From Publishers Weekly
Former
McCall's editor-in-chief Koslow features in her mellow roman à clef Magnolia Gold, who gets booted out of her magazine kingdom, but lands on stilettos that "you could almost mistake for Manolos." Magnolia, editor-in-chief of
Lady magazine, has her dream job, a Cartier watch and a fab New York apartment, but
Lady's publisher and parent company president cozy up to gauche celebrity Bebe Blake and decide—against Magnolia's warnings that Bebe will alienate the mag's "red state Republican" readership—to turn
Lady into
Bebe and demote Magnolia to "corporate editor," a bogus position that's soon eliminated. (Bebe may remind readers of Rosie O'Donnell, who assumed Koslow's duties at
McCall's once it was relaunched as
Rosie.) As Bebe ravages the magazine, a down-and-out Magnolia orchestrates her return while she and best friend Abbey run through their share of nonstarter men. Abbey finds Mr. Right, and just as things are looking their bleakest for romantically and professionally flailing Magnolia, lightning strikes twice. Koslow's take on behind-the-scenes maneuvering will keep readers turning the pages of her debut, but her soft-focus on glossy magazine publishing (the same mani-pedis, shopping diversions and expensive meals circuit that have been catalogued elsewhere) feels reserved: the villains aren't especially vile, and the goodies are very goodly—call it a red state
TheDevil Wears Prada.
(Apr.) Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
--This text refers to the
Hardcover
edition.
From Booklist
Magnolia Gold, formerly ambitious Maggie Goldfarb of Fargo, North Dakota, is now the suave sophisticated editor in chief of
Lady magazine. So what if she has no love life? She loves her job and is looking forward to updating the magazine, if only CEO Jock Flanagan approves her new ideas. The bullheaded Jock hardly pays any attention to Magnolia's new plan because the publisher has the "fabulous" idea of turning her beloved magazine into the play toy of the overblown celebrity talk-show-host Bebe Blake. Bebe is a loudmouthed, opinionated woman (sound familiar?) with no magazine experience, and now Magnolia must kowtow to her so she can keep her job. On the heels of
The Devil Wears Prada (2003), Koslow presents another dishy and delightful insider's view of the elite in magazine publishing, a subject she is more than qualified to spoof, having been editor in chief of
McCall's. Patty EngelmannCopyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
--This text refers to the
Hardcover
edition.
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