'Gentlemen Prefer Blondes' was adapted into a successful stage musical and a film, and has had a lasting impact on popular culture, including the famous phrase, 'diamonds are a girl's best friend.' The book remains a beloved classic of American literature and a testament to Loos' talent as a writer. See More its commentary on gender and class issues. Loos' writing style is celebrated for its humor, wit, and The novel is a satire of the 'gold digger' trope and the high society of the time. Lorelei and her friend Dorothy travel to Europe, where they embark on a series of romantic and financial adventures. The book is presented as the diary of Lorelei Lee, a beautiful and charming but somewhat naive blonde woman who is determined to marry a wealthy man. This edition of Gentlemen Prefer Blondes published by Scruffy City Press, LLC, meets WCAG 2.0 AA standards for accessibility and has been professionally edited and compared to the original 1925 publication to ensure accuracy.Gentlemen Prefer Blondes is a comedic novel written by Anita Loos, first published in 1925. Listed on “The 100 Greatest Novels Written in English” by The Guardian in 2015 “A gorgeously smart and intelligent piece of work” Mencken-who Loos described as “one of the keenest minds of our era”-had once fallen head-over-heels for a young woman Loos called “the dumbest blonde of all.” And so, Lorelei Lee was born, and she has become the archetypal vamp keen on material values in love affairs. While watching the spectacle, she remembered that even her good friend and idol H. Among the passengers was a young soon-to-be-starlet, a blonde, who all of the men fawned over, while Loos, a brunette, was left to tote her own bags. It was made into a popular play the following year and became the basis for two motion pictures, including the classic Howard Hawks directed version staring Marilyn Monroe as Lorelei and Jane Russell as Dorothy.Īnita Loos later wrote that she came up with the idea for the story while travelling cross country via train with a group of Hollywood personalities including heartthrob idol Douglas Fairbanks, Sr. It went on to become a best seller in over a dozen languages. When it was published in 1925, Gentlemen Prefer Blondes immediately sold out on the day it reached the bookshops. Mendelman finds in the book both a satire. Lorelei may be a small-town girl at heart, but even she knows that gentlemen prefer blondes, and that while a gentleman kissing your hand may make you feel very, very good, a diamond bracelet lasts forever. (essay date 2014) In the following essay, Mendelman reads Gentlemen Prefer Blondes as a modern sentimental novel.

Follow the hilarious adventures of Lorelei Lee of Little Rock, Arkansas, and her friend Dorothy as they barrel their way across Europe leaving awe-struck gentlemen in their wake. If you liked Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, what should you read next Gentlemen Prefer Blondes The Pursuit of Love Radlett & Montdore (Book 1) The Autobiography.

The book that inspired the iconic Marilyn Monroe movie.

Gentlemen prefer blonds book