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271st out of 405 books
—
259 voters
The Love Machine
In a time when steak, vodka, and Benzedrine were the three main staples of a healthy diet, when high-powered executives called each other "baby" and movie stars wore wigs to bed, Jacqueline Susann wrote three of the juiciest, best-selling novels of all time. Following its new edition of Valley of the Dolls, Grove Press is proud to reissue the other two classics in Jackie's...more
Paperback, 511 pages
Published
December 14th 1997
by Grove Press
(first published January 1st 1969)
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Aug 18, 2010
Jessica
rated it
4 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
students of twentieth-century gender roles; girls who just wanna have fun
So I've been having a pretty spectacular summer full of excellent beach days and trips out of town, but even with all the sweating and skin-showing, something does seem a bit off. So I sat down and did some thinking as I sipped a very tall glass of black iced tea cut with mint. Through the haze and humidity, the thought slowly dawned that the fly in my tanning oil might just be my reading list. Naomi Klein? Coetzee? With these temperatures?? I settled back in my deck chair, nibbled some homemade...more
27 likes · like · see review
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The was a pretty good book. I was actually expecting the sexually driven drivel that has become the basis of any book written by a woman because that is what they think women want to read.
It was refreshing to read a book that focused on relationships in a manner that was not completely driven by sex. Although there is PG rated,non descriptive sex in the book.
I think for the time frame this book was written in, she was addressing subjects that may have still taboo in society. Lesbianism, gay, tra...more
It was refreshing to read a book that focused on relationships in a manner that was not completely driven by sex. Although there is PG rated,non descriptive sex in the book.
I think for the time frame this book was written in, she was addressing subjects that may have still taboo in society. Lesbianism, gay, tra...more
The only page worth reading in this book is the prologue.
I got the impression from some of the reviews here that this book is a classic and celebrated “trash.” I thought it might be a good time for me to ignore my prejudice against the genre and give it a try – with me moving back to the sunny and happy Southern California and all. I was hoping for good, fun, and entertaining trash. This book is not trash. It’s crap. I leave it at that.
It is also possible that my sense of fun and humor is hopele...more
I got the impression from some of the reviews here that this book is a classic and celebrated “trash.” I thought it might be a good time for me to ignore my prejudice against the genre and give it a try – with me moving back to the sunny and happy Southern California and all. I was hoping for good, fun, and entertaining trash. This book is not trash. It’s crap. I leave it at that.
It is also possible that my sense of fun and humor is hopele...more
3 likes · like · see review
Well...
I found it under my little sisters bed. WTF I thought, she is supposed to be an 'intellectual' isn't this the same lady who wrote that 'dolls' book I secretly read at 14?
My (ex) bf wasn't back for days, and I was stuck upstate with too much time on my hands and too much family drama to ignore I decided to read it..
Realised the Robin guy was... Well, my boyfriend!!!
Couldn't put it down.
Decided to hate him.
I don't believe I learned about 'men' because of 'the love machine'.
This book i...more
My favourite part involved psychoanalysis
It took me a while to get into this book because so few of the characters are likeable, nevertheless I couldn't put it down. Although the ride wasn't quite the "trashy" fun of
Valley of the Dolls
, it still had plenty of twists and turns and surprises. I think fans of the romance genre would like this book, as well as anyone looking for an entertaining - though not necessarily light - read.
Valley of the Dolls
, it still had plenty of twists and turns and surprises. I think fans of the romance genre would like this book, as well as anyone looking for an entertaining - though not necessarily light - read.
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.
I'm no longer afraid to say it. I LOVE JACQUELINE SUSANN! The lead male character of this particular novel, Robin, is a big pile of jerk, no question about that. The women he wants are untouchable, the women who want him (of which there are plenty) are superficial. He wants money, alcohol, a good steak, and lots of meaningless sex. But I love it anyway. It's tawdry and obnoxious and smutty and not particularly well-written, but Susann always has me thoroughly engaged. Somewhere underneath the sh...more
This is the second time I read this book. The first time was well over 30 years ago. I know most people would scoff at reading Jacqueline Susann, but anything that entertains me is good in my book and this book did entertain me. I'm not much of a "high brow" reading and I mostly read murder mysteries but once in a while, I need a good trashy Hollywood novel and this book fits that bill.
Personally, I think Ms. Susann does a great job with character development and plot. The ending of this is a bi...more
Personally, I think Ms. Susann does a great job with character development and plot. The ending of this is a bi...more
After reading Valley of the Dolls, I decided to try another Jacqueline Susann novel. I liked The Love Machine better than Valley, but at the same time, it just feel like more of the same. The stories had similar characters and plots, and I wasn't caught up in it at all. The Love Machine is, perhaps, even trashier than Valley. In addition to drugs, lust, and drama, there are transvestites, orgies, and more. If you're looking for a trashy novel to read on the beach, this could be it.
Okay, a Jacqueline Susann novel: Campy? Check. Sleazy? Check. Weirdly Misogynistic? Double check. Entertaining? Totally. The best things I learned from this book (and "Once Is Not Enough", the 2nd part of my JS double feature) were two new ways to say "in bed"...JS's preferred terms are "in the kip" and "in the feathers". One sounds like you are in an army barracks and the other sounds like you are doing it in a barnyard, but you never know when that info may come in handy.
Disappointing followup to Valley of the Dolls. The film that came later was terrible. This involves a man, Robin Stone, and the movie industry. I was just days away from delivery my son - perhaps I wasn't in the mood for love machines.
Reading a Jacqueline Susann novel is the equivalent of eating a Twinkie (and I in no way mean to be critical of the Twinkie): her books are not substantial, there is nothing profound, and they certainly are not good for you. Nevertheless, reading one once in a very long while will not turn your brain to mush, just like eating a Twinkie once in a very long while won't turn your body to mush. Her novels are entertaining, even if they are about the sleaziest bunch of people you'd never want to meet...more
My favorite book is Valley of the Dolls, so I was inspired to re-read that and then try out her other books. This one just wasn't up to par. It didn't go anywhere and none of the characters are even likable
i read this in 1969 also and had thought it was pretty good back then . read it again to see how i had changed since then. i now think it is only OK so perhaps better for younger reader
Think this suffered the misfortune of resting in the shadow of Valley of The Dolls, so I may have rated it higher had I read it out of that context. But definitely a great read. Hilarious and jaw dropping at parts.
Um, good luck Maggie!
Um, good luck Maggie!
Outlandish great fun. Just when you think Susann has hit the outer edges of plausibility, she pulls another rabbit out of her hat. The book's bizarro energy never flags for a moment.
What I learned from this bok... Gay men and what they did. Read this book when I was in the seventh grade. Very graphic love scene...descriptive. But still an amazing book.
read it when I was 16. My English teacher asked every student what book we last read. He shamed me in front of the class after I proudly stated The Love Machine. I was impressed with myself because 1: It was the longest novel I had read thus far. 2. It was an "adult" book with sex and alcoholics throughout. He told me that it was trash. I went home and re-read some of it, especially the sex parts, which helped a modest Catholic girl learn the art of masturbation. And then the ending. The narciss...more
This is my least favorite Jacqueline Susann book. I had to force myself to keep reading and the best part didn't come until page 497 (the Judith fight).
Such good trash! I first read this book in the early 90s and have gone back to it a few times. Like Ms. Susann's other books, this is a great way to clear my head at the start of the summer.
Nov 13, 2012
Lynn Vannucci
added it
This was on my mother's bookshelf for four years before she would let me read it, and even then I had to beg. Worth every whine.
Well, I was sort of confused jumping from valley of the dolls to this book, and it's definitely not as good as valley of the dolls. If you like Susann's writing style, I think you'll enjoy it...but I wouldn't go into it expecting something equal or better than valley of the dolls.
First line:
At nine in the morning, she was standing on the steps in front of the Plaza Hotel, shivering in a linen dress.
At nine in the morning, she was standing on the steps in front of the Plaza Hotel, shivering in a linen dress.
May 13, 2010
Lynn Vannucci
added it
This was on my mother's bookshelf for four years before she would let me read it, and even then I had to beg. Worth every whine.
Even better than "Valley of the Dolls," it's part of the trilogy: "Once Is Not Enough," and "Valley of the Dolls"
I read this book before when it was first published. I liked back then and I still do, except that now, I see it as outdated. It's trasy, but entertaining at the same time.
Great Susann trash about Robin Stone, the title Love Machine. Read it at the beach, or alone in bed!
It's definitely not as good as Valley of the Dolls. It takes a while to get into the story (as it did with Valley of the Dolls) -once you know the characters the story gets exciting but then towards the end it got a little slow again. I was very involved with the characters though and it has the same splashy story lines as Valley. I do wish the main character was a woman. All in all pretty enjoyable.
It may not be high literary work but rarely have love stories been described more beautifully!
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Jacqueline Susann was one of the most successful writers in the history of American publishing. Her first novel, Valley of the Dolls, published in 1966, is one of the best-selling books of all time. When The Love Machine was published in 1969, it too became an immediate #1 bestseller and held that position for five months. When Once is Not Enough was published in 1973, it also moved to the top of...more
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