SHORTLISTED FOR THE NATIONAL BOOK CRITICS CIRCLE The world can't seem to get enough of Dolly Parton. Her image is blazoned across T-shirts, she burns on desks as blasphemous candles, and well into her seventies she continues to grace awards stages, arenas and talk shows where women of a certain age are rarely seen. Yet not so long ago, Dolly was best known by many people as the punch line of a boob joke. So, what happened? In this affectionate, sharply insightful book, Sarah Smarsh charts Dolly's meteoric rise against the backdrop of her working-class roots. Drawing on her own experience growing up in rural Kansas, Smarsh crafts a resonant portrait of Parton's cultural importance, above all for the often-unheard women who populate her songs: struggling mothers, pregnant teenagers, diner waitresses with deadbeat boyfriends. Candid, intimate and searching, She Come By It Natural captures the enduring appeal of this singular star.

"[An] exhilarating reappraisal" - The Times, Books of the Year

"Compassionate and clear-sighted" - Sunday Times Culture

"An excellent study of the country queen reveals a nuanced political intelligence behind the glamour" - Observer, Book of the Week

"Thoughtful... sharply observed" - Guardian, Book of the Day

"Smarsh and Parton are a perfect pairing for the kind of in-depth examination into gender and class and what it means to be a woman and a working class hero that feels particularly important right now" - Refinery29

"Like Parton herself, She Come By It Natural offers a rare mouthpiece for a demographic that often goes unheard" - Financial Times

"Sarah Smarsh's biography reminds us of Dolly's energy and talent - and the philanthropy that has made her such a force for good" - Spectator

"A feminist story" - Monocle

"An engaging mix of thoughtful profile and personal memories" - iPaper

"In She Come By It Natural, which is part-memoir and part-celebrity biography, Smarsh sets out to show how Dolly's songs, and the way she has lived her life, have influenced a generation of American women" - Daily Mail

"A praise song for the cultural icon... deeply personal" - LA Times

"Smarsh seamlessly weaves her family's experiences with Parton's biography-triumphs and shortcomings alike-and cultural context. She Come by It Natural is, as a result, a relatable examination of one of country music's brightest stars and an inspiring tale of what women can learn from one another" - BookPage

"Affectionate and astute ... Smarsh's luminescent prose and briskly tempered storytelling make for an illuminating take on a one-of-a-kind artist" - Publishers Weekly (starred review)

"A highly readable treat for music and feminist scholars as well as Parton's legion of fans" - Kirkus Reviews

"[She Come By It Natural] includes sharp social commentary and well-placed personal anecdotes, [and] is at its heart a love letter both to Parton and to the women who continue to see themselves in her songs" - Shelf Awareness

"A real labour of love that tells the remarkable story of Dolly but also of the women she sings about" - Writing About Women