"It is a mighty task to write generously, robustly, and imaginatively about Dolly Parton, who already exists so broadly at the intersection of many American imaginations, all of them flourishing and fluorescent. But what Lynn Melnick has managed is beyond mere tribute, and beyond biography–it is a rich, close reading of multiple lives, that sometimes find themselves touching. The narratives in this book are masterfully presented and do justice not only to the life of its central subject but also the life of its writer."–Hanif Abdurraqib "The author writes with remarkable vulnerability and candor yet ensures that the often-painful memories she relates don't cloud her critical gaze. She moves gracefully between confessional and analytical registers, her prose both sharp and full of heart."–The Atlantic "A riveting blend of cultural criticism and memoir...In her quest to 'be more Dollylike, rising again and again from the embers of expectation, ' Melnick offers a gorgeous story of survival and self-discovery."–Publishers Weekly (starred review) "I've Had to Think Up a Way to Survive is more than an artful memoir; it is thought-provoking cultural analysis of a beloved icon whose relevance endures."–BookPage "Discarding the societal demand to keep quiet about her own trauma, Melnick structures the book as an inquiry into the music of Dolly Parton that 'unmired' her when she first found herself in a drug rehab program as a teenager in the 1980s. It's Dolly Parton's music that offers transcendence in Melnick's life from then on, and she scrutinizes Dolly's songs and their personal and cultural impact in a mixture of biography, critical investigation, music journalism, social history, and invocation. 'It's a refusal of secrets, ' Melnick writes in the final chapter about a song that Dolly is singing, but this is also a perfect summation of her book."–BOMB "A treasure for Parton fans . . . [Melnick's] book is a testament to the power of storytelling and to the help we sometimes get from people who don't even know we needed them."–Minneapolis Star Tribune"Like Dolly's voice, Melnick's tone is casual and joyous, yet still defiant, cogently seeking commonality between its two subjects and showing how she and Parton have each performed their womanliness–and all its concomitant mess...Carefully researched and at times uncomfortably honest, I've Had to Think Up a Way to Survive also avoids hagiography and handles the problematic aspects of Dolly better than most...I've Had to Think Up a Way to Survive is, at core, about the Appalachian skill of 'always being aware of the terrible' while steadfastly and laughingly avoiding its grip."–The Georgia Review "Melnick lovingly chronicles how Parton's expansive songwriting catalog and her six decades as a household icon have been inextricable from Melnick's own journey from a Jewish teenage addict to an accomplished artist."–Lilith "[Melnick] deals with past trauma by analogizing her own life to the country legend's. Although Melnick and Parton didn't seem to have much more in common on the surface, discovering their similarities is at the center of this moving journey."–The Boot, 10 Best Country Music Books of 2022"There is rich texture in the details Melnick shares of her life, which she weaves into Parton's history and the backstory of each song, with Parton's hardships and struggles as much an inspiration to Melnick as the star's thrilling success...This is absolutely the book for any Dolly Parton fan, full of anecdotes and intricate history of The Leading Lady of Country. It was empowering and inspiring to read the stories of these women (Parton and Melnick) and to know they have made something of the ashes left when others lit a match."–Southern Review of Books "Lynn Melnick's new book is an ode to storytelling itself, how it keeps us alive and makes our lives more worth living, whether in music, poems, or even a biographical memoir that winds two stories together to make something stronger and more beautiful than either alone. A gorgeous and heart-rending story of survival."–Melissa Febos
