I adore Dolly Parton. I love her music, her story, her humor, her outfits, her kind heart - she’s a celebrity I can get behind adoring, and part of my fascination with her is that *a lot* of people feel the same way, people across gender, class, culture, etc., lines. She’s really larger than life in so many ways, but also? She’s so down to earth in her songwriting and ideals, and that’s a lot of what Sarah Smarsh focuses on in She Come By It Natural - the power of Dolly Parton and other female country singers of her generation to both be glam and glitzy, but write songs originating from their working class roots, that appeal to hundreds of thousands of people, especially women. Smarsh’s writing expertly highlights both Parton herself, and her life, as well as her impact on women like Smarsh’s mom and grandma, who lived the lives Parton writes about. Music is so important in this way, in the way of being *seen*, and both Parton and Smarsh fully get that. Smarsh’s writing is accessible and beautiful, and draws you in to every conclusion she makes about how powerful, and heartfelt, Parton’s songs are - and how the impact of truly being seen through her lyrics draws in working class women. This is a book that gives a voice to women who are often left out of most conversations relating to feminism, and I loved that - since I also grew up around and love women like the ones Smarsh is talking about.

In She Come By It Natural, author Sarah Smarsh examines the feministic influence (though Parton herself might not refer to herself as a feminist) of country icon, Dolly Parton. Smarsh argues that Parton is the voice of otherwise voiceless, impoverished, and lower class women.

When I picked up this book - I was hoping to find out more about Dolly Parton or her music. Instead, the book was a collection of essays with a connection to the author's family history & Dolly Parton. Overall, the book was not what I expected - it seemed to be more about Smarsh's family history and women who adored Dolly, rather than about Dolly or her music. This book was not for me, but others may enjoy Smarsh's book if they are looking for something a little different.

Basically four long-form essays collected into a book. Really incisive. Really interesting.

I WANT TO KNOW MORE ABOUT CARL DAMMIT. (I don't think it's the author's fault; I think Carl is a super secret person.)

If you know me, you know how much I love dolly. This book was a fantastic exploration of her relationship with the term feminism and how modern day feminism neglects WOC and women in poverty. It uplifts, respects, and critiques dolly with valid points along the way, and I really enjoyed that we had this honest depiction of her life in the media, whether these glimpses be positive or negative. Such a quick and great read!

Thank you to @netgalley and @scribnerbooks for this egalley of She Come By It Natural. Everyone who grew up in a particular part of the country (or anywhere, really) knows Dolly's basic upbringing, rags to riches. The title She Come By It Natural refers to Dolly's no nonsense attitude, snappy business sense, and her living out of feminism without even really knowing what it is. Dolly has lived out her feminism in how she loves all people, gives to all people, and behaves as she pleases no matter who it angers or turns on. I learned lots of new things about Dolly and her career that I didn't know, and I enjoyed this read.

There are few things in this world that are natural and loving Dolly Parton is one of them as her honest stories played out to music have captured our hearts for decades.

Smarsh does a great job explaining the impact women songwriters have on our society and culture as their gentle feminism tells stories of women living in poverty, with abusive/useless spouses, raising kids, and difficult times.

Dolly is a genius in giving these messages in a way everyone understands and very much wants to hear.

Great work and a lot of great information.

I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

She Come By It Natural is a culmination of past and present Dolly Parton history and how the author and the woman in her life resonated with so many that grew up with her music and unapologetic confidence.

This book completely blew me away. I read this in one sitting because I was enamored with it. I already knew a lot of Parton's history, but the way Smarsh took Parton's history and wove it into the fabric of three generations of relevancy was astonishing. The deep dive into what feminism looked like before we had a word for it gave me goosebumps more than once. She Come By It Natural has an indescribable IT quality to it. So much of it was perfect and flawlessly orchestrated that I have a hard time even putting into words what worked so well. I feel like I am describing both this book and Dolly Parton's career and that seems appropriate.

I was inspired by this book, encouraged by the simplicity of the work of a feminist, as defined here, and my love for Dolly Parton grew to heights I didn't know I had in me. This is a must read in my opinion. The only regret I have with this book is that I didn't get to the ARC sooner!

Thank you to @simonandschuster and @netgalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review

Content warning: sexism, mentions of sexual misconduct in the workplace. Men being gross.

"She Come By It Natural," is a collection of stories about the life of Dolly Parton and women who were influenced by the country music start and beloved icon. For those expecting a biography of Dolly Parton, they'll be disappointed by the content but the full title does clue you in to what you'll be reading.

I love Dolly Parton and I really enjoyed this book about the woman who have liver her songs. A must read for Dolly fans.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a free read in exchange for an honest review. Oh my Dolly! Oh how I love her music and her life! This is a very well thought out book for any Dolly fan!

Unfortunately, I was disappointed with this book. It wasn't as informative as I had hoped it would be. There is so much to discover and discuss about Dolly Parton. This book just didn't live up to the Legend that is Dolly Parton. This should've remained an essay/article vs being turned into a book. It felt like the author took the opportunity to monetize an old essay/article. At the very least, it could've been updated to include much more info considering the essay/article is a few years old.

She Come By It Natural by Sarah Smarsh is a mix of biography and how feminist issues applied to Dolly despite her solid denial of being a feminist. Without gushing, Smarsh praises Dolly for her quick wit against misogynist comments and her intuitive knack for business in a “man’s world.”

Dolly has always shared her stories of humble beginnings in the mountains of Tennessee, but it was fascinating to see how her background sometimes strongly reflects the lives of her fans, including Smarsh herself. Smarsh shares her own childhood in rural Kansas, and how Dolly’s music sparked happiness and forged a bond with her mother.

I loved the anecdotes of Dolly fighting the patriarchy and showing that women can be beautiful, sexual beings
without being objectified. This unearthing of the wisdom of a woman known for just her voice, generosity, and looks is so inspiring!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC of She Come By It Natural by Sarah Smarsh, in exchange for an honest review. I had heard good things about this book prior to receiving it, but I still wasn't sure it was going to be for me. I, of course, knew a lot about Dolly Parton (I thought) through her movies and charitable work more than her music, I guess. Besides Jolene, I Will Always Love You, and her duet with Kenny Rogers, Islands in the Stream (which was part of my mom's and my driving to school soundtrack when I was 14), I'm not sure how many Dolly Parton songs I actually know. I found myself going to YouTube clips for videos referenced in the book, and to hear songs that I didn't know, more than I ever have for this kind of book. I thought I knew about Dolly Parton, but I didn't even know that she was happily married to the same man for over 50 years. I learned so much and found myself telling my husband all the interesting tidbits that I was learning. He even seemed interested. However, this wasn't just a biography of Dolly Parton, it was the author's memoir for what Dolly Parton meant to her and her family and a reflection on what Dolly means to poor, working-class women. I hadn't ever really thought of Dolly Parton in that way and that while she may not claim to be a feminist, she certainly was a rags to riches story, and a pioneer for women in Country Music, yet she never turned away from her roots. I was appalled by how men and women spoke down to her, or only focused on her body. I appreciated the research Smarsh shared and how she brought to light many instances of Dolly Parton being treated unfairly, even in recent years, but Parton always seemed to have a quick comeback. I think one of Parton's strengths is how effective she is at reaching diverse groups of people and how she doesn't really take sides in things such as politics, as she remains true to herself and her values, and leaves the politics to others. Smarsh is quick to point out that she differs from Parton in this way, as a college-educated journalist and activist. I liked how Smarsh shows that women can come from similar poor backgrounds and take different routes to success and that they can both offer valuable examples of what it means to be a strong female role model in the 2010s-2020s, whether one wants be called a feminist or not. A smart book, with an interesting subject matter, I would definitely recommend this to anyone. Whether you are a Dolly Parton fan, or not, a feminist, or just a person who believes in equal rights for anyone, I think you'll enjoy and learn something from this book.

Sarah Smarsh outlines Dolly’s career and her unintentional feminist role in country music and in the business world. There were many points that infuriated me, from the way Porter Wagoner treated her, to today’s country radio refusing to play Dolly and other female artists. I’d recommend this to any fan of Dolly.

What a national treasure. Fan or not, most of us are aware of many of her songs. For those who make fun of her appearance, the joke is on them. Her success and business acumen in a male-dominated industry is legendary. She is not averse to self-deprecation and poking fun at herself. But underneath is a woman made of steel, kindness, and generosity.

She provided a voice to working class women everywhere. Smarsh writes that “country music is foremost a language among women.” Especially poor "mountain" women who didn't have a voice. Through her music these women felt seen. Many of the songs resonated with women everywhere. Who among us is not familiar with her iconic song “9-To-5”?

But what we may not realize is that her name belongs among the short list of the most generous philanthropists of our time. Her charitable giving is legendary, not just in her home state of Tennessee, where she's worked for years to improve literacy and promote education, but worldwide. She grew up dirt poor in one of the most economically depressed area of the country. She vowed to not forget where she came from, and she has made good on her promise.

If you’re interested in a biography of Dolly Parton, this might not be what you’re looking for. While I appreciated learning more about Dolly’s philanthropy and her struggles and successes in a male-dominated industry I found the link to the author’s life stories and relatives less compelling. Originally a 4 part article, the focus of the book was to link Parton to the feminist movement.

But as an ode to Dolly, this book was a complete success.

This book is a collection of essays previously published by Sarah Smarsh. I really enjoyed her first book, Heartland, and listened to this one, too. She is a great audiobook narrator. This is a fun book that plays into the Dolly Parton-as-pop-culture-icon with an intellectual and feminist lens.

I really hope Dolly Parton doesn't have to any skeletons in her closet, because that would be just devastating; it's hard not to think of here as both a feminist icon and an American Saint. Her embrace of her image, sexuality, and business in the man's world of 20th century music is impressive, her rags to rhinestones and riches story is iconic, and her understated philanthropy changes lives (her Imagination Library gives away a MILLION books a MONTH to kids!!!!).

This book was more than just a hagiography; it was a really interesting combination of academic study of Parton and a personal history of Parton's image and impact. Smarsh is both a trained academic and cultural critic and also grew up poor in the Midwest listening to Dolly and Loreta and Tammy and Winona. A combination of third wave feminist analysis, contemporary political analysis, and personal reminiscence could be clunky, but Smarsh's stories and analysis lend seamlessly affecting both the head and the heart. A great book.

A fascinating look at the life of Dolly Parton through the eyes of a modern woman. I appreciated the way the author related Parton’s life and music to that of her own family members. At times I felt Smarsh let her own opinions overshadow those of Dolly, but I appreciated her perspective.

Though many may look at this as an additional biography about Dolly's life, it is not. This book outlines the accounts and experiences that led to Dolly having this incredible career and legacy. Friends of mine know, if I could, Dolly Parton for president. She continues to influence us generation after generation.