Miss America: In Pursuit of the Crown: The Complete Guide to the Miss America Pageant

The mother of all beauty pageants had its start in Atlantic City, N.J., in 1921, although it has not enjoyed 70 years of continuous operation--it skipped several years in the '20s and early '30s. Over the course of time the emphasis has changed from mere good looks to talent and, most recently, to concern for social issues. Many winners have gone on to fame in other fields, notably Bess Myerson, Phyllis George and Lee Meriweather. Bivans, a longtime preliminary judge, covers seemingly every aspect of the affair, including the vast network of volunteers across the nation, details of the judging and the road from local contests to the Boardwalk, not omitting the few scandals that have occurred. With an estimated four million women now participating in beauty pageants annually, there should be a large audience for this paean to female comeliness. Photos. Literary Guild and Doubleday Book Club selections. (Aug.)