Ain't Nobody's Fool

The Life and Times of Dolly Parton

By: Martha Ackmann

Narrated by: Hannah Church

“Narrator [Hannah] Church delivers a performance that is both tender and resonant. Her warm, emotionally nuanced voice draws listeners into the heart of Parton’s journey, capturing not just the facts of her life, but the spirit behind them. Church’s pacing is thoughtful and deliberate, allowing the emotional weight of Dolly’s struggles and triumphs to fully land.” — Booklist (Starred Review)

“[Hannah] Church’s bubbly and bright narration captures the joy and hopefulness for which [Dolly] Parton is known.” — Kirkus

A larger-than-life new biography of country music legend and philanthropist Dolly Parton.

In Ain't Nobody's Fool: The Life and Times of Dolly Parton, Martha Ackmann chronicles the life of an American Original. From her impoverished childhood in the Smoky Mountains to international stardom as a singer, songwriter, actress, businesswoman, and philanthropist, Dolly Parton has exceeded everyone's expectations except her own. During a time when the Beatles set the standard for contemporary music, Dolly appeared on a local country music television show that her high school classmates thought was pure cornpone. The day after her high school graduation, she boarded a bus for Nashville, but record executives turned her down. One said her voice sounded like a screech owl.

When Dolly finally got her foot in the door, her talent and focus catapulted her to the top of country charts, the pop world, and movie stardom. Yet her success came at a price. Shunned by many in Nashville who saw her ambition as a betrayal of her country music roots, Dolly became the target of death threats, lawsuits, and a judge who threatened to throw her in jail. She nearly collapsed on-stage and later succumbed to depression that pushed her to the brink, but she refused to be counted out and came back stronger than ever developing Dollywood, the amusement park that became the economic engine of East Tennessee, and founding the Imagination Library that provides free books to children around the world. Her philanthropy to health organizations led to creation of the Moderna COVID vaccine. And, finally, she returned to her roots, recording bluegrass albums that became the most celebrated of her unparalleled 60-year career.

Ain't Nobody's Fool is a deep dive into the social, historical, and personal forces that made Dolly Parton one of the most beloved and unifying figures in public life and includes interviews with friends, family members, schoolmates, Nashville neighbors, members of her band, studio musicians, producers, and many others. It also sheds light on her family's hardscrabble life. More than anything, Martha Ackmann's fresh and animated new audiobook proves Dolly Parton knows just who she is and she ain't nobody's fool.

A Macmillan Audio production from St. Martin's Press.

Great biography!

This was a great biography of Dolly's life and career! I really enjoyed it. She is such a treasure and I like her even more by listening to this.

Her honesty and generosity

Would have liked mention of all the books she has given to children and her recognition in the library of Congress.

Perfect!

You can tell the author of this book did her research. Fantastic in every way! Really enjoyed this one!

How much I’ve always loved and admired Dolly! And hearing her story, and what she’s gone through really resonated with me.

Great book, you won’t be disappointed, only when it ends. Hopefully one day Dolly will get to do a book herself.

Spirited Look at Dolly Parton, the Human and the Icon

One of America’s most prolific and enduring singer/songwriters, Dolly Parton came of age in the music biz when women were mostly side acts. But the talent, grit and tenacity that transported her from Tennessee’s Smoky Mountains to the glitz of Nashville’s Music Row made her MORE than a star. She’s an ICON who revolutionized country music, while also leaving a rhinestone boot print on Hollywood and American pop culture. And then there’s Dollywood, the billion dollar amusement park she built in Tennessee, plus her considerable philanthropic work, primarily in literacy and healthcare. If you’re a country music fan, or someone who remembers Aunt Dolly from Hannah Montana, you’re gonna love this book. But even if you’re not country in the least, I suspect you will find Dolly’s character, creativity and cleverness hard to resist. I sure did. The book and narration were a fitting tribute to the legend that is Dolly Parton.