Synopses & Reviews
Originally published in 1923, this epic tale of motherhood, money, and sacrifice, inspired the first radio soap opera, a play, and three films, including the Oscar-nominated 1937 movie starring Barbara Stanwyck. Stella Dallas brings into sharp focus our societal obsession with the judgment of mothers, offering social commentary that is still shockingly relevant nearly one hundred years after its initial publication.
Olive Higgins Prouty (1882-1974) is the author of many books including Now Voyager. Later in her life, Prouty was a patron and mentor, and the basis for a character in Sylvia Plath's The Bell Jar.
Synopsis
One of the most entertaining, excellently sustained and consistently developed novels of the season.” New York Times (1941)
Synopsis
This pulp classic of motherhood and money introduced the immortal character portrayed on film by Barbara Stanwyck and Bette Midler--"a feminist gem" (Michael Bronski).
An ambitious woman from working-class roots, Stella sets her sights on marrying rich--and hits a bullseye. But her unshakable crudeness becomes too much for her husband. When he leaves her, she keeps their daughter Laurel. And now Stella sets her sights one again--this time, on giving her daughter the life she could never achieve for herself.
Originally published in 1923, this epic tale inspired the first radio soap opera, a Broadway play, and multiple films, including the Oscar-nominated 1937 movie starring Barbara Stanwyck and the 1990 movie Stella starring Bette Midler. Stella Dallas is a razor-sharp critique of our societal obsession with the judgment of mothers, offering cultural commentary that is still shockingly relevant nearly one hundred years after its initial publication.
About the Author
Olive Higgins Prouty (18821974), like many of her characters a wealthy Bostonian, was the author of ten novels. A graduate of Smith College, Prouty endowed a writers scholarship at Smith that was received by Sylvia Plath, who later portrayed her patron unflatteringly in The Bell Jar.