Tinsel (novel)

Tinsel

First edition
Author	William Goldman
Cover artist	Richard Huebner[1]
Country	United States
Language	English
Publisher	Delacorte Press
Publication date	1979
Pages	342
ISBN	0-385-29031-4

Tinsel is a 1979 novel written by William Goldman. It was the third of a four-book deal he had with Delacorte Press after Marathon Man and Magic. He called it "my Hollywood novel". He began writing it on April Fools' Day 1978 and finished it five months' later.^[2]

Goldman said in a 1979 interview that he was motivated to write the novel to explore the treatment of women in Hollywood:

There are a couple of basic truths about this town. One is that nobody knows anything about what will work. It's all a search for past magic. Those who can no longer produce it are useless. The other truth is that everyone in the movie community is searching for heat. John Travolta was the hottest thing ever-ever; only Dustin Hoffman after The Graduate and Midnight Cowboy was comparable. Then Travolta made a movie with Lily Tomlin (Moment to Moment) and where were his fans? Farrah Fawcett is a year from game shows. This is why we're all so nervous. There's no carry over of affection. It's why nobody can cut their price. You're worth a million dollars or you're unemployed. That's what happened to Elizabeth Taylor and what I wanted to tell in Tinsel. What happens to the women of Hollywood?^[3]

Reception

Larry McMurtry reviewing the book for the New York Times said "Mr Goldman never gets beneath the stereotypes".^[4]

References

1. Modern first editions - a set on Flickr
2. 'BEHIND THE BEST SELLERS: WILLIAM GOLDMAN', By Judy Klemesrud. New York Times (1923-Current file) [New York, N.Y] 16 Sep 1979: BR11.
3. 'GOLDMAN: MOVIE INDUSTRY'S DEPENDABLE 'GUN FOR HIRE' ' Rosenfield, Paul. Los Angeles Times (1923-Current File) [Los Angeles, Calif] 02 Sep 1979: m28.
4. 'Three Novels: Novels', By LARRY McMURTRY. New York Times (1923-Current file) [New York, N.Y] 26 Aug 1979: 260.