“People talk of situations, read books, repeat quotations.”
—Bob Dylan, “Love Minus Zero/No Limit”
Join Bob Dylan Center Director Steven Jenkins for an online discussion with journalist and author Martha Ackmann about her sweeping and incisive biography of one of the most beloved musicians and entertainers of our time, the inimitable Dolly Parton.
In “Ain’t Nobody’s Fool: The Life and Times of Dolly Parton,” Ackmann explores the social, historical and personal forces that have made the country music legend, performer and philanthropist a unique figure within popular culture for decades. From Parton’s impoverished childhood in the Smoky Mountains to international stardom as a singer, songwriter, actress, business tycoon and social-justice advocate, Parton has continuously exceeded everyone’s expectations but her own.
As Ackmann chronicles, Parton’s fierce talent and focus led her to the top of the country charts, movie stardom and global popularity. However, her success came at a price. Shunned by many in Nashville who saw her ambition as a betrayal to her country music roots, Parton became the target of death threats, lawsuits and the ire of a judge who threatened to send her to jail. Parton persevered the backlash and scaled new heights with her Dollywood amusement park and the founding of her Imagination Library, providing free books to children around the world. Musically, Parton returned to her bluegrass roots and released a string of late-career albums that are among the most widely celebrated of her sixty-year-plus career.
Featuring previously unpublished photographs and documents, and interviews with friends, family members, bandmates and musical luminaries, Ackmann’s biography does full justice to Dolly Parton’s extraordinary story.
Zoom in for this virtual chat as Ackmann discusses “Ain’t Nobody’s Fool” and fields questions from Jenkins and attendees.
Presenting Supporters: Joe Donnelly and Becky Thorson
Details:
This event will take place virtually via Zoom.
Thursday, March 19, 2026
6 p.m. CT
Tickets:
$5 for nonmembers
Free for Bob Dylan Center members
About Martha Ackmann:
Martha Ackmann writes about women who have changed America. Her books include “The Mercury 13: The True Story of Thirteen Women and the Dream of Space Flight,” “Curveball: The Remarkable Story of Toni Stone, the First Woman to Play Professional Baseball in the Negro League” and “These Fevered Days: Ten Pivotal Moments in the Making of Emily Dickinson.”
Ackmann’s essays have appeared in The Atlantic, Paris Review, the New York Times and the Washington Post, and she has been featured on The Today Show, ESPN, CNN, National Public Radio and the BBC. She is the recipient of fellowships from the John Simon Guggenheim Foundation and the Harvard-Radcliffe Institute.
About the Bob Dylan Center Book Club:
The Bob Dylan Center Book Club is a series of conversations with writers, artists and performers about their latest releases. Featured authors discuss their memoirs, share stories of their adventures in the music industry, and delve deep into the careers and legacies of pivotal figures. In keeping with the mission and activities of the Bob Dylan Center, which celebrate fearless creativity, conversations focus on stirring music, iconic musicians and the mysteries of the creative process.
Book Club sessions take place on Zoom on every other month, begin at 6:00 pm CT, last for one hour, and are open to Bob Dylan Center members and the general public. Bob Dylan Center Director Steven Jenkins moderates the conversations with a diverse range of guests, and registrants are invited to contribute questions and comments via the Zoom chat box.
