title: Stella Dallas
author: Prouty, Olive Higgins
description: "This pulp classic of motherhood and money introduced the immortal character portrayed on film by Barbara Stanwyck and Bette Midler-a feminist gem" (Michael Bronski).An ambitious woman from working-class roots, Stella sets her sights on marrying rich-and hits a bullseye. But her unshakable crudeness becomes too much for her husband. When he leaves her, she keeps their daughter Laurel. And now Stella sets her sights one again-this time, on giving her daughter the life she could never achieve for herself.Originally published in 1923, this epic tale inspired the first radio soap opera, a Broadway play, and multiple films, including the Oscar-nominated 1937 movie starring Barbara Stanwyck and the 1990 movie
  Stella
    starring Bette Midler.
  Stella Dallas
    is a razor-sharp critique of our societal obsession with the judgment of mothers, offering cultural commentary that is still shockingly relevant nearly one hundred years after its initial publication.""