''How to Save Your Own Life by Erica Jong. I was young and impressionable when I read Fear of Flying. I found it decadent and shocking. I was older when I first read How To Save Your Own Life. I found it decadent and shocking, yes, but also delicious and empowering with its siren call to Live! Love! Cast away the dross! This is my third or fourth reading, and each time I fall in love with Jong's storytelling all over again.''
LIANE SPICER, author of Café au Lait
Fear of Flying is one of those books I kept meaning to read when I felt grown up enough. Now I'm very grown up - 51 - I'll read them both.
Posted by: Fia | July 21, 2009 at 10:58 AM
OK, this is kinda weird: I've never read Fear of Flying!
Posted by: Connie | July 21, 2009 at 11:17 AM
I haven't read either, but I'm going to hunt them both down.
Posted by: Phyllis | July 21, 2009 at 11:46 AM
I must have been about 13 or so when Fear of Flying came out. I think around 1976? Anyhow, I remember seeing that paperback's cover at the newstands, on the counter, right where I'd buy my comic books and, soon, Playboys, and for a long while was intrigued about what lurked inside the pages of that book with the skin-flick cover.
Never got around to it.
Am curious again, now that you bring it up.
Posted by: Howard Cohen | July 21, 2009 at 11:51 AM
I haven't read either of these books, but will have to check them out now.
Posted by: Debs | July 21, 2009 at 12:29 PM
Thanks for the tip, Liane. I'll have to check these out. I haven't read either book.
Posted by: Farrah Rochon | July 21, 2009 at 01:33 PM
Those sound like facinating books. I will have to check them out!
Posted by: Erin Kellison | July 21, 2009 at 02:19 PM
I remember a classmate of mine who had, unfortunately, been labeled 'fast' casually carrying around and reading Jong's Fear of Flying. It made me very curious but the stigma associated with the book and the girl in question proved too powerful for my still developing literary independence. Now all these years later, I still haven't read either book you mentioned...Must declare my own independence anew at my nearest bookstore!:>)
Posted by: Valerie | July 21, 2009 at 02:48 PM
I haven't read either book. Thanks for the recommendation, will check them out.
Posted by: CalistroWriter | July 21, 2009 at 04:03 PM
Ah - I remember Fear of Flying well. Once read, never forgotten. Zipless **** only has meaning if you've read the book.
Posted by: Debi | July 21, 2009 at 07:27 PM
Thanks for the recommendation. Definitely a couple to check out.
Posted by: Lane | July 22, 2009 at 04:03 AM
Fear of Flying was a rite of passage I missed, but I remember it made a huge splash at the time. Female sexuality was a bit taboo then, but Ms. Jong yanked it out of the closet.
Might be time for me to hit the bookstore.
Posted by: Emily Bryan | July 22, 2009 at 12:07 PM
Thanks, Liane! I'll be looking for this book!
Posted by: Leanna Renee Hieber | July 22, 2009 at 03:05 PM
Erica Jong rocks!!! You are so right on, Liane!
Posted by: Elissa Wilds | July 22, 2009 at 09:39 PM
This is one of those books I've been meaning to read forever... thanks for reminding me.
Posted by: Barbara Monajem | July 22, 2009 at 09:49 PM
Ahh... I well remember reading "Fear of Flying" back in college - on the advice of my mother, amazingly enough. She and I both loved it. :)
Posted by: Mimi Riser | July 22, 2009 at 10:46 PM
Fear of Flying is Jong's best work and a must read. Just finished Carlos Ruiz Zafon's new book - not as good as his first but definitely a page turner.
Posted by: Dindy Yokel | July 23, 2009 at 07:39 PM
I read Fear Of Flying when I was too young to really understand it. I need to re-read it.
Posted by: nyc/caribbean ragazza | August 06, 2009 at 06:17 AM