She has it a millionaire “benefactor,” a lavish lifestyle, and dazzling good looks. The problem is she may be falling in love with a man who is temporarily married—and permanently poor. Luckily, Lorelei is distracted when her current male companion sends her on an “educational” tour of Europe with her plucky friend Dorothy. Gaining admirers and jewelry but never losing her heart, Lorelei eventually returns to New York, where she learns she had better stick with what charming men into love—and out of their money. “A guilty pleasure it may be, but it is impossible to overlook the enduring influence of a tale that helped to define the jazz age. . . . Long before Helen Fielding’s Bridget Jones, Loos hit on a young woman’s diary as the perfect medium for satirical romance.” — The Guardian , “The 100 Best Novels” “Anita Loos has captured an extraordinary voice, and therein lies not only the novel’s charm, but also its compelling force. . . . The novel resonates today, as it did nearly a century ago.” — Chicago Tribune , “Editor’s Choice” “Loos’ satirical reflection on all her lived experiences—marriages to men who undermined her, strong friendships with glamorous actresses like Constance Talmadge, and her perpetual battle against a patriarchal world that wasn’t eager to make space for her career ambitions.” — The A. V. Club less

If any American fictional character of the twentieth century seems likely to be immortal, it is Lorelei Lee of Little Rock, Arkansas, the not-so-dumb blonde who knew that diamonds are a girl’s best friend. Outrageous, charming, and unforgettable, she’s been portrayed on stage and screen by Carol Channing and Marilyn Monroe and has become the archetype of the footloose, good-hearted gold digger, with an insatiable appetite for orchids, champagne, and precious stones... moreIf any American fictional character of the twentieth century seems likely to be immortal, it is Lorelei Lee of Little Rock, Arkansas, the not-so-dumb blonde who knew that diamonds are a girl’s best friend. Outrageous, charming, and unforgettable, she’s been portrayed on stage and screen by Carol Channing and Marilyn Monroe and has become the archetype of the footloose, good-hearted gold digger, with an insatiable appetite for orchids, champagne, and precious stones. Here are her “diaries,” created by Anita Loos in the Roaring Twenties, as Lorelei and her friend Dorothy barrel across Europe meeting everyone from the Prince of Wales to “Doctor Froyd” – and then back home again to marry a Main Line millionaire and become a movie star. In this delightfully droll and witty book, Lorelei Lee’s wild antics, unique outlook, and imaginative way with language shine. less