Little Pink Slips

Features

• Cover Type: Paperback with 400 pages
• Published by: Berkley Trade; Reprint edition May 6, 2008
• Written in: English
• ISBN 10 Number: 0425221318
• ISBN 13 Number: 978-0425221310
• Book Dimensions: 8.1 x 5.4 x 1.1 inches
• Weighs: 12.6 ounces

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 "magnificent" idea of turning her beloved magazine into the play toy of the overblown celebrity talk-show-host Bebe Blake. Bebe is a loudmouthed, opinionated lady (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 Engelmann
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

Reader Reviews
This review is from: Little Pink Slips (Hardcover) LITTLE PINK SLIPS is the ultimate insider's story. For years, author Sally Koslow had been the Editor-in-Chief of the venerable "McCall's" magazine. Suddenly, the powers-that-be in the head office decided to turn the publication over to Rosie O'Donnell--who had had no magazine experience--putting Koslow in an inferior position on the masthead. As it would turn out, even that inferior position did not last too long; eventually, of course, neither did Rosie. LITTLE PINK SLIPS is Koslow's fictionalized version of this segment of her professional life. While LITTLE PINK SLIPS easily could have disintegrated into a revenge novel, the author does not let that happen. She never is mean in telling this story, much as she may have been tempted to take her swipes. In fact, her Rosie surrogate often seems likeable, even when she's out of control. Yet this novel is not about media stars, fictional or real. It is about Magnolia Gold, the original editor of the ficticious "Lady" Magazine: about her efforts to keep the magazine's standards high, her attempt to stand up to the loud mouth boss who is brought in above her and, finally, it is about her struggle to resurrect her professional life after she is excessed. In telling this story, Koslow offers some wonderful glimpses into what it takes to put out a first-class magazine, giving readers a true fly-on-the-wall perspective. Her descriptions of Magnolia's co-workers are hilarious and one cannot help wondering on whom she based some of these characters. She tells the story with objectivity and thoroughness and with a commendable amount of humor. This humor, while often laugh-out-loud, is especially admirable in light of the fact that the plot mirrors a dark (and very conspicuous) episode in Koslow's own life. Equally good are the author's insights into upper-class New York life in these early years of the new millennium. She covers so much of the city's rhythms, from the best nursery schools to the best restaurants to the best cooperative apartment buildings to the best sample sales to the best hairdressers....Well, on every level, LITTLE PINK SLIPS is the best of the best. Comment | | (Report this)