Product Description
Erica Jong--like Isadora Wing, her fictional doppelganger--was rich and famous, brainy and beautiful, and soaring high with erotica and marijuana in 1977, the year this book was first published. Erica/Isadora are the perfect literary and libidinous guides for those readers who want to learn about-or just be reminded of-the sheer hedonistic innocence of the time. How to Save Your Own Life was praised by People for being "shameless, sex-saturated and a joy," and hailed by Anthony Burgess as one of the ninety-nine best novels published in English since 1939. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (12)

SAVE YOUR LIFE!
erica jong is amazing! if you read "Fear of Flying" you'll have to read this!

Terrible
I found this in a used book store and was so happy.Then I read it and am no longer happy. Fear of Flying is one of those novels that I love and re-read often. It is truly funny and shows a whole range of emotions. This book is sadly lacking.Isadora turns whiny, her friends are caricatures. The unhappiness of this charcter seems pathetic and unimportant in this novel. Plus, I truly miss her family; those characters provided necessary contrast.This was a profound disappointment

how i saved my own life
I found out about Ms. Jong is a Salon interview this summer and decided that I had to go out and add "Fear of Flying" to my female writers repertoire, however as luck would have it, my local bookstore only had "how to save your own life," therefore I decided to read backwards and must say that her book had me `in' for days... Nothing, not even a strapping lad ready to give me the world and blahniks at hand, could break up the conversation Ms. Jong and I shared for a week straight on my couch.Ms. Jong is a wise woman, and I suggest this read to any woman who feels her life is cracking.This book is in my top ten and I think it will be in yours too soon.

The Ladies encore to FEAR OF FLYING........
You don't have to read FEAR OF FLYING to enjoy this book but it would give you a little background to protagonist of this book: Isadora Wing.

Isadora is stuck in a marriage that is dying a slow painful death.She has begun affairs with several people to help her deal with her feelings or fulfill her needs that are not being met by her aloof, detached, and psychologically dominate husband of eight years. Isadora echoes many of the feelings modern women feel in their marriage and other relationships and is often very insightful.

Also, there are a few chilling moments in the book that took me by surprise. I won't give them away you will have to read the book.

So, Erica Jong takes you on a journey with Isadora while she tries to figure out what her future will hold and how to move forward with or with out her husband.This journey has lots of sexual liasons that are heartfelt, sad, and often hillarious.She speaks the truth about her sex experiences even if we are not ready to hear it.

Isadora is a woman who has gotten lost in the forest and can't see the trees because of the forest but is on a path of discovery. Isadora will discover friendship, betrayal, love, loss, and most of all courage.

I love Erica Jongs writing style. She is a realist but at times I often wonder how much of her books are fiction or autobiographical. I enjoyed her sequal to FEAR OF FLYING and do recommend it.

Love her writing style
This was an excellent book.Very very good. ... Read more

Product Description
Erica Jong's memoir-a national bestseller-was probably the most wildly reviewed book of 2006. Critics called it everything from "brutally funny," "risquŽ and wonderfully unrepentant," and "rowdy, self-deprecating, and endearing" to "a car wreck."* Throughout her book tour, Jong was unflappably funny, and responded to her critics with a hilarious essay on NPR's All Things Considered, which is included in this paperback edition. In addition to prominent review and feature coverage, Jong was a guest on Today and Real Time with Bill Maher. Even Rush Limbaugh flirted with Jong on his radio program: "I think she wants me. I think she's fantasizing about me." Love her, hate her, Jong still knows how to seduce the country and, most important, keep the pages turning. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (24)

Entertaining and encouraging
Erica Jong has told her memoir in fictionalized form several times, so while this is classified as such, avid readers may recognize characters and stories from earlier in her "series" of work, though they are treated here with the greater wisdom of age.This is really more of a book of encouragement for young writers, sprinkled with inspirational literary quotes and parables from the author's life -- a far more ribald (and, admittedly, less dignified) Maya Angelou book, if you will.

One of the finest qualities of Jong's writing is her lack of pretentiousness.She doesn't feel the need, as many authors do, to make herself sound noble on the page.She's willing to laugh at herself, as well as at all the foibles of the many fascinating humans she's come across.You'll laugh right along with her.

I knocked this down from 5 stars only because the book seems a little truncated -- one senses Ms. Jong is holding back a bit of ripe business for her next novel!But I don't blame her...every seductress needs to maintain a little mystery, even in her writing.

Vintage Jongisms, good for the soul
Purchase this book if you think you are buying a book of writerly advice (note the book's subtitle).Buy it if you love anything written by Jong and you won't be disappointed.STD is more memoir than didacticism;in the book's intro, Jong admits that she began the book as a tome of advice for the fledgling writer as a way to avoid writing her next novel.The 2 book jacket photos tell the story of the two EJ's:1)the EJ that wrote THAT celebratory book in 1972 and 2) the older, wiser EJ.She's back to her old tricks at times, using the 4-letter "c words" for male/female anatomy.Among other things she is guilty of romanticizing the Sylvia Plath debacle and spends a fair amount of time describing her own flirtation with Ted Hughes.Especially pathos-oozing is her non-romantic reunion with Dart, a character from a previous novel.Jong describes his aging male type to a tee.She also writes a good deal about the not-so-mystical connections between the muse and booze (apparently she had an alcohol problem at one time and writes as if she may still be in recovery).
Writing advice is inadvertently woven throughout her text, perhaps unconsciously so:"Nothing freezes the imagination like family loyalty or political correctness."Did you know that most days she feels like an abject failure as a writer?
Jong unfortunately digresses into her affair with Martha Stewart's husband.No love lost between these two women, to be sure.She also professes her lust for Bill Clinton whom she feels "likes flashy broads.His own mother was a flashy broad and men never get over their mothers."
A vintage Jongism can be spotted on page 154:"I used to get excited about boys in black leather jackets on Harleys.I would never have married Mr. Motorcycle, but I sure liked to f*** him."She writes a bit on her second marriage to Allan Jong, her 3rd to Jonathan Fast and of her present, fulfilling union with Ken.
Despite a lot of literary flashbacks to the heady days of Fear of Flying fame, the book is up-to-date.She's also right-on with her bon mots on writing:"The itching of a scar.What a perfect description of the urge to write."And like any good Jong memoir, STD functions as a kind of tell-all in her stream-of-consciousness writing.She tells the reader about literary numeraries such as Arthur Miller, Julia Phillips, Henry Miller...she confesses that she thinks of FOF as more of a 'rant' than a novel.
Politics rear their ugly head all through the book.Jong crucifies George W. Bush every chance she gets.And for the life of me, I cannot deduce how Jong can be such a fan of Nabokov's Lolita--which is nothing more than disguised pedophilia.
And like a mother will do, Jong boasts of daughter Molly throughout the pages.Shameless, perhaps, but what's a mother to do?No doubt, though, that even Erica Jong would present a feminist argument on this very sentiment.

Erica Jong Rocks!
Writing is like "ITCHING THE SCAR" --Colette--

"The notion of God brings us to the muse--the male writer's form of the demon.The muse also embodies creativity.She's fickle.She appears and disappears at will.We can't control her.And because we can't control her, we hate her as much as we love her.
We try to summon her with sex, with falling in love, with mind-altering drugs.But the fact is, she won't be summoned.She alights when she damn well pleases her.She falls in love with one artist, and then deserts him for another.She's a real bitch" -Erica Jong.

Just let me say right off, I looove Erica Jong!I've read several books about writing, but Jong's memoir rates among the highest. It is deliciously unique, sassy, insightful, and, oh my, so severely direct.The rawness and presence of her writing is invigorating. The humor, sexuality, and honesty, are precisely what the reader {me} is intrigued by, interested in, and want to devour.

"Seducing the Demon" gives the reader a peek into Jong's past and present world, and what a world it was.I mean, this woman partied with super-stars like Ted Hughes, (Plath's ex) and Henry Miller, (Nin's ex). One of the greatest, controversial poets of all time, Anne Sexton, was her mentor. Can you imagine hanging out with Sexton-- Talking about metaphor, men, and menstruation? Anne was a feminist before feminism even existed.

One could say Jong had the untamed life of a writer, or at least, what we assume a writer's life would be.Writing all day.Partying all night. Then writing again about her experience.Sounds like Hemmingway!

I want the writer's life.

Jong understood what rehab was before it was chic and cool, and she knew about sex, how to use it, how to get it, and then, fortunately, how to write about it.She talks about Colette, Plath, and Sexton; the vivacious feminist poets, who came before us, who dangerously and marvelously changed literature forever.Halleluiah.

Jong is bookish, buoyant, and beautiful.She is fearless. She inserts a quote from Colette, which reads,"Writing is like itching a scar."And that, my dears, may be the truest statement of all.Because when one is born with the fever of writing, they must write, they must create; they must reinvent, they must relive, they must itch the scar any way they possibley can. They must do this to live.

From Erica with Love
There's a good memoir buried somewhere in the heap of re-edited commencement speeches and magazine think pieces that make up SEDUCING THE DEMON, Erica Jong's how-to book for would-be writers.The book jumps into overdrive when Jong recalls an early trip to California where, flush with the success of her novel FEAR OF FLYING, she sold the movie rights to Julia Phillips, a successful producer who was on the verge of a massive cocaine fueled breakdown.Jong's wild Hollywood nights contrasted sharply with her daytime visits to the Big Sur seaside home of aging lion Henry Miller, who exhibits an unexpected sweetness here in his extreme old age.

Later, under the disastrous tutelage of Noel Marshall and his wife, actress Tippi Hedren, Jong decides to sue Phillips and Columbia for reneging on their agreement to film FEAR OF FLYING.What a mistake!The suit plunges Jong into financial disaster and forces her into writing all sorts of hackwork just to keep afloat.Her literary reputation, never high to begin with, plunges ziplessly downwards.

SEDUCING THE DEMON seems a little desperate as Jong flings herself in all directions, rummaging through that ragbag of memory she calls her life.She rehearses the horrid love affair she had that already inspired a whole roman a clef ANY WOMAN'S LIFE, describing her hero memorably as the man whose erection wavered noticeably to the left, "in direct opposition to the tendency of his parents' politics."It's sentences like that that make you remember that Erica Jong was a poet first before becoming a pop novelist.She tells the story of how her daughter confessed to her that she was afraid of becoming a joke in Manhattan due to her cocaine addiction, then says, but this is my daughter's story to tell, not mine.I don't suppose anyone will finish this book, not even Jong's accountants, but it has its moments and oh, don't you wish she had obeyed her feminine instincts and actually taken Ted Hughes up on his offer of sexual favors?We would have had at least another few Jong novels out of it.

More than a babe
I remember reading once that someone said author Erica Jong looked like Miss Piggy. Her upturned nose probably inspired that comparison, but I've always found Jong, the author of the infamously erotic "Fear of Flying," very attractive and sexy. The photograph of Jong, obviously snapped when she was in her 20s or 30s, adorning the front jacket of "Seducing the Demon: Writing For My Life," is striking. Now in her '60s, she remains a dish, but this book (the first of hers I've read) shows she's got a full plate, and is more than a babe.

Jong's book was "started as a book of advice for fledgling writers." My ego, my age, and my status as a professional writer (struggling, though I may be) may exempt me from the "fledgling" label, but writing is important to me, and I'm always interested in reading books by writers for whom writing is also important - a way of life rather than a way to earn fame or money.

In the final chapter, titled "Does Writing Trump Family," she says, "If you want to be a nice person, don't write."

"There's no way to (write) without grinding up your loved ones and making them into raw hamburger," she writes. Jong states elsewhere that all fiction is autobiography and all autobiography is fiction. As for genres - fiction, non-fiction, memoir - they don't exist. "I've always thought that the idea of genre was a blot on the soul of literature," she says. "Categories like novel, memoir, biography have no value when you're writing - however much value they may have to librarians or bookstores. A book is a book is a book."

When I started reading Jong's book, I had no idea her words would speak to me so clearly. I often read in search of confirmation that others think what I think, have suffered as I have, and are oppressed by the same fears, the same guilts, the same demons. A good writer must be honest as much as he/she possesses a skill with words. When this honesty is present, the writer and reader communicate with each other in an almost spiritual way, soul-to-soul, heart-to-heart.

When reading Jong's description of her father's last days, I'm reminded of my mother and her defiance, her refusal to eat or get involved in activities at the nursing home, as well as her 1999 hospitalization during which she was uncooperative, ripping the respirator from her throat, a move that actually kick-started her recovery. Jong describes her father in a similar way. He was a "fighter" who "tried to escape from the emergency room, from the ICU and from the hospital" and was proven right when "the pneumonia he caught in the hospital that would finally do him in at ninety-two and not any of the three types of cancer her got and conquered...He pulled out breathing tubes, peeing tubes, IVs. He did not go quietly."

James Baldwin said that art is the order that comes out of the disorder of life. Jong says "I think writing elevates my mood because it's a way of imposing order on chaos."

Reading Jong's fine book elevated my mood, as well as provided insight into her talent. And that cover photo? Damn, she's hot!

Brian W. Fairbanks
... Read more

Product Description
Originally published in 1973, this uninhibited story of Isadora Wing was a national sensation: fueling fantasies, igniting debates, and even introducing a notorious new phrase to the English language. In The New York Times, Henry Miller compared it to his own classic Tropic of Cancer, predicting, "This book will make literary history, that because of it women are going to find their own voice and give us great sagas of sex, life, joy, and adventure." It went on to sell more than twelve million copies. Today, Fear of Flying is a classic--a timeless tale of self-discovery, liberation, and womanhood. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (81)

Decent tale of Feminist Searching
I read this book in the 1970's as a teenage male hoping for a sexy book by an liberated young woman.And on that level the story was disappointing.The main character Isadora has natural sexual desires (a still-controversial theme in the 70's, I suppose) and engages in a couple flings (zipless encounters), but this is hardly a sex novel.Instead, the story scores on a different level,one of an unfulfilled woman on an escapist journey through Europe.What is she running from?Her family, and perhaps conformity, society, even her own confusion.She is doing so in a world where the role of women is slowly changing to a more liberated venue.Many readers will identify with Isadora's rebellion against both societal expectations and her feelings of being unfulfilled. Others may dislike Isadora's (or Ms. Jong's) seeming privilege and self-indulgence.I guess you could see it either way, or even both.Still, this is a pretty good book, one that has now sold 20 million copies.

Changed My Life
When I can see a reflection of myself within a novel, it is fated to become one of my favorite books.

Published in 1973, Fear Of Flying tells the story of Isadora Wing a twenty something woman who travels to Europe with her husband for a conference in the process, discovers herself.

The book is snarky, cynicall, funny, emotional, raw, honest, sexy and a great read.

I reccomend it to any woman between 20 and 30, it will change your life.

This is feminism?
I read the first several pages at the bookstore and could not wait to bring the book home. What a disappointment it turned out to be! A 100 pages into it, I was so disqusted with histrionic Isadora, the book sailed across the room into the trash can. While the story did offer insight into the "female condition" that was certainly applicable to our time, the main character, with her narcissism, immaturity, and complete lack of appreciation for the lifestyle that her "neurotic" family provided for her, was simply too unpalatable. Why or why all the psychoanalysis? Was she a victim of childhood sexual abuse? Was she violently beaten and emotionally neglected? Did she encounter terrible trauma as a child or adolescent? If not, then what explains the incessant therapy?

I am not usually offended by profanity, but ongoing references to c--t made me wince. Perhaps, Ms. Jong felt that throwing these around was a sign of psychic liberation; to me, it felt like a constant stream of vulgarity that detracted from the story. And what is with the obnoxious name dropping? Ms. Jong is clearly a well educated woman but she goes to such lengths with her never ending references to authors and literary characters that it all becomes supremely annoying, especially because it brings little or nothing to the story. Also, I do not understand what drew Isadora to Adrian Goodlove except for his smart turtlenecks and cussing, or how she could flit from one European country to another, constantly complaining of this inferiority or that while being completely useless herself.

Overall, I failed to grasp what made Fear of Flying a "seminal feminist classic". There are books that are infinitely more informative and insightful that have withstood the test of time. This work, in my humble opinion, was a waste of time.

Real Women's Fiction from a Real Woman's Point of View
I am embarrassed to say that I just got around to reading Fear of Flying. I know, I know. In '73 when it came out, it was lauded as one of the greatest works of literature of all time, and it is. It was one of the first books to explore the feminist psyche in such an unapologetic way, and one of the first to do so written in the style of a fictional memoir.However, I wouldn't have really been able to relate to it as deeply in my Twenties, but now that I am well into my Forties, I can appreciate the psychological truisms that would have eluded me as a younger reader less experienced in the ways of love, sex, and relationships. The book is witty, shocking in its exhibitionism, but most of all, it's honest. I don't know of any woman who hasn't thought or felt this way at some point in their life about the men in their life and how it all relates to their own sexual identity. As a bonus, the writing is stellar but for a few issues.

Isadora is a neurotic nightmare and an existentialist's perfect women. This book deals with some serious subject matter, but Isadora's cutting wit lightens the load of what might have been a depressing and oppressing story.

This is real woman's fiction, and in my opinion, any woman will hard-pressed NOT to see a bit of herself in Isadora even if she doesn't want to admit it.

a sexual odyssey in search of identity and secure attachment




Erica Jongtakes us on an intrapsychic merry-go-round as her heroine searches for the right blend of sexual satisfaction, secure attachment and love. Her lusty odyssey is tempered by her self-deprecating humour and ambivalent relationships with psychoanalysis and psychoanalysts.
This book remains a groundbreaking classic and opens our eyes to the progression of feminine sensibility.


Alan Eppelauthor of"Sweet Sorrow: Love, Loss and Attachment in Human Life".
Sweet Sorrow: Love, Loss and Attachment In Human Life ... Read more

Product Description
This witch's brew of a book is back in all its tantalizing glory to enchant a new generation of readers. Best-selling author Erica Jong here turns her attention to the fantastical and factual world of witchcraft. In beguiling poetry and prose, she looks at the figure of the witch both as historical reality and as archetype-as evil crone and full-breasted seductress, as a lingering vestige of a primeval religion and a projection of fear of the unknown.

Joseph A. Smith's powerful, haunting illustrations enliven each page, as Jong investigates the witch as a survivor of the age of sorcery, as a scapegoat for male-dominated church-state politics, as a remarkable natural healer, and as a hexer without peer. Real recipes for love potions and flying lotions, along with formulas for spells and incantations, make this book a rich journey of mystery and delight. Available in paperback for the first time, Witches has been a favorite since it was published more than 20 years ago-a testament to the enduring fascination with the myths and truths about these intriguing figures. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (25)

Gorgeous
This book is gorgeous! I thought it might be a children's book, due to all the drawings (and the drawings are colorful fine art quality!); but coming upon several expletives, I realized it's just a fun book for adults. I wish other Witchcraft authors would realize how starved some of us are for visuals such as these. The poetry is beautiful, and often satirizes the Witchcraft stereotypes. But the book also goes beyond stereotypes to try to piece together the real witchcraft (non-wiccan) and I appreciate that Erica Jong sees a difference, unlike so many other authors out there. (I have nothing against Wicca; it's a beautiful new religion--it's just not the practice of witches of old, and I don't like it when authors pretend that Wicca is the only type of Witchcraft out there).

This book was not for me!!!
I personally hated this book. You can't tell if the author is against Wicca or for it. She says witchcraft is not satanic but then she has drawings throughout the book of the goat. She also goes into detail about the tortures people faced if they were charged with being a witch. To me it was too graphic. If you are looking for a wicca book this is not the one!!

AMAZING!!!
I had absolutely no idea how magnificently beautiful this book would be and I was delighted when I opened it!!I've wanted it for years, but kept putting off buying it until I recently became interested in the history of Witchcraft.I also didn't realize this was an oversized edition with out-of-this-world stunning artwork.The book is worth the artwork alone.

I've always loved Erica Jong's books, but she outdid herself with this one.It's a tribute to women everywhere and I highly recommend it whether you're interested in Wicca, Witchcraft or not.Her poetry is awesome.It's a book to treasure and display.

Gorgeous, gorgeous, gorgeous.
This is probably the coolest book on Witchcraft and Goddess religion I've ever come across. It's mostly a coffee-table art tome, peppered with accurate, nonjudgemental information. The construction of the book as a whole is really beautiful -- the paintings are haunting, the text typeface is pretty, fun *and* easy on the eye, and the entire feeling of the book, though it's only paper, is very tactile. I love holding this in my lap and thumbing through it, again and again. Very highly recommended.

Very adorable
I am a wiccan, i loved this book. it's not about wicca, but about WITCHES, there is a difference, no matter how much some wiccans want to to belive otherwise. this is a beautiful book. It can't be read like she is trying to prove andything, because she is not. She has beautiful artwork and beautful writing, thouroghly reccomended to wiccans, witches and lovers of either. ... Read more

Product Description
Married (again) and divorced (again), Isadora Wing is a single parent with an adorable daughter, an irritating ex-husband, and a startling assortment of suitors: an unorthodox rabbi, a poetic disc jockey, the son of a famous sex therapist, and WASPily handsomest of all: Berkeley Sproul III. Isadora and Berkeley meet at a health club, and he's fourteen years her junior. Of course their affair is tortuous and sexy, but is it love? Or does the stud just want a free trip to Venice, compliments of a famous author? Either way, Erica Jong wrote this romance with "a mixture of eloquence and savage wit as good as anything she has ever written," said The Wall Street Journal. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Parachutes & Kisses
Love this book.Couldn't wait to turn the page to see what happens next.Weather real or imagined it is funny.Those where the good old days.Ms. Erica really knows how to put the pen to the paper to brighten up the that time in history.I have read all her the books and they get funnier as she matures.

GREAT
this is the 3rd book in the series and i was a little dissapointed. I loved Isadora in first person! but not so much in 3rd. Overall great book and read though.

Classic Erica Jong
This is Erica Jong at her best and worst. As I read it, I kept grabbing a pencil to fix obvious mistakes and editorial oversights, and in other places I despaired of ever fixing her klunky prose and clumsy expositions. For a poet, her prose is anything but lyrical.

Yet Erica cannot be beat for her sense of felt life, for her honest reflection on and accurate depiction of the human condition. More pages in my copy of _Parachutes and Kisses_ are underlined and dogeared for future reference than in my copy of _To The Lighthouse_ - and I was reading Virginia Woolf for a literature class where analysis was expected! Erica shows parts of herself - and parts of myself - to me in ways that no one else comes close to, in spite of the fact that she is hiding behind her doppelganger, Isadora Wing.

This subterfuge leads to some unavoidable confusion. Having read twobooks by Erica Jong about Isadora Wing (_Parachutes and Kisses_ and _Fear of Flying_) and one book ostensibly by Isadora Wing about a woman painter (_Any Woman's Blues_), it is hard to separate what Erica wrote from what Isadora is supposed to have written. At one point a character in _Parachutes_ accuses Isadora of having started "the whole thing" (the sexual revolution) with that chapter about the "Zipless ___." But Erica wrote that chapter in a book about Isadora - only by stretching our interpretation of the paralelism of their lives and careers can we arrive at the inference that one of Isadora's early books contained the same chapter.

Overall, this book met my litmus test for a good book. When it was finished and I put it on the shelf, carefully filed with the rest of my Erica Jong collection, I felt like I was saying "good bye" to a close friend: a friend with her own flaws and peccadilloes, but a friend I will treasure.

More adventures of Isadora Wing!
"How to Save Your Own Life" closed with Isadora basking in the sunset of Malibu with her young prince happily ever after and on that note we open to the first sentence of Parachutes and Kisses only to discover paradise in Malibu has eluded our heroin. Isadora Wing has been through analysis, found writing success, a third marriage, and a child only to discover she married a child and then had one with him.

Distraught and lost, Isadora journeys through another divorce, tax problems, single motherhood, and endless nannies looking for her demon lover. Parachutes and Kisses chronicles more exploration of self with regard to the love she feels for her third husband and the obvious pain of divorce, especially when there is a child involved.

This is another great book from Erica Jong about finder yourself and the inner strength that knowing who you are and what you're capable of brings. If you read Erica Jongs' book: Seducing the Demon Writing for My Life, which is somewhat of a short memoir, you might recognize some of the characters in Parachutes and Kisses.

A wonderful book!

girldiver:)

Isadora Wing hasn't grown up yet?
I loved Erica Jong and FOF, but was really disappointed with this book.

She is still wondering why she hasn't found her "one true love."Isadora has become sort of pathetic, really.She mistakes hedonism with happiness, like a 400-pound binge eater with heartburn hoping another bag of cookies will make them feel light and energetic again.

But in this case she sleeps with anything in pants, drinks and uses drugs and wonders why her so-called "relationships" don't last.If she didn't seem to take herself so seriously I would think that was the lesson in the book. ... Read more

Product Description
Discovered on the doorstep of a country estate in Wiltshire, England, the infant Fanny is raised to womanhood by her adoptive parents, Lord and Lady Bellars. Fanny wants to become the epic poet of the age, but her plans are dashed when she is ravished by her libertine stepfather. Fleeing to London, Fanny falls in with idealistic witches and highwaymen who teach her of worlds she never knew existed. After toiling in a London brothel that caters to literati, Fanny embarks on a series of adventures that teach her what she must know to live and prosper as a woman. Soon to be a major Broadway musical. Reading group guide included. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (12)

Erica Jong Has Written a Gem of a Book!
While this book is not for everyone, it does contain explicit sex scenes, it is a novel full of high adventure, love lost, love found and often a very amusing novel that many would enjoy!

Original tale
There are times where your jaw will drop at how open Erica Jong is about the unsavory aspects of Fanny's sexual experiences.Fanny has a very interesting journey that takes you all over the place and through several different cultural landscapes.It's definitely worth reading.It's relatively light, but at times - like discussing the slave trade - important points are contrasted in a surprising way.

I enjoyed this book, but I was a little let down when I picked up Jong's Fear of Flying which seems to typify the bulk of her work.You wonder where she ever came up with the idea for Fanny.It was truly an original tale, written by someone that doesn't get stuck in a romance genre rut.

I loved this book!
I've always liked Jong, and certainly haven't read everything she's written, but I think this is my favorite of all those I have. As the last reviewer noted, this is essentially a 'corrected-by-the-real (fictional)-person' rewrite of Cleland's Fanny Hill, and is certainly more feminist. It also benefits from Jong's extensive knowledge of 18th century English literature, which she has an MA in from Columbia. I loved the plot, the wonderful characters, the humor, the sex, and the fascinating insight into a woman's life in this period.

Parody
This book is a parody of the erotic book, "Fanny Hill, or, the Memoirs of A Woman of Pleasure" by John Cleland, written in the 1700's.that's why Jong's book has such archaic words & phrases. Read them both.

Read it for what it is-sheer entertainment
I read this book when it first came out a number of years ago and I never forgot it. It's not Sophocles or Gabriel Garcia Marquez--it's just a great picarasque novel.I looked high and low to buy it for years but it had gone out of print.Finally, I discovered it at a bookstore in Sydney a couple of years ago and I was elated!Enjoy the read. ... Read more

Product Description
Seducing the Demon has introduced Erica Jong to readers who hadn't been born when Fear of Flying was published in 1973. Now one of her finest works of nonfiction -and a New York Times bestseller-is back in print with a new afterword.

In Fear of Fifty, a New York Times bestseller when first published in 1994, Erica Jong looks to the second half of her life and "goes right to the jugular of the women who lived wildly and vicariously through Fear of Flying" (Publishers Weekly), delivering highly entertaining stories and provocative insights on sex, marriage, aging, feminism, and motherhood. "What Jong calls a midlife memoir is a slice of autobiography that ranks in honesty, self-perception and wisdom with [works by] Simone de Beauvoir and Mary McCarthy," wrote the Sunday Times (U.K.). "Although Jong's memoir of a Jewish American princess is wittier than either." ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Fear of Fifty gave me plenty to reflect on
My measure of a good book is how long it makes you think after reading it, and this book has had me thinking for days.I think Erica has been very raw and honest in detailing her feelings about her life and experiences.Refreshing to read about someone who has been married more times than me.Also contains the best last line I have ever read

i love this book at age 28
i love to read people writing their own story.and this one can be the best of them.erica share what's deep in her heart,and doesn't afraid to face her wrong and say sorry.this book helps women more for there are something only women meet in their life time and somthing only women understand.

Fear of Fifty
Erica Jong is funny, witty, and unusual.After reading the book, I listened to her tapes.I enjoy giving them as gifts to my friends who turn 50.I even gave it to my 30 year old stepdaughter and she loved it,too....Erica Jong helped me look forward to "Turning 50"---wellalmost! ... Read more

Product Description
"Sappho's Leap delights."—USA Today

Sappho's Leap is a journey back 2,600 years to inhabit the mind of the greatest love poet the world has ever known. At the age of fourteen, Sappho is seduced by the beautiful poet Alcaeus, plots with him to overthrow the dictator of their island, and is caught and married off to a repellent older man in hopes that matrimony will keep her out of trouble. Instead, it starts her off on a series of amorous adventures with both men and women, taking her from Delphi to Egypt, and even to the Land of the Amazons and the shadowy realm of Hades.

Erica Jong—always our keenest-eyed chronicler of the wonders and vagaries of sex and love—has found the perfect subject for a witty and sensuous tale of a passionate woman ahead of her time. A generation of readers who have been moved to laughter and recognition by Jong's heroines will be enchanted anew by her re-creation of the immortal poet. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (34)

Nice possible-history of the tenth muse.
Jong's translations of what is left of Sappho's poetry are a little iffy, but recognizable. The story itself is beautiful. I saw the book likened to The Odyssey, and after reading, I agree. The journey is everything, for the character Jong builds on Sappho. The mythic journey that she finds herself thrown into creates Sappho's fame, and when she ends that journey, her fame almost flickers out in favor of the changing trends of song in her homeland. The tale Jong weaves out of what little is known of Sappho's history is wonderful. It flows like few modern stories do. And the ending was satisfying - a happy ending, veering away from despair in love and suicide. Jong's Sappho- and Aphrodite-inspired poems at the end were appropriate, but I didn't enjoy them that much. I ended up reading through them just to finish. They didn't grab my attention.

Nope, nope
I liked Fear of Flying, but not this one. Sometimes only one title from an author is plenty.

A work obviously meant for the unwashed and unread masses, Ewww
This author, Ms. Jong, is one of the most underestimated writers of today, does herself well with this wonderful work of historical fiction.Somewhere along the literary road, someone decided she was a sort of pulpy type writer.I suppose this is because she appeals to the "common person," the Proletariat so to speak, which bends the noses of the academic and upper classes out of joint. Being one of the unwashed masses, I find her prose is absolutely delightful as is her ability to tell a story. Here Ms. Jong has fused fiction, mysticism, historical fact and speculation into a wonderful, almost mystical story of a fascinating woman in a fascinating time, on a fascinating subject.She, the author, also gives us a good account of the ancient Gods, who for all I know are still with us, even to this day, and the role they were felt to play in human lives, and truth be told, probably still do. We have the added bonus of having some of Ms. Jong's translations of Sappho's work (there are many of these out there, and the efforts of Ms. Jong's are as good as any, indeed better than most) along with some very nice pieces (poetry) by the author, written in the style of the time.

As with any work, there may be a couple of questionable lines in the book; questionable only if you are so anal retentive that you go over a work of fiction trying to find something to crab about. (I know, that was a fragmented sentence, but I liked it anyway so will leave it as written). I disagree with another reviewer that the couple of lines discussing dildos may have been a bit over the top. They certainly do not distract from the work or the story in the least...Hey, I use them, all my friends use them, why on earth could not Sappho and her friends not use them, even if they did not have batteries at the time?I fear we may have a reactionary voice here in regards to those nasty old lesbians who still haunt the world; even though there are apparently more of the disgusting creatures today than in days of yore.I would also suggest you follow the author's suggestion that you find and read for yourself some of the great translations of Sappho's wonderful work; they are still, after all these years, truly a turn-on (that is a term, i.e. we of the unwashed masses, use at times.) Read the story, enjoy it.

This is a delightful book, truly a bit of a turn-on in many aspect and I enjoyed every page. And please do remember that this is a fictionalized account of a remarkable woman.It is not a lesson in Greek Mythology and was not meant to be.We know that some of you are ultra-sophisticated and are duely impressed with your own pontifications as to the mythological accuracy of this work, but hey, for those of you in that category...go write your own flippin book.

A wonderful romp through antiquity
I have heard about Erica Jong, but have not read anything by her, so this was my first experience. I picked up the book out of a recent interest in antiquity, and a desire to see what the world was like in the times of my great great great ancestors.

I enjoyed the book. Jong put much research and effort into the work. The book is less an orgy of erotica, and more an experience of a woman that we do not know much about. The effort to include such an array of characters and places is remarkable in itself, and to situate Sappho's life in the context of history as a necessary given was quite well done. The tongue-in-cheek interludes of Zeus and Aphrodite were always something I looked forward to in the reading, and I believe truly convey the understood nature of their divine relationship. The plot at times lacked something, I believe, but the characters were quite real to me.

Reading this work has only fueled my desire to pursue more books about myroots in the Mediterranean Basin, even in the form of historical novels. I think this was a bold effort bu Erica Jong, and praise is well-deserved.

Leaping into Mythology, With a Somewhat Awkward Landing
Sappho has always been an interesting figure to me, as have her poems. I always wonder what it would have been like had her poetry survived the ages whole and intact, and if there would have been as much fascination with her and her work if it had. Of course, you can say that about anything lost or fragmented over time.

The reason I mention this is that what Erica Jong attempts to do is to fill the gaps in Sappho -- not only in terms of poetic license, but also in terms of her own life and history. The premise of the novel is very interesting and starts off with Sappho herself about to leap over a cliff. As you follow her life, Jong actually exposes you to a lot of ancient Greek, Egyptian and Mediterranean mythology and historical lore -- creating a very cosmopolitan, strange and somewhat eerily familiar ancient classical world.

She also creates many interesting characters and has quite a few interesting ideas with regards to Sappho's own geographical and sensual journeys. In many ways, the author attempts to present Sappho's adventures as though they are part of a Homeric epic. Indeed, it is even stated somewhere in the book that the idea is that these would be Sappho's adventures if Homer had replaced Odysseus with the poet herself.

But however ambitious that goal was, it somewhat fell short. The characters were skimmed over a lot, and there was more in the way of summary and exposition than there was action. Often, although Sappho's own emotions were described very vividly through first-person narrative, the other characters were not given that much complexity -- as were some very interesting other situations.

There were many times in the novel itself that some events, transitions between events, and characters could have been expanded on and solidified, but they were summarized or skimmed over for the sake of brevity. Also, there were even hints of ideology in the narrative that were both anachronistic for the epic poetic tradition it was supposed to be written in or derived from, and very heavy-handed and obvious.

I feel that the idea was an excellent one, but more detail and more expansion to character and events could have been much more interesting. However, I did learn a lot from it, and I admire the attempt to take a figure and her works fragmented by history and filling the gaps with other elements of contemporary history, literature, and mythology. Trying to move it into mythology.

It was certainly an interesting read. ... Read more

Product Description
Any Woman's Blues, first published in 1990, is a tale of addiction and narcissism-the twin obsessions of ourage. World-famous folk singer Leila Sand emerged from the sixties and seventies with addictions to drugs and booze. Leila's latest addiction is to a younger man who leaves her sexually ecstatic but emotionally bereft. The orgasmic frenzies trump the betrayals, so she keeps coming back for more.

Eventually, Leila frees herself by learning the rules of love, the Twelve Steps, and the Key to Serenity in an odyssey that takes her from AA meetings to dens of sin, parties with "names" worth dropping, and erotic gondola rides. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (9)

still have not received the item, waiting
I still have not received the item,the seller was very apologetic,I was told it was shipped 6 days ago so maybe I will receive it someday soon

Leila, or is it Layla? I swear Clapton wrote a song about her...
Much like "Fear of Flying," Jong's "Any Woman's Blues" asks the reader to reconcile the person they think they should be and the person they want to be. AWB uses the story of Leila to show readers that faults and mistakes ultimately who we are and the more we, as humans, can accept that and learn from it - and not be afraid to fail again - the closer we move to finding ourselves.
I really like Jong. She represents the idea that we are who we are and that life is full of decisions that we really can't stress about because life will continue anyways. Leila teaches about confidence in decisions and taking control of our own existence.
The theme in AWB is quite strong - the plot and characters (other than Leila), maybe not so much. As the reader, I was often didn't know if I was in a flash forward or a flash sideways. There were many side characters that were difficult to keep track of and also to know what they had to do with the larger story at hand. But maybe that is also part of the theme - life is full of banality and insigificances that just don't matter. If we are able to sort out that stuff, ignore it, and concentrate on what really matters we may start to be on the right track. But what really does matter? AWB will let you follow Leila through her life while she tries to figure that out.
Overall this book was allright. I like Jong much more after reading AWB than I did after Fear of Flying so I am willing to take on a third book of hers. Jong has a gift to putting words to emotions that are so true and terrifying that most of us (I say us because I am sure I am not the only one) have experienced and not wished to think about it enough to try to describe it. Hooray for Jong - an assett to men and women alike for not being shy to say what really happens.

Disappointing

There is some intelligence and a few flashes of insight here but on the whole, Jong has created a thin world that revolves around implausible sex. There is something excessive and fantasy-driven and predictable about the way the main character portrays her relationship with the younger man, as well as her portrayal of subsequent liaisons towards the end of the book. I had heard so much about FEAR OF FLYING but thought I would read the less-famous work first. Now, I am less inclined to read FEAR OF FLYING. This should have been an in-depth look at one woman's obsession, an intelligent treatment of lust and sex, but it was simply vacuous. It reminded me of Joan Collins with a bit of an effort at `social observation.'

Jong Makes Me Smile Again
I've read this book several times over the last ten years. I adore her decriptions of her lust of men, sex, & love. Her prose is shockingly graphic, yet soft. After first reading this years back, I knew I'd never look at a man on a bike (motorcycle) the same way again.
I won't give a summary of the book- amazon does that already. But pick it up @ your local bookstore & start with the first page. My guess is that you'll eagerly buy it & find it hard to put down.
It's great reading such liberating literature. Such fun to delve into her naughtiness.
Try this timeless erotic tale.

Obsession and 'Blues' Go Together, or Do They?
In ANY WOMAN'S BLUES, you can learn (if you pay attention) the 'Rules of Love,' the Twelve Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous, and the 'Key to Serenity,' typical of the high-life of the nineties.I'm glad mine wasn't played out on that level.

Willie Dixon wrote, "the blues ain't nothing but the facts of life."She quotes a lot of old 'blues' lyrics from the twenties and even 'Down in the Dumps' from 1958.We all have moods intermittently.She felt that every character in every book is a part of that mysterious mosaic we call our 'self.'For the most part, I believe this, too, but usually associate it with first novels.

In 1973, Erica Jong wrote her debut novel, FEAR OF FLYING, in which she taught us how to fly -- her way. Seventeen years later, here she comes again but this time, she shows us how to land.

In between, she had five poetry books and five other novels published.In them, she dared to explore realms which other writers were afraid to explore.She's had a following of devoted readers who appreciate her wit, insights, and ability to tackle important and difficult subjects such as divorce, adultery, and miracles.Serenissina (about Venice) is one of her best novels, in my opinion.Some of the poetry, I found a little hard to understand, as in WITCHES.

To say she is a complicated writer, praised by John Updike, Margaret Atwood, Henry Miller, and other notables is putting it mildly.If you've read Updike, consider a female verison on similar themes.Later, she wrote about Henry Miller in THE DEVIL AT LARGE, and INVENTING MEMORY about Mothers and Daughters.

In this one, she goes from highs to lows emotionally and almost loses her grip on sanity and self-destruct on alcohol and co- dependency.I was codependent once but not in the way her artist/mother is.Not on a younger lover, but on my youngest son who was my 'whole life,'You can never put that burden on another person; then when they are no longer there, you feel you can't survive alone.But you can!

The young stud Donezal leaves her feeling worthless, betrayed and empty.That's the folly of loving a younger man.This woman has lived the high life (as opposed to my meager existence in a small Southern town) from glittering parties in East Village nightclubs with celebrities to unusual and the bizarre.Guess that's what drinking people do when drugs are involved.

This book is about obsession, as in my previous review by the Canadian writer.She, too, daubled in poetry.I've never had an obsession per se, though I have had 'attachments.'My husband had a different kind of obsession.As far as I know, any obsession is a form of illness.

She learns, however, that the secret of happiness was not to be found in the illusion of 'the perfect man' but rather in finding strength within one's self.Its theme surrounding the artist's search for a way out of addictive love and toward self-love is characteristic of this writer, I've found.

Most writers use this means of creative expression to resolve conflicts at the particular time through which daily life takes him or her.Since this volume of smush (my word), she's written a mid-life "memoir" and other involved stories.

This tale has no end.Like Chinese boxes within boxes, like Russian dolls within dolls, we go on revealing our hearts in the hope they may never stop beating.If you want a mantra, repeat "thank you" 104 times (which she does) to feel more grateful, more and more alive.Who else would have thought of doing that?It's certainly original. ... Read more

Product Description
Love Comes First is Erica Jong’s long-awaited return to her poetic roots!

Here is Erica Jong’s first book of all-new poems in more than a decade. Known and beloved for Fear of Flying and her many other books of fiction, nonfiction and poetry, Jong expounds on the most eternal, universal topic of all: love. Using brilliant imagery and intense metaphorical insights to paint vivid pictures of love, and all that comes with it—the heights of elation, the depths of sorrow—she covers every inch of the spectrum with her vibrant and insightful words. Perfect for wedding showers, lovers of all ages, and Valentine’s Day, Jong’s trademark trailblazing style and remarkable ability to bridge the gap between literary and popular poetry makes Love Comes First an instant classic. Discover— or discover yet again—the brilliance of Erica Jong. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Death comes first
I was disappointed that the book was so dark, It did not lift my spirits and the title is a long way from how you would feel having spent time reading it. I purchased the book for inspiration in preparation for giving a speech at a happy event - an event that love was coming first at and I was forced to put the book down as I getting nothing from it.
To add insult to injury the copy sent on by Amazon.com was defectively bound.
Bottom drawer stuff.

The lightness just shines through book
"Sometimes the poem,doesn't want to come,it hides like a playful cat who has run under the house and lurks among slugs roots and spider's eyes - left so long out in the sun that it is dank with the breath of a troll king" from the poem Poetry Cat my favorite one

Let me start off by saying I hate her famous book,Fear for Flying, its so gross.
Luckilly, she has matured into a much better person.
I read her book Shylock's daughter many years ago for a book festival in high school and it was really special. I currently read her blog on Huffpo and saw her in New York at the Y, and thought she was pretty fantastic.
This is like reading a fairytale,she weaves the words together like a multicolored scarf.
Its like little slices of her life stuffed into poetry. She deals with every thing in her poems,Italy,nature, annoyances of technology, her very unique view as god as a woman and even alchoholism. You can see where's she been and what kind of person she is ,a very warm,funny energetic,who is too brave and wild for her own good.If you are depressed about the economy on anything else, please read this, it will make you feel like a brand new person.

Love Should Come First, Last and In Everything
In this collection of lyrical poems, Erica Jong, who wrote the infamous book //Fear of Flying// that captured the women's sexual revolution, speaks with the confidence of a trusted friend. Her voice is warm and steady in its revelations, revelations that speak to our most universal human concern. What is the complete life? Jong's poems urge us to capture greater self-awareness--that thing that remains elusive to many of us but that can be found in the fingers of children and the stories of those who have lived long lives. Her poems highlight this and remind us, that even as our time on earth is limited, we can live lives infused with joy. We can do so by releasing our fears of death and by paying attention to words, to the beauty of language, and to the worlds around us.
These words and worlds live on forever, and so do we, when we allow ourselves to become a part of them. This collection will be valuable to poets and poetry enthusiasts. It will appeal to all those who love words and who want to be patient with the journey of life. Turn to Erica Jong's poems "Sleep" and "Speaking with the Dead" and find that everything that makes us alive is never lost.

Reviewed by Viola Allo

Where's the Poetry?
I love Erica Jong's poetry and I'm sure that Love Comes First is a delightful book.However, the kindle version of this is "First Comes Love" by Whitney Lyles.The sample version is the same.Don't buy the kindle version! ... Read more

Product Description
Erica Jong reads her dazzling novel in a way that will give you wings to travel through time.She will lure you to the Venice of today and the Venice in its illustrious past.

Hollywood actress Jessica Pruitt, a judge at the Venice Film Festival, senses something mysterious in the air.A captive of Venice wracked with fever and exhaustion, the past and present intermingle and Jessica slips into 16th century Venice to play the greatest role of her life and to experience the sensual love affair she has always been seeking. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

classic Jong
This kinda-trashy, kinda-intellectual novel is classic Jong.The protagonist, a Shakespearean actress, certainly isn't facing a shortage of [physical] encounters.In fact, she has a romp with the Bard himself.The books is a little bit difficult to follow, as it bounces back & forth between Shakespearan times & modern times.It is spiced up with a word or two of Italian here & there, references to contemporary art, andnd it is rich with Shakespearean history & references to Shakespeare's works.If you like a little Shakespeare in your steamy romance reads, this book is for you. ... Read more

Product Description
Erica Jong's two rules of writing are "never cut funny" and "keep the pages turning." And Jong delivers in these twenty-six essays, coupling frank and risquŽ stories about her own life with provocative pieces on her passion for politics, literature, Italy, and-yes-sex. Originally published in 1998, this updated edition features four new essays. What Do Women Want? offers a startlingly original look at where women are-and where they need to be in the twenty-first century: Are women better off today than they were twenty-five years ago? Has burning pre-nup agreements become the new peak of romance? Why do our greatest women writers too often get dissed and overlooked? Why do powerful women scare men? And who is the perfect man? How does the mother-daughter relationship influence cycles of feminism and backlash?Will Hillary become president? What is sexy? ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Bread, Roses, Sex, Power?
I picked up this book by chance in the library, having read Erica's "Fear of Flying" before, and falling into the trap of the catchy title.

It is always a risky proposition to ask such a blanket question as she does about all women, and even more is to give an answer that she does - bread,roses, sex, power.It is only symptomatic that Erica does not say - love.And while reading the book, and remembering her Fear, one understands that she is a victim of such a deep-seated inferiority complex, probably greatly enhanced by her psychiatrist husband - a complex of a lonely unloved woman who is suffering from not getting enough attention and admiration, and who as a result had become quite a valiant fighter, but perhaps not a lover.

She writes with such venom about Princess Diana, with her envy reaches a point of bizarre when she compares Diana's wedding in St-Paul cathedral with her own hippie-style;she viciously ridicules the poor Princess, who perhaps did not have the intelligence of Margaret Thatcher, but what made people love her is that she was simply... stunningly beautiful; an embodiment of a dream, a true Princess, noble and refined in looks and grace, and it was indeed enough for the whole world to admire - seemingly a fact that Erica could not forgive.Ms. Jong seems to rejoice in Princess's tragic death, vindictively, although unhappy Diana was looking for the same as the author - love, maybe more than sex and power. Somehow it was quite repulsive to read the pages where Erica hisses as a poisonous snake, attacking Diana's pearls - while herself on my edition of the book she wears them on the cover page.

One more point is Ms. Jong's complete misunderstanding of Nabokov's Lolita.First of all, although she mentions Edgar Allen Poe, she nevertheless does not make a connection between Annabel Lee and Humbert's first love, who is Annabel and whose reincarnation Lolita is.For a writer this is a terrible miss.

Then in a bout of a militant defiance for the sake of nonconformism, Erica-Erato tries to rationalize Humbert's behavior towards Lolita, going as far as to say that fourteen years old girls have sexuality.Well, it is true, of course, although that sexuality usually does not imply being sexually exploited by a step father.How could Erica miss the point that Lolita hates Humbert???This comes from a writer who in other parts of the same opus would speak of the mystery of touch, of chemistry...What is strange that Ms. Jong, while claiming to bea feminist, somehow completely disregards obvious emotions of Lolita, so masterly depicted by Nabokov, and taking Humbert's side in justifying his story as a "response" to Lolita's unspoken desire.This is quite an assumption, worthy of someone whose mind was indeed damaged by the influence of a shrink, as Erica's husband was.
It is ironic that Ms. Jong seems to take "Lolita" for face value, which exposes her lack of imagination - the story of Lolita is as credible as de Sade's writings, and it is their extreme that entertains the mind, however it is a grave mistake to project such fantasies on reality, considering the events described are "normal" - which she tries to do with Lolita. Ms. Jong is completely oblivious to the point that Lolita is poetry noir; and for its parable value, Nabokov said that this book shows how selfishness and cruelty destroy love and life...

Perhaps for someone who had seen Thanatos in such a lively vivacious building as the church of Santa Maria Salute in Venice, it should be easier to see it in Lolita, but alas on this point Erica seems to be confused between Eros and Thanatos and who belongs where. Could it be a general problem of a very competitive person, obsessed with self-protection and survival?Maybe;but maybe this is why she misses one thing that many people, including women, want - love.

One last and good point about this book is that when Erica discusses an "ideal man", she is suddenly very reasonable and wise - "an ideal man is someone you love and who loves you in return" - I would only wish she would employ this argument in judging Princess Diana's life and that of Lolita.

Overall, a shallow book somewhat; surely Erica is not a poet as Nabokov is, and although she seems to know that she is pure prose, she still dares to speak about things that seem to be beyond her imagination and sublime.A disappointment.

Essays Foreshadow the Obama Riots
At the end of October 2008, Jong predicted to the Italian press that if Obama looses the election for president, blacks will riot and blood will flow in the streets. Bring it on. For years Blacks and leftists like Jong have been using the threat of violence to intimidate voters. Several members of the Congresional Black Caucus articulated the same threat. But the voters are not intimidated anymore. We are armed and ready. Obama, Wright, Ayres and his other thugs can start the riot, but we will finish it. Maybe what the country needs is a ""second civil war" as Jong predicts. Nice try Jong, but your threat won't work anymore. Let's roll.

Do not miss it
I am a great fan of Erica Jong so I couldn't miss this brilliant collection of essays. I adore her style, simple, smart, direct. Her way of depicting the female universe is sometimes incredibly moving, in other moments provocative but always shamelessly sincere. I love this book because each time you read an essay, it is somehow like discovering something new, unexpected about yourself. You are never just passively 'dragged'; you can't do without reflecting even when not necessary you identify yourself in what you read. The essays are stimulating, catchy. Among others, you will read about the immortal literary myth of Jane Eyre, Nabokov's forever young Lolita or an engaging point of view on the modern icon of Princess Diana. All the essays are different from each other, they look into different aspects of the female psyche. However, they have one umbilical cord, the meaning of which is condensed in the title. What do women want is an immersion in a vivacious stream of reflections on women's constantly evolving role in our modern society.

The edition is very nice too, nice cover page and layout, good readability.

... Read more

Product Description
First published in 1997, Inventing Memory is about four generations of remarkable women from a Jewish-American family-their triumphs, tragedies, scandals, and love affairs-as related by Sara Solomon, the youngest of these women. While trying to chronicle their history, the story becomes essentially hers, as she comes to understand the nature of memory, the way all of us both invent and assimilate our ancestors. In learning about the women in her family, Sara discovers how to create her own future. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (12)

Entertaining but...
Nicely told, terrific writing, interesting stories, but each woman's saga(trials/tribulations/relationships) seemed somewhat redundant (a woman's struggle between family and art.) Toward the end, I lost the thread (names too similar/backstory flip-flop)and stopped reading to get my bearings. Not a good thing. May have worked better if done in four distinct parts or even books. Perhaps this was the original intention. Still worth reading.

I expected it to be better
I have read almost all of Erica Jong's earlier books, & I was looking forward to reading this one. Although in the beginning this novel seemed promising (Sarah's story is very lively & well told) later the book dragged on and on...Jong's central themes (women versus men, spirit versus day to day life) were better explored in her earlier works.

It seems as if Erica Jong is, yet again, trying to say the same old things in the same old way. Maybe the "same old things" part isn't what's wrong: the "same old way" part definitely is. She's an intelligent writer, seems like an intelligent & very lively person (especially from Fear of Fifty, even though that too, was repetitive) so why can't she start writing something different? I mean, completely different, not just "changing the names of the main characters" different...

Why, Erica, why?
I first read Jong's famous Fear of Flying while in college, when the heroine was the ancient-seeming age of 27ish. Have since reread every few years through the present, now well through my 30s, and I still find FoF not only a great read but full of new insight.
Why, oh, why then, can't this woman write another novel I can bear to get through? I can't say I've tried them all (maybe Fear of 50, though not a novel, holds the most promise), but How to Save Your Own Life, for example, and now Inventing Memory, drive me to distraction with their lovingly self-indulgent descriptions of the main Jong character that lacks any of the funny self-deprecating description of FoFlying. The soft-core prose without the bite. Narrative sometimes get going but is quickly knocked off its wheels by the occasionally trenchant but mostly excessive Yiddish proverbs that litter every few paragraphs. A cheesy mess.
Maybe my expectations are just too high, as I still call Flying one of my all time favorite books -- not just because it's fun, but because it offered such dead-on descriptions of questions a woman asks herself as she's coming into her own, plagued alternately by belief in her own brilliance and star power and the fear of failing, as well as wrestling with the idea of where love/men should figure into one's life.
Gone and by the wind-grieved Erica, come back again.

Only Mindless Fun
If you want something to read that is fun but not a work of art, I think you've found it.Jong keeps her reputation as a soft porn queen though, fyi.During passages of this grandmother telling her life story, she breaks into somewhat explicit descriptions -- which were seriously out of the grandmother's character.I found the whole book a bit contrived.You'll enjoy this book, but don't expect any new revelations.

A wonderful multi-genrational saga!
What can one say about a book which tugs at their very heartstrings and own memories. Having been brought up on the Lower East Side and familiar with many of the places Ms. Jong described to say nothing of the people, Ifound this read wonderful.

And through her three main women charatcers,it is as if she tells the story of thes Jewish women living, working andassimilating to the United States of then and now.

Do not miss this book- you will close it with a sigh and think often about the characters too. ... Read more

Product Description

In Conversations with Erica Jong one of the most popular and controversial of contemporary writers has her say. She was already an established poet when she published Fear of Flying (1973), but the novel's sensational reception came to overshadow all her work.

In interviews from 1973 to 2001, Jong relates the extra-ordinary experience she gained as a pioneer of sexual writing from a female point of view. With equal attention to the art of fiction and poetry, she yields her views on the literary scene and on the place of poetry in American society.

Among the highlights of the book is Jong's account of the publication of Fear of Flying and its remarkable, best-seller rise. Cast into the role of spokesperson for feminism in the seventies, she has continued to represent her generation of women. In several conversations, she talks about the tensions within feminism over the decades.

Jong's fame has been deeply branded by the notoriety associated with sex. She speaks for all women writers who have addressed sexual topics and who have suffered retaliation. She tells the story of the struggle to keep writing honestly when the public's perception of one's work has made one a target. She describes the difficulty of escaping categories created by the media and the critical community and the frustration of living in the shadow of one notorious best-seller.

In Jong's writing, humor is a constant, and one of the pleasures of reading these conversations is her abundant wit. Conversations with Erica Jong reveals the writer to be funny, articulate, and passionately committed to her art.

Charlotte Templin is the author of Feminism and the Politics of Literary Reputation: The Example of Erica Jong. Her work has appeared in American Studies, The Missouri Review, and Centennial Review. ... Read more

Product Description
1601 is Twain's hilarious pornographic send-up of Elizabethan England. In Is Shakespeare Dead?, an aging Twain meditates on Shakespeare and on his own chances for immortality. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Little-known Twain
This book consists of two parts, the brief 1601 and the longer "Is Shakespeare Dead?" (ISD)

1601 is eleven pages of dense faux-Elizabethan dialog. Between Twain's misleading spelling and the remarkable typography, it takes a while to realize that you're reading the most literate piece of potty humor in the English langauge. During the discourse that discovers the donor of that "most desolating breath," Twain unleashes bawdy that would surprise any school-marm who thinks of Twain only for Puddinhead Wilson and that cohort.

By far the longer piece, ISD starts out as a Shakespeare vs. Bacon argument. Twain largely cites other sources in the debate over who really wrote the works attributed to Wm. S; in the end, he comes down on the side of the brontosaur (go read it yourself to see what that means). His native wit comes through in the end of the piece. From any other writer, it would have been an ad hominem attack against the side Twain opposes - both of them, really. In his case, however, it's merely an observation on human traits of mind that tend to muddle both the facts and the use of them.

1601 is brilliant, if ISD drags a bit. They're both worth reading, though I wouldn't recommend either as an introduction to Twain.

//wiredweird

Probably the funniest thing ever written.
Yes, this IS a fart joke. In fact, rumor has it that Twain's poker buddies were its first readers. The then Sec'y of the Army had West Point Press publish it.The transcendant skill and humor raises this to greatness,despite the subject. In fact, Twain probably took this as a hugechallenge.Keep it from the youngest until they can appreciate it, but readit aloud alone together every Valentine's day.

1601 very lewd and very funny
1601 recounts a naughty fireside chat between Shakespeare and other noteworthy english figures. Twain writes the entire text in a basterdized version of middle english spelled phoneticly. It is quite funny butdifficult to read and rather course. In the second half of the bookTwain argues that Francis Bacon wrote Shakespeare's plays. It is a primeexample of Twain`s wit and one long gentlemanly slight against Shakespeare.

A perhaps deservedly forgotten work
There are two unrelated pieces by Mark Twain in this volume, both of themfallen into (or perhaps, never rose from) obscurity, and deservedly so. "1601" is an lewd & raunchy imaginary conversation at thecourt of Elizabeth I.The narrator is disgusted by what he has heard --the author partly shares the disgust and partly is fascinated with the factthat raunchy talk was not always taboo.This story has value as a lookinto Victorian sensibilities and into Twain's personality, but I did notenjoy reading it.I found it tedious, like Chaucer's Miller's Tale.

"Is Shakespeare Dead?" is a wonderful but misleading title. Actually this piece is about the old controversy of whether Shakespearewrote the works attributed to him, with Twain jousting for the Baconiancause.He admits at the outset that he originally developed his Baconianprejudice merely for the sake of argument with an ardent Avonian.Thiswork adds nothing useful to the Baconian position, and would be of interestonly to the most ardent collectors of Twainiana.

Wonderfully Irreverent
This book is fantastic! Twain tells it from the point of view of the Cup Bearer to Queen ElizabethI, a man who is totally disgusted to see Her Majesty sitting around speaking crudities with such personages as William Shakespeare and Sir Walter Raleigh.

The tale is hilarious, vulgar, liberally illustrated with ranuchy woodcuts that are best left unseen by children and young adolescents (for example, one of a cardinal with a raised surplice, urinating rather graphically, and several of men with, shall we say, large appendages). ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (5)

Readable but not Henry's best work...
This book is a good introduction to Henry's writing.Though if you've read his better stuff ala Black Spring The Tropics, like me, you're probably going to be at least a bit disappointed and want to hurry through it instead of savor his writing like usual.

a prelude to the tropics
a prelude to te tropic novels. a journey to the buildup to the better books afterwards

"The Master" at work...
Miller is undeniably one of the literary giants. This is a wonderful and enlightening insight into his sourjorn to that height. It's far from perfect, but to any hardcore Miller fan it will be a treat. They will get a real sense of "the master" chipping away at the almost singular stone that would forever be his muse.

A variation on a theme
Crazy Cock is Henry Miller's third full length novel and it tells the tale of the triangle between Henry, June and Mara Andrews (aka Jean Kronski). The novel is not very well written, filled with pedantic, prolix andbaroque passages, as Miller struggles mightily to find his voice. Millerfans will find this work quite interesting, as it is another variation onThe Rosy Crucifixion. However, this book is definately not a good place tostart your journey through the works of Henry Miller, as there are manybetter places to begin (Tropic of Cancer, Air Conditioned Nightmare) yourjourney.

Essential reading to study Miller's development
I am glad "Crazy Cock" was printed, because now it is possiblefor all of us to know what it takes to make a work of art -- that is a lotof hard work.I recommend reading "Sexus", or "Tropic ofCancer" before reading Crazy Cock, since the book itself does notstand up as a work of art. Crazy Cock is a failure as literature, but it isworth the effort to read through it if one has a creative mind which needsinspiration. The work does show Miller's desperate struggle to find avoice, and what is more inspiring is the fact that he found it. ... Read more

Product Description
The New Writer's Handbook 2007 is a must-read annual anthology to refresh and upgrade any writer's skills, with hands-on advice on literary craft and career marketing. It features 60 practical articles, ideal for fiction and nonfiction writers alike, suitable for all levels from aspiring to accomplished writers seeking professional development.

The selections deliver succinct advice and commentary on successful practices for emerging professionals. Sources include recent books, blogs, articles, and industry reports. It combines the diverse disciplines of good storytelling, creativity, ethical standards, and marketing savvy as the route to career success for all who wish to have a positive impact on the world by writing well and selling more work. Renowned author Erica Jong provides the preface. Contributors include Barry Lopez, Richard Powers, Mary Pipher, Jane Yolen, Linda Sue Park, Ridley Pearson, William G. Tapply, and others. They include winners of the National Book Award, Newbery Medal, and many other honors, along with working journalists, writing instructors, authors with books on bestseller lists, editors, literary bloggers, and more. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Something for every aspiring writer...
This book slim volume contains a little something for every aspiring writer. The collection is clearly broken down into 7 sections covering everything from creativity and the writing process down to marketing and dealing with agents and editors. Given the essay feel of this book, it doesn't delve very deeply into any one area.

My favorite essays were (1) "Three Cosmic Rules of Writing" - Dennis Polumbo can easily push you to write and keep writing, and (2) "How to Write a Query Letter" - Brenda Coulter shares a basic query letter that netted her a book sale then she goes into detail teaching how to develop your own query letter.

As I said at the end of the first paragraph of my review, this book doesn't delve deeply into any one area as thoroughly as you might want it to. It is a good, basic beginning book to read and encourage yourself to write more. For more detail on any one area you might want to purchase a book that is only related to the topic you wish to study. For example, if you have trouble with dialogue or with developing your proposal for your novel, you might wish to buy a book specifically targeted toward those topics for more intense study.

Though a good book, this one didn't earn keeper status for my bookshelf. Other than a few essays that I found worthwhile, I wouldn't likely pick this book up to read again or keep beside me while writing. You may wish to order this book through your library and if you find it merits keeper status for you, then buy it.

The New Writer's Handbook
This book has a blend of refreshers, unique approaches and reviews of basics. I needed something to get my enthusiasm for writing up, and this book did that. I was writing with motivation again before I finished the first section.

The writers and styles are diverse, brief and right to the point in most cases. The advice from editorsseemed well considered and helpful. Would I recomend this book to a friend?

I did. Several.

A critically important and strongly recommended addition
Expertly compiled and deftly edited by Philip Marin, "The New Writer's Handbook 2007: A Practical Anthology Of Best Advice For Your Craft & Career" is a compendium of sixty practical, insightful, informed and informative articles that aspiring writers of fiction and novice authors of nonfiction will find to be invaluable as they approach the craft and business of being professional authors. The contributors are experienced, successful, and range from award winners, to writing instructors, to working journalists, to editors, to literary bloggers, to best-selling authors. A critically important and strongly recommended addition to personal, professional, academic, and community library Writing/Publishing reference collections, "The New Writer's Handbook 2007" covers general writing techniques and marketing tips, as well as specific book project pitching tips and models for writing career success.

Learn about writing from published authors
Over 60 authors of note have added their 2¢ worth in this collection of articles about writing. If you learn one tidbit from each one, you'll be a better informed person and certainly a better writer.

The collection is broken into 6 sections:

1. Creativity, Motivation and Discipline
2. The Craft of Writing
3. Pitching and Proposals
4. Marketing Your Work
5. Internet Skills
6. Literary Insights and Last Words

One of my favorites (this said as a reviewer) is the 6-page "Invisible Writer" by William G. Tapply. He writes about how important it is that the story should shine--not the writer--and how this is achieved so readers say: What a good story (vs) What a good writer.

Some articles relate to fiction, others to non-fiction. Many have appeared in magazines or author Web sites/blogs. The author's Web site is listed at the end, along with their credentials. Nice resource to learn more.

The how-to articles explained by experienced writers/authors might be new to you, or a good reminder of some rules or new ideas to learn from these experts.

I enjoyed the article by Laura Backes about Dr. Suess. In 1954 Dr. Suess and other authors were challenged to write reading primers for America's first graders. Yes, 50 years ago The Cat in the Hat was born--and Dr. Suess was able to incorporate 236 different words from the publisher's reading list. Compared to the Dick and Jane readers, kids loved this story then and now, and don't feel like they are "learning." And, when asked what they loved, they never said: It rhymed.

The Marketing Your Work section tells you how to get testimonials, market your book, have successful author events, or even show your expertise by writing white papers listing the value/benefit of what you know. The Internet section is a must-read for any self-promoting author.

As an editor, writer and reviewer, I found so much value. I'll keep this on my bookshelf to refer to as needed for proposals, press kit/releases, web sites--and yes, also how to handle rejection.

Armchair Interviews says: This is not a book you might not read from front to back, but as a valuable resource you'll pick time and time again.

Whoa, wow, and HOLY COW!
Here's my disclaimer: I'm one of the contributors to this stellar writers' resource.

But it's not my bias that's inspiring me to write a FAB review. It's the fact that I've had a chance to hold the book in my hands, and...

1) Read the section heads (i.e.: Creativity, Motivation & Discipline * The Craft of Writing * Pitching & Proposals * Marketing Your Work * Internet Skills * Literary Insights & Last Words)

2) Check out the bios of some of the OTHER contributors (most of whom are award-winning novelists, esteemed journalists, devoted academics, passionate bloggers, and/or industry mavens)

3) Marvel at the depth and breadth of practical, essential, cutting-edge advice, inspiration, and information available for writers and craft enthusiasts within its covers.

Fact is, I'm insanely proud to be part of this book, the inaugural edition of what promises to be one of the premier writers' resources from this day forward.

You not only get a bunch of sound, hard-won advice and wisdom -- you get a fine collection of writing styles, too.

Thank you, Mr. Philip Martin, Editor Extraordinaire, for having the vision, experience, and know-how to bring this book from its concept phase to its reality.

As one of the two "Content Lovers" of brainstorming, marketing, & content strategy wheelhouse Epiphanies, Inc. ("A-Ha Yourself!"), the fearless (ha!) facilitator of the Wild Quills Writers Group and "Chief Scribbler" of the Wild Quills blog, and lifelong student of all-things writing and creativity, I'd like to say CONGRATULATIONS on a job exceptionally done!

-Lani Voivod
Grateful contributor and enthusiastic evangelist of "The New Writer's Handbook 2007"
... Read more