You might have heard about "Valley Of The Dolls", a New York Times Bestseller from an era, when our mothers took books to our holiday-homes to leave them there after reading; I found that novel by Jaqueline Susann one summer later - when I just hit the age of thirteen - and could not stop reading this page-turner for two days, until I finished it.

I then went for two more books by Susann, and "The Love Maschine" became one of my favourite love stories of all times - also a great portrait of the media scene in New York´s Sixties. I guess, that is when I decided to become a journalist.

Susann created that thrill of binge-reading that people these days maybe know from their "Harry-Potter"-days - and later on from TV shows like "House Of Cards".

The book "Dolls! Dolls! Dolls" just came out the other day - the writer is obsessed with Susann, since he found a copy of her book in his mother's underwear-drawer; obviously it is true: America was so much more prude during the Sixties than us Europeans.

Stephen Rebello´s book deals with the movie that came out quickly after the success of "Valley Of The Dolls" made Susann a society darling - I just watched it for Sharon Tate, who plays one of the main characters: The movie still leads every list of "Bad Movies We Love"

But going back in time, when speaking openly about those "dolls" (uppers, downers, anti-anxiety- or sleeping-pills) was a first, it feels nearly quite as unhealthy to read this gossip - but who am I to judge?