Jacqueline Susann of her own books. "Valley of the Dolls" spans twenty years (1945–1965) in the lives of three young women: Anne Welles, the New England beauty who liberates herself from her staid small town by coming to New York, where she falls in love with the dashing Lyon Burke; Neely O'Hara, an ebullient vaudevillian who becomes a Hollywood star and self-destructs; and Jennifer North, a showgirl with little talent but a gorgeous face and figure, who becomes a friend to both. All three women fall prey to the "dolls," amphetamines and barbiturates, a euphemism which Susann coined. The book was published
The Last Valley (novel) as well as what is known of their individual histories: Except where noted, all perished in the Battle of Rheinfelden. The Valley and its village are technically loyal to the Catholic cause in the war and located two days ride from Rheinfelden. The author uses a number of writing devices to heighten the tension of the story as well as enrich its historical backdrop. Throughout the novel, characters at all socioeconomic levels can be found discussing greater events in Germany as they understand them as well as relating their own experiences. Additionally, Pick has a penchant for withholding names for