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{{Short description|1973 novel by Jacqueline Susann}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2025}}
{{Infobox book | 
| name = Once Is Not Enough
| image = Once is not enough.jpg
| caption = First edition cover
| author = [[Jacqueline Susann]]
| country = United States
| language = English
| genre =
| publisher = [[William Morrow and Company|William Morrow]]
| release_date = March 1973
| media_type = Print ([[hardcover]] and [[paperback]])
| pages = 467 pp (First edition, cloth)
}}

'''''Once Is Not Enough''''' is the third novel by [[Jacqueline Susann]], published in 1973 following her huge bestsellers ''[[Valley of the Dolls (novel)|Valley of the Dolls]]'' (1966) and ''[[The Love Machine (novel)|The Love Machine]]'' (1969). With ''Once Is Not Enough,'' Susann became the first writer in publishing history to have three consecutive #1 novels on the ''[[The New York Times|New York Times]]'' Best Seller list.<ref>Kasindorf, Martin. [https://www.nytimes.com/1973/08/12/archives/jackie-susann-picks-up-the-marbles-ravenhaired-deeply-tanned-and.html "Jackie Susann Picks up the Marbles"]. ''The New York Times''. August 12, 1973. Retrieved January 8, 2017.</ref>

==Plot summary==

The young and beautiful January Wayne, daughter of film and stage producer Mike Wayne, returns home to New York City after being hospitalized in [[Switzerland]] for nearly three years. But home is not what it used to be: the world which January knew has changed considerably.

As the naive January finds her way in this brave new world, she encounters such mortal souls as Deirdre Milford Granger, the fifth richest woman in the world, as well as Deirdre's virile young cousin, David Milford; Linda Riggs, the vulgar but successful editor of ''Gloss'' magazine; Tom Colt, the macho novelist who harbors a secret; and Dr. Preston Alpert, the dirty but invigorating "Dr. Feelgood." Also in the mix is Karla, the reclusive former movie queen with more than one secret.

The story reflects the social upheavals of the late 1960s and early 1970s.

==Background==
Jacqueline Susann initially called the novel ''The Big Man'' but changed her mind after visiting comedian [[Joe E. Lewis]] on his deathbed. Lewis, who had famously said, "You only live once—but if you work it right, once is enough," apparently reconsidered, for he told Susann, "Once is ''not'' enough."<ref>Seaman, Barbara. ''Lovely Me: The Life of Jacqueline Susann''. 2nd ed. (New York: Seven Stories Press, 1996), p. 441.</ref>

Susann was diagnosed with cancer two months before the book's scheduled publication date. Her usual efforts at promotion—including a grueling book tour—had to be curtailed. But Susann soldiered on; as her husband, [[Irving Mansfield]], said, "The day the book came out, she was booked on the ''[[Today (American TV program)|Today]]'' show. She left Doctors Hospital after a blood transfusion, did the show, walked around the corner, got into an ambulance and went back to the hospital."<ref>Clifford, Garry. [http://people.com/archive/mr-jacqueline-susann-honors-his-late-wife-by-hawking-her-final-book-vol-6-no-6/ "Mr. Jacqueline Susann Honors His Late Wife by Hawking Her Final Book"]. ''[[People (magazine)|People]]''. August 9, 1976. Retrieved January 8, 2017.</ref>

Susann was candid about the theme of the book, stating that it was one of "mental and spiritual incest."<ref>Seaman, ''Lovely Me'', p. 231.</ref> After her death, film critic [[Andrew Sarris]] pointed out, "If there is any single key to the oeuvre of Jacqueline Susann, it is to be found in an extended [[Electra complex]]."<ref>Seaman. ''Lovely Me'', p. 233.</ref>

Susann dedicated the book to her father, Robert Susann (1887–1957), and her husband.

==Reception==
The book, published by [[William Morrow and Company|William Morrow]] on March 20, 1973, met with largely negative reviews, as was typical for a Susann novel. A writer for ''The New York Times'' complained that the book had "nearly 500 steadily monotonous pages," populated by "a cast of obscure, unpleasant, implausible, stupid or sly characters [who] lurk in the mind for weeks only because one wants to meet and kick them."<ref>O'Reilly, Jane. [https://www.nytimes.com/1973/04/01/archives/once-is-not-enough-by-jacqueline-susann-467-pp-new-york-william.html "''Once Is Not Enough'': A Guide to the Good Parts of Jaqueline Susann"]. ''The New York Times'', April 1, 1973. Retrieved January 8, 2017.</ref> However, two of the book industry's most respected trade magazines—''Library Journal'' and ''Publishers Weekly''—gave the book positive reviews. ''Library Journal'' said, "Spectacularly successful. There are plane crashes, drug orgies, motorcycle accidents, mass rapes, attempted abortions, suicide, evil doctors and assorted other activities, and I couldn't put the damned thing down." ''Publishers Weekly'' said, "Our girl has done it again. There is no place for this sensational novel to go but straight up the best seller list." Which it did. Sales were enormous: the book spent 36 weeks on ''The New York Times'' Best Seller List, eight of those weeks at #1.<ref>[http://www.hawes.com/1973/1973.htm "Adult New York Times Best Seller Lists for 1973"]. Hawes Publications. [n.d.] Retrieved January 10, 2017.</ref> It became the second highest-selling novel in 1973, behind only ''[[Jonathan Livingston Seagull]]'' by [[Richard Bach]].<ref>[http://bestsellers.lib.virginia.edu/decade/1970 The 20th-Century American Bestsellers Database: 1970s]. University of Virginia, via ''Publishers Weekly'', 2016. Retrieved January 10, 2017.</ref>

==Film adaptation==
In 1975, [[Paramount Pictures]] released a film adaptation, ''[[Once Is Not Enough (film)|Once Is Not Enough]]'', directed by [[Guy Green (filmmaker)|Guy Green]] and written by [[Julius J. Epstein]] (''[[Casablanca (film)|Casablanca]]''). The film starred [[Kirk Douglas]] as Mike Wayne, [[Alexis Smith]] (in her first film since 1959) as Deirdre Milford Granger, [[Melina Mercouri]] as Karla, and [[Deborah Raffin]] as January. It was produced by [[Howard W. Koch]] and executive-produced by Susann's husband, Irving Mansfield. The musical score was composed by [[Henry Mancini]].

The film received negative reviews; [[Vincent Canby]], in ''The New York Times'', offered a multiple-choice "audience participation" review, in which the reader was given four choices (ludicrous, bad, terrible, horrendous) to evaluate the movie.<ref>Canby, Vincent. [https://web.archive.org/web/20141217231147/https://www.nytimes.com/movie/review?res=9B03EEDC1E38E73ABC4152DFB066838E669EDE "Film: If Once Is Not Enough, Then...."] ''The New York Times''. June 19, 1975. Retrieved January 8, 2017.</ref>

Despite the reviews, the film was a commercial success, earning $15.7 million at the box office.<ref>[http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=onceisnotenough.htm "Once Is Not Enough"] [n.d.]. Box Office Mojo. Retrieved January 8, 2017.</ref> [[Brenda Vaccaro]], as Linda Riggs, received an [[Academy Awards|Oscar]] nomination for her performance. Vaccaro won the Golden Globe award for Best Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture for her role in the film.

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* {{IMDb title|qid=Q2276866}}

{{Jacqueline Susann}}

[[Category:1973 American novels]]
[[Category:American novels adapted into films]]
[[Category:Novels by Jacqueline Susann]]
[[Category:Novels set in New York City]]
[[Category:William Morrow and Company books]]

Once Is Not Enough - Revision history

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