A larger-than-life new biography of country music legend and philanthropist Dolly Parton.
Coming December 30, 2025
About the Book
In Ain't Nobody's Fool:The Life and Times of Dolly Parton, Martha Ackmann chronicles the life of an American Original. From her impoverished childhood in the Smoky Mountains to international stardom as a singer, songwriter, actress, businesswoman, and philanthropist, Dolly Parton has exceeded everyone's expectations except her own. The book features never-before-seen photographs and interviews with family, friends, and those who know her best.
About the Author
Martha Ackmann writes about women who have changed America. Her essays have appeared in the Paris Review, the Atlantic, and the New York Times, She has been featured on the Today Show, ESPN, CNN, NPR, and the BBC. Ackmann is the author of The Mercury 13, Curveball, and These Fevered Days. Her newest book is Ain’t Nobody’s Fool: The Life and Times of Dolly Parton. Readers have described her books as illuminating, engaging, and inspiring.
Photo by Kevin Grady
Praise for the Author
Dynamic Prose
“In dynamic prose, Ackmann… relates the story of thirteen female pilots who fought to become part of the nation’s space program at its inception. Their tale is uplifting, a narrative of their dedication… and sacrifice in an attempt to aid the nation in the space race against the Soviets and to experience the thrill of space flight… An utterly compelling book.”
—Publishers Weekly (starred review) on The Mercury 13
Energetic Storytelling
“I quickly came to treasure Ackmann’s ample descriptions, her deep knowledge of the poet’s milieu. . . . [These Fevered Days is] thoroughly researched, and yet, with Ackmann's energetic storytelling, alive.”
—Megan Marshall, New York Times Book Review
Illuminating Biography
"Journalist Ackmann traces the life of country music great Dolly Parton in this illuminating biography... The biography’s strength lies in its studious attention to how Parton’s childhood shaped her career... a well-rounded portrait of Parton that’s firmly grounded in her Smoky Mountain roots."
—Publishers Weekly
Eloquent and a necessary work.
"Curveball is an eloquent and a necessary work. Toni Stone's life and this book are both wonders to behold."
—Dayn Perry, columnist, FOXSports.com and author
Highly Engaging
"Ain’t Nobody’s Fool is a wonderful portrait of an extraordinary woman and her rise to superstardom. Ackmann strikes the perfect balance—thorough in her research without ever bogging the reader down—making this biography highly engaging and accessible... "
—Politics & Prose, staff review
Vivid
Affectionate
Complex
"The Emily Dickinson who emerges in this vivid, affectionate chronicle is a complex and warm-blooded individual―as curious, defiant of convention, and passionate in life as in her poems."
―The New Yorker
Chronicling Women Who've Changed America
Photo Credit: James Gerht