Gentlemen Prefer Blondes

The Illuminating Diary of a Professional Lady

De: Anita Loos, Jenny McPhee - introduction

Narrado por: Patrice O’Neill

The delirious 1925 Jazz-Age classic that no less an authority than Edith Wharton called "the great American novel".

If any American fictional character of the 20th 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.

©2014 Introduction by Jenny McPhee to the Liveright. Paperback edition copyright © 2014 by Jenny McPhee. Copyright renewed 1991 by Jay S. Harris. Copyright © 1963 by Anita Loos. Copyright renewed 1952 by Anita Loos Emerson. Copyright 1925 by Anita Loos. Copyright 1925 by The International Magazine Co, Inc. (Harper’s Bazaar) (P)2014 Audible Inc.

Clever, funny, irreverent,

Lorelei’s diary humorously shares her insights on men, money, and a girl’s relationships with both. Although times may change but the foibles of human nature are surprisingly universal. This bestselling book from 1926 sold tens of thousands of copies for Anita Loos. Would that they had followed this book more closely when writing the movie of the same name with Marilyn Monroe.

Great story

This was an exciting discovery for me. Anita Loos, the author, has put into words something about men that remains true and funny to this day, over 80 years after first being published.

It tells stories on men and is also a great little history of the 1920's.

It is very funny and highly recommended.

The narrator is absolutely perfect for this book and I hope she does a lot more work for us.

Really appreciated the introduction!

Somedays you stumbled across a book that is based on something you think you know a lot about. As you consume the introduction and the author's preview notes, you realize how much you have missed and only having ever been exposed to a small slice of the story and not having known the background of the original author. Such is my situation with "Gentlemen Pefer Blondes" by Anita Loos, the much more familiar Broadway musical starting Carol Channing, and the iconic movie musical with Marilyn Monroe and Jane Russell. The introduction and the author's autobiography of a book really set some context that was important to understanding the entire double and triple spoofs that the book is. It was a delightfully read and produced audio book and I am so happy to have caught up on the whole story of Lorelie Lee.

Gentlemen prefer Audible

A great performance of this classic work. I love the readers hilarious performance of Dorothy.

A Girl Like I Loves This Book, Which Is An Audio Book

I can't say enough good of this novel. It is conscious of literary form the way Gertrude Stein's poetry is, and it is a biting and effervescent satire of sexual hypocrisies and gender objectification of the Jazz Age. McPhee writes a marvelous introduction, and the narrator is spot- on.

Brava to all!