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Der letzte Blues
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.
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.
Paperback
First published January 1, 1989
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About the author
Erica Jong
117 books869 followersErica Jong—novelist, poet, and essayist—has consistently used her craft to help provide women with a powerful and rational voice in forging a feminist consciousness. She has published 21 books, including eight novels, six volumes of poetry, six books of non-fiction and numerous articles in magazines and newspapers such as the New York Times, the Sunday Times of London, Elle, Vogue, and the New York Times Book Review.
In her groundbreaking first novel, Fear of Flying (which has sold twenty-six million copies in more than forty languages), she introduced Isadora Wing, who also plays a central part in three subsequent novels—How to Save Your Own Life, Parachutes and Kisses, and Any Woman's Blues. In her three historical novels—Fanny, Shylock's Daughter, and Sappho's Leap—she demonstrates her mastery of eighteenth-century British literature, the verses of Shakespeare, and ancient Greek lyric, respectively. A memoir of her life as a writer, Seducing the Demon: Writing for My Life, came out in March 2006. It was a national bestseller in the US and many other countries. Erica’s latest book, Sugar in My Bowl, is an anthology of women writing about sex, has been recently released in paperback.
Erica Jong was honored with the United Nations Award for Excellence in Literature. She has also received Poetry magazine's Bess Hokin Prize, also won by W.S. Merwin and Sylvia Plath. In France, she received the Deauville Award for Literary Excellence and in Italy, she received the Sigmund Freud Award for Literature. The City University of New York awarded Ms. Jong an honorary PhD at the College of Staten Island.
Her works have appeared all over the world and are as popular in Eastern Europe, Japan, China, and other Asian countries as they have been in the United States and Western Europe. She has lectured, taught and read her work all over the world.
A graduate of Barnard College and Columbia University's Graduate Faculties where she received her M.A. in 18th Century English Literature, Erica Jong also attended Columbia's graduate writing program where she studied poetry with Stanley Kunitz and Mark Strand. In 2007, continuing her long-standing relationship with the university, a large collection of Erica’s archival material was acquired by Columbia University’s Rare Book & Manuscript Library, where it will be available to graduate and undergraduate students. Ms. Jong plans to teach master classes at Columbia and also advise the Rare Book Library on the acquisition of other women writers’ archives.
Calling herself “a defrocked academic,” Ms. Jong has partly returned to her roots as a scholar. She has taught at Ben Gurion University in Israel, Bennington College in the US, Breadloaf Writers’ Conference in Vermont and many other distinguished writing programs and universities. She loves to teach and lecture, though her skill in these areas has sometimes crowded her writing projects. “As long as I am communicating the gift of literature, I’m happy,” Jong says. A poet at heart, Ms. Jong believes that words can save the world.
In her groundbreaking first novel, Fear of Flying (which has sold twenty-six million copies in more than forty languages), she introduced Isadora Wing, who also plays a central part in three subsequent novels—How to Save Your Own Life, Parachutes and Kisses, and Any Woman's Blues. In her three historical novels—Fanny, Shylock's Daughter, and Sappho's Leap—she demonstrates her mastery of eighteenth-century British literature, the verses of Shakespeare, and ancient Greek lyric, respectively. A memoir of her life as a writer, Seducing the Demon: Writing for My Life, came out in March 2006. It was a national bestseller in the US and many other countries. Erica’s latest book, Sugar in My Bowl, is an anthology of women writing about sex, has been recently released in paperback.
Erica Jong was honored with the United Nations Award for Excellence in Literature. She has also received Poetry magazine's Bess Hokin Prize, also won by W.S. Merwin and Sylvia Plath. In France, she received the Deauville Award for Literary Excellence and in Italy, she received the Sigmund Freud Award for Literature. The City University of New York awarded Ms. Jong an honorary PhD at the College of Staten Island.
Her works have appeared all over the world and are as popular in Eastern Europe, Japan, China, and other Asian countries as they have been in the United States and Western Europe. She has lectured, taught and read her work all over the world.
A graduate of Barnard College and Columbia University's Graduate Faculties where she received her M.A. in 18th Century English Literature, Erica Jong also attended Columbia's graduate writing program where she studied poetry with Stanley Kunitz and Mark Strand. In 2007, continuing her long-standing relationship with the university, a large collection of Erica’s archival material was acquired by Columbia University’s Rare Book & Manuscript Library, where it will be available to graduate and undergraduate students. Ms. Jong plans to teach master classes at Columbia and also advise the Rare Book Library on the acquisition of other women writers’ archives.
Calling herself “a defrocked academic,” Ms. Jong has partly returned to her roots as a scholar. She has taught at Ben Gurion University in Israel, Bennington College in the US, Breadloaf Writers’ Conference in Vermont and many other distinguished writing programs and universities. She loves to teach and lecture, though her skill in these areas has sometimes crowded her writing projects. “As long as I am communicating the gift of literature, I’m happy,” Jong says. A poet at heart, Ms. Jong believes that words can save the world.
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June 7, 2007I did read this book, though the version I read didn't have the cool, sleek, respectable-looking cover shown here. Mine was a mass market paperback, metallic red with hearts all over it. It looked constantly like I was reading a cheap circa-1985 Jackie Collins novel. Sheesh!
Those of us who are fans of Erica Jong know that practically everything she writes is autobiographical, and consequently, many of her stories feel similar. Most of her heroines are smart, feministic and artistically-inclined. Most of her male characters are ruled by their winkies, are diabolically attractive and have addictive sexual technique. The moon controls her cycle, she is a child of the goddess, she is a displaced maenad, etc.
But we forgive Erica, really, because she's so brilliant at this type of self-deprecating feminist junkola. And ordinarily, it would be just junkola, but from Erica's pen, it becomes art. She MAKES it art. She's so smart, and so accomplished and so self-aware that it's difficult to be angry or cynical in the face of her work.
Those of us who are fans of Erica Jong know that practically everything she writes is autobiographical, and consequently, many of her stories feel similar. Most of her heroines are smart, feministic and artistically-inclined. Most of her male characters are ruled by their winkies, are diabolically attractive and have addictive sexual technique. The moon controls her cycle, she is a child of the goddess, she is a displaced maenad, etc.
But we forgive Erica, really, because she's so brilliant at this type of self-deprecating feminist junkola. And ordinarily, it would be just junkola, but from Erica's pen, it becomes art. She MAKES it art. She's so smart, and so accomplished and so self-aware that it's difficult to be angry or cynical in the face of her work.
May 9, 2008
Erica Jong is at heart a feminist, a feminist obsessed with sex. This obsession with sex helps her recognize her obsessive nature with everything, including drugs, alcohol, love. Although she overuses the word "cock" i found this to be a good read.
September 18, 2010
I just kept thinking...Gawd, Chick...Get Over Yerself. Could not wait to finish the damn thing.
July 17, 2019
This book relies a lot on the Fear of flying. There's nothing new, nothing more. Actually, there's less. Fear of flying was more intelligent, you could notice Jong's wittiness, and ideas were very new to the era.
Arguments:
-This is a flopped try of a novel inside a novel, what is also redundant for the story.
-A storyline is the same premise over and over again.
-Tries to be poetic in descriprions of sex and female soul, but fails very much.
-Events are inbeliveable, persons are caricatures, relations are baseless.
-After a while, you just want to finish this nonsense.
This one has more structure as a novel than Fear of flying.
Arguments:
-This is a flopped try of a novel inside a novel, what is also redundant for the story.
-A storyline is the same premise over and over again.
-Tries to be poetic in descriprions of sex and female soul, but fails very much.
-Events are inbeliveable, persons are caricatures, relations are baseless.
-After a while, you just want to finish this nonsense.
This one has more structure as a novel than Fear of flying.
September 1, 2024
este libro es para las locas me ha encantado
May 26, 2009
I do not like this book. I tried to finish it years ago but I just couldn't take it anymore!
Bessie Smith was a cool musician, it's true. But you don't want to take advice from a woman who sings a song about being with a man who hits her anymore than you want to take love advice from Billie Holiday songs!
The music is fantastic, the message, not so good. Man, this book was ANNOYING! I just cannot TAKE these whiny women whining all the time about how much their lives and marriages suck while they enjoy being humiliated and embarrassed by random men in tight leather pants. CUT IT OUT!
Bessie Smith was a cool musician, it's true. But you don't want to take advice from a woman who sings a song about being with a man who hits her anymore than you want to take love advice from Billie Holiday songs!
The music is fantastic, the message, not so good. Man, this book was ANNOYING! I just cannot TAKE these whiny women whining all the time about how much their lives and marriages suck while they enjoy being humiliated and embarrassed by random men in tight leather pants. CUT IT OUT!
August 28, 2010
The first book I read by Erica Jong was Fear of Flying, and I was astounded at the precision and courage with which she seemed to annex my own head. Any Woman's Blues did not core me nearly so relentlessly: it has a lot to say about a woman's determination to ruin herself over a man, assisted by a crate of pinot grigio, and the friends and AA meetings that dissuade her from pursuing this road. While there were epically insightful passages about love and sex and obsession and art and gender, the book didn't really mean a whole lot to me.
February 21, 2015
This book was amazing. It teaches us about self love, overcoming addiction, and how to be staring as a woman. Erica is very blunt and may make her readers uncomfortable because of the way she emphasizes sex, but it is real. What women go through just to find love and show a man how capable of loving him she is. I can't wait to read more by this author.
June 7, 2008
Sexually voracious man leaves woman. Woman goes nuts, tries to deal with obsessions. Rinse and repeat.
December 7, 2008
This book is below standard for Jong. I was mildly distressed while reading it. The heroine is flighty and the man she is in love with is a bad, bad caricature of all my previous boyfriends.
July 10, 2009
Constant whine fest. Too many dated references to things I didn't feel like looking up. It really is a novel of obsession, not a novel about obsession. I see the difference now.
April 3, 2012
A good read about an older woman obsessed with a younger man whose idea of responsibility is a bit different than hers, forcing her to examine her own identity and what she's really looking for.
May 27, 2021
(Rating 3.5) —- Well the opening of this makes you instantly dislike the main character Leila Sands, she genuinely says that ‘the nazis could not have invented a more cunning crematorium’ when she is describing that her desire turns her to ash and then in the same paragraph compares her lust for Dart to the ‘deprivation of prisoners of war’ because they haven’t had sex in 7 hours. What!?!?!?!? So straight away she comes across as very melodramatic and narcissistic. At first I didn’t think this was supposed to be ironic but she was so often ridiculous throughout the book that I thought maybe this behaviour was on the nose, that the reader is supposed to be in on the joke that is Leila. If this is not the case then she is truly one annoying character and the tone is totally off!! Not only is she unlikeable because of her melodrama and narcissism but she is also extremely pretentious, ungrateful and self obsessed. She bemoans her life and how she was rebellious but is not self aware enough to know that she is in fact very privileged.
Saying all this, I do have to admit that she does become more likeable the more you read. I felt very conflicted about this because I genuinely started off hating her but at some point this changes. Yes, she is still her self involved and melodramatic self but you also see that she is tough on herself and her faults and in fact she is actually just really struggling. And by the end Leila shows that she has finally grown up and accepted that she needs to take responsibility for her own happiness and not find it in a man so that level of character growth is great. Only negative about this was that I felt this growth was rushed as literally a couple of pages before she was repeating the same mistakes and was obsessing over a new man and clinging to him to make her life mean something. Yes she did recognise it this time and chose to remove herself from him but it still happened.
Of course this book is jammed packed with the societal ideas and expectations of a women’s place in the world at that particular time in history (after the boomers) and I thought this was explored quite well and was very interesting. Especially the parts about how if she was born before the war she would have known her place and been content with it like a lot of women before her but because she was born later all she knew was that she wanted more out of life but that she had no one to be influenced by as no one had lived a different lifestyle yet so she was lost and had no one to teach her. I feel like this could apply to a lot of women her age during this time and this was an interesting discussion.
I think it’s important to talk about the narrative style in this as it really does blur the lines between art and the artist. This is basically an author (Chung) writing a book that is ‘written’ by a character who is an author (Wing) from the first person perspective of a character who is an artist (Sand). It takes a second to get your head round it but I think it’s pulled off very well. It’s very original, or original for me anyway, and I liked that the foreword and afterword added more questions - like is it Wing presenting another version of herself? Is it actually Chung writing about herself via Wing/Sands? Is it both simultaneously as every character by an author has some element of themselves in? It really created some great conversations regarding authorship, identity and creativity.
I know this isn’t a popular opinion but I actually liked the interruptions/inserts from the ‘author’ Isadora Wing as they are often arguing with Leila or making mocking comments relating to something that she had just said. I felt like it added a new dynamic that I had never read before and I thought these snippets were perfectly timed to my thoughts. When I would roll my eyes or scoff, so did Isadora Wing, and I was happy to know that my frustrations were intentional and I liked being ‘in’ on the process. It’s a very clever idea and I think it’s pulled off really well and I appreciated it.
Saying all this, I do have to admit that she does become more likeable the more you read. I felt very conflicted about this because I genuinely started off hating her but at some point this changes. Yes, she is still her self involved and melodramatic self but you also see that she is tough on herself and her faults and in fact she is actually just really struggling. And by the end Leila shows that she has finally grown up and accepted that she needs to take responsibility for her own happiness and not find it in a man so that level of character growth is great. Only negative about this was that I felt this growth was rushed as literally a couple of pages before she was repeating the same mistakes and was obsessing over a new man and clinging to him to make her life mean something. Yes she did recognise it this time and chose to remove herself from him but it still happened.
Of course this book is jammed packed with the societal ideas and expectations of a women’s place in the world at that particular time in history (after the boomers) and I thought this was explored quite well and was very interesting. Especially the parts about how if she was born before the war she would have known her place and been content with it like a lot of women before her but because she was born later all she knew was that she wanted more out of life but that she had no one to be influenced by as no one had lived a different lifestyle yet so she was lost and had no one to teach her. I feel like this could apply to a lot of women her age during this time and this was an interesting discussion.
I think it’s important to talk about the narrative style in this as it really does blur the lines between art and the artist. This is basically an author (Chung) writing a book that is ‘written’ by a character who is an author (Wing) from the first person perspective of a character who is an artist (Sand). It takes a second to get your head round it but I think it’s pulled off very well. It’s very original, or original for me anyway, and I liked that the foreword and afterword added more questions - like is it Wing presenting another version of herself? Is it actually Chung writing about herself via Wing/Sands? Is it both simultaneously as every character by an author has some element of themselves in? It really created some great conversations regarding authorship, identity and creativity.
I know this isn’t a popular opinion but I actually liked the interruptions/inserts from the ‘author’ Isadora Wing as they are often arguing with Leila or making mocking comments relating to something that she had just said. I felt like it added a new dynamic that I had never read before and I thought these snippets were perfectly timed to my thoughts. When I would roll my eyes or scoff, so did Isadora Wing, and I was happy to know that my frustrations were intentional and I liked being ‘in’ on the process. It’s a very clever idea and I think it’s pulled off really well and I appreciated it.
December 14, 2024
"För att människan har ett behov av att kodifiera allting, till och med hjärtesorg och förtvivlan."
"Ibland kunde jag bli lika djupt berörd av en skalbagges död som av min egen mors bortgång och brista i gråt"
Aldrig har jag känt så mycket för en bok; om det ens någonsin kommer vara möjligt för mig att känna mer.
Geniet med att skriva en bok som författare (Erica Jong, den riktiga författaren) samtidigt som det är en karaktär (Isadora Wing) i sig som skriver boken i berättelsen och att sen få huvudkaraktären (Leila Sand) att interagera med karaktären som skriver boken och faktiskt få deras dialog att fungera på ett smidigt sätt är lysande. De är två olika människor men samma människa simultan vilket kan vara förvirrande men känns så bra när man läser detta verk.
Leila Sand är någon som jag tror vi alla har varit en gång i vårat liv. Kan vi inte känna igen oss i en del av henne så finns det en annan del av denna bok vi kan se oss i. Detta kanske inte alltid är positivt men man känner sig otroligt sedd av Jong. Från Leilas besatthet med hennes mansbebis till älskare Dart som inte kan komma över sitt Casanova komplex till hennes besatthet med måleri och skapande. Som semi konstnär själv kan jag se mig själv i henne mycket. Jag hade nog kunnat klara mig utan alla de otroligt obekväma beskrivningarna av hennes älskares kuk såklart men på ett sätt kanske det behövdes för att sälja in hennes besatthet för läsaren. Leilas behov av att skapa konst av de mest depraverade och sjuka scenerna som hon får skåda är fascinerande.
Under bokens gång så känns det som man får följa med på Leilas AA möten, man känner hennes frustration och sorg och jag tror det är exakt därför slutet känns så otroligt tillfredsställande eftersom Leila inser en sanning om universum; inte alls gudomlig på något sätt utan precis vid hennes hjärta nere på jorden. Denna boken utforskar inte bara sex på en otroligt själslig nivå utan också bara behovet av närhet. Leila blandar ihop känslor av sexuell kärlek med riktig genuin kärlek och det skapar problem för henne. Men hon inser detta när hon inser att "måleri är kärlek". Hon har haft fel uppfattning hela tiden. Denna sanningen skulle kunna verka otroligt enkelt att inse egentligen om det inte vore för att det kan vara så jävla svårt att skilja mellan dessa former av ömhet. Har man inte fått mycket under sitt liv kan lite verka som mycket. För en svältande själ kan smulor vara en buffé och det är det Leila försöker förmedla. Att föreviga kärleken är ett behov som vi alla har och Leila ger form åt detta.
I slutändan vet jag inte om det finns en sensmoral i denna boken. Det finns så många saker att lära bland dessa sidorna. Mitt bästa försök på att fånga någon form av helhetsbild av en sensmoral hade varit "låt inte någon annan ta över dit liv utan lev för dig själv" men helt ärligt känns det dumt att försöka fånga in denna boken i en låda. Den måste få stå för sig själv o säga vad den säger.
"Jag har mitt eget svar. Jag håller det i handen."
"Ibland kunde jag bli lika djupt berörd av en skalbagges död som av min egen mors bortgång och brista i gråt"
Aldrig har jag känt så mycket för en bok; om det ens någonsin kommer vara möjligt för mig att känna mer.
Geniet med att skriva en bok som författare (Erica Jong, den riktiga författaren) samtidigt som det är en karaktär (Isadora Wing) i sig som skriver boken i berättelsen och att sen få huvudkaraktären (Leila Sand) att interagera med karaktären som skriver boken och faktiskt få deras dialog att fungera på ett smidigt sätt är lysande. De är två olika människor men samma människa simultan vilket kan vara förvirrande men känns så bra när man läser detta verk.
Leila Sand är någon som jag tror vi alla har varit en gång i vårat liv. Kan vi inte känna igen oss i en del av henne så finns det en annan del av denna bok vi kan se oss i. Detta kanske inte alltid är positivt men man känner sig otroligt sedd av Jong. Från Leilas besatthet med hennes mansbebis till älskare Dart som inte kan komma över sitt Casanova komplex till hennes besatthet med måleri och skapande. Som semi konstnär själv kan jag se mig själv i henne mycket. Jag hade nog kunnat klara mig utan alla de otroligt obekväma beskrivningarna av hennes älskares kuk såklart men på ett sätt kanske det behövdes för att sälja in hennes besatthet för läsaren. Leilas behov av att skapa konst av de mest depraverade och sjuka scenerna som hon får skåda är fascinerande.
Under bokens gång så känns det som man får följa med på Leilas AA möten, man känner hennes frustration och sorg och jag tror det är exakt därför slutet känns så otroligt tillfredsställande eftersom Leila inser en sanning om universum; inte alls gudomlig på något sätt utan precis vid hennes hjärta nere på jorden. Denna boken utforskar inte bara sex på en otroligt själslig nivå utan också bara behovet av närhet. Leila blandar ihop känslor av sexuell kärlek med riktig genuin kärlek och det skapar problem för henne. Men hon inser detta när hon inser att "måleri är kärlek". Hon har haft fel uppfattning hela tiden. Denna sanningen skulle kunna verka otroligt enkelt att inse egentligen om det inte vore för att det kan vara så jävla svårt att skilja mellan dessa former av ömhet. Har man inte fått mycket under sitt liv kan lite verka som mycket. För en svältande själ kan smulor vara en buffé och det är det Leila försöker förmedla. Att föreviga kärleken är ett behov som vi alla har och Leila ger form åt detta.
I slutändan vet jag inte om det finns en sensmoral i denna boken. Det finns så många saker att lära bland dessa sidorna. Mitt bästa försök på att fånga någon form av helhetsbild av en sensmoral hade varit "låt inte någon annan ta över dit liv utan lev för dig själv" men helt ärligt känns det dumt att försöka fånga in denna boken i en låda. Den måste få stå för sig själv o säga vad den säger.
"Jag har mitt eget svar. Jag håller det i handen."
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 26, 2017
Leila, or is it Layla? I swear Clapton wrote a song about her...
By Melani J. Whisler February 18, 2008
Format: Paperback
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 alright. 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 asset to men and women alike for not being shy to say what really happens.
By Melani J. Whisler February 18, 2008
Format: Paperback
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 alright. 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 asset to men and women alike for not being shy to say what really happens.
February 13, 2025
me encantó que la autora dejara múltiples notas en todo el libro hablando consigo misma, me confundía mucho no sabía quién era Isadora quien era erica y quién era Leila, este libro lo halle en una pila dentro de un mercado así que no tenía ningún conocimiento respecto a la autora y fue uno de mis primeros libros, al final de cuentas aprecie mucho el retrato de vida de cada una de ellas en toda la novela y como se comunicaban una con la otra, es decir consigo misma
Me gusta cómo explora desde la experiencia la obsesión hacia el sexo que muchos y muchas tenemos, el problema con la adicción y el pensamiento crudo respecto a si misma y hacia los demás, sin hacer de lado toda la cultura neoyorkina y de alta clase que la rodeaba, cómo es vivir siendo así en dicho entorno, la adicción a un hombre que claramente es una redflag, la soledad, la eterna soledad pero cómoda en muchas ocasiones, cómoda mal plan, el desarrollo se sintió algo lento, todo el viaje de Alcohólicos anónimos y como al reformarse decidió dejar sus adicciones incluida la de que tenía por ese hombre que más bien era una versión contenida pienso yo de lo que era su adicción, obsesión
Me encanta su relación con la música, escuché a Bessie Smith en la temporada en que leí esto, hay mucha fuerza en cada palabra y sentimiento, y se atreve a contar una experiencia que honestamente me cambio mucho al haberla leído, no conozco la mayoría de sus referencias del mundo del arte y cultura que menciona, sin embargo no es necesario para conectar con la experiencia principal y también disfrutar todo el viaje
amé
Me gusta cómo explora desde la experiencia la obsesión hacia el sexo que muchos y muchas tenemos, el problema con la adicción y el pensamiento crudo respecto a si misma y hacia los demás, sin hacer de lado toda la cultura neoyorkina y de alta clase que la rodeaba, cómo es vivir siendo así en dicho entorno, la adicción a un hombre que claramente es una redflag, la soledad, la eterna soledad pero cómoda en muchas ocasiones, cómoda mal plan, el desarrollo se sintió algo lento, todo el viaje de Alcohólicos anónimos y como al reformarse decidió dejar sus adicciones incluida la de que tenía por ese hombre que más bien era una versión contenida pienso yo de lo que era su adicción, obsesión
Me encanta su relación con la música, escuché a Bessie Smith en la temporada en que leí esto, hay mucha fuerza en cada palabra y sentimiento, y se atreve a contar una experiencia que honestamente me cambio mucho al haberla leído, no conozco la mayoría de sus referencias del mundo del arte y cultura que menciona, sin embargo no es necesario para conectar con la experiencia principal y también disfrutar todo el viaje
amé
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 9, 2025
Queee?!! O sea esto debería ser una biblia para las mujeres, libro muy de crisis +30 pero en mi caso pese a no tener 45 años como la autora cuando lo escribe, me vi representada muchas veces, o encontré muchas respuestas al rol de la mujer en el mundo artístico, en el mundo de la culpa, el cuestionamiento y el sometimiento a patrones patriarcales . Es una locura que este libro se escribió hace tantos años y parece haber predecido lo que sucede hoy en día con “el país de follar” y las interacciones humanas a veces tan íntimas y superficiales, como si nos transformáramos en robots (ni hablar ahora con los vínculos e interacciones vía redes). Toda la nota del final que hace la autora autobiográfica y su mensaje para el lector, fue muy asombroso, también la forma en la que llegué a este libro fue como si alguien del más allá estuvo escuchando mis pensamientos de los últimos meses y me otorgó este libro como regalo, fuerte de leer, de procesar pero bello, espero cuando doblé mi edad re-leer esta historia a ver cómo me encuentra, si ya me he liberado y estoy escribiendo en una pradera con mi soledad. A cada mujer que pase los 20’s y haya pasado por una vida agitada, de excesos y patrones debe leer este libro, me encargaré que pase por las manos de todas las mujeres que lo necesiten…
July 8, 2025
I recently reread this by accident, thinking I hadn't read it before (and thinking that some of the incidents I remembered were from a different book). It hits different after reading Molly Jong-Fast's memoir about her mother's alcoholism. It's also super preachy compared with her previous books, and for some reason she no longer keeps the alter ego she had for the previous books but invents another one (though friends with the first one), perhaps so she can write about being an artist rather than a writer.
February 4, 2021
Nonostante l'uso di un linguaggio volgare il libro è ben scritto e il ritmo è accattivante. Fino al capitolo 10.
Poi la trama diventa rindondante, alzi gli occhi al cielo e ti chiedi quanto manca alla fine del libro.
Ho letto che Erica Jong è stata definita una femminista. Io ci trovo veramente poco di femminista quando una donna diventa uno zerbino di un uomo.
Poi la trama diventa rindondante, alzi gli occhi al cielo e ti chiedi quanto manca alla fine del libro.
Ho letto che Erica Jong è stata definita una femminista. Io ci trovo veramente poco di femminista quando una donna diventa uno zerbino di un uomo.
June 7, 2025
I like Erica Jong's dirtiness when she speaks, but this book was clichéd, very clichéd. At first I liked it, but it became more and more boring as the book progressed. Sometimes the writing is a bit cringe, like trying to be poetic but failing at it. I love Jong's poetry, but this book...seriously, no.
February 28, 2020
About love, obsession, drugs, quitting alcohol
May 31, 2021
Jsjsjaj
January 26, 2023
I loved this book. I thought the main character was believable and this whole situation was relatable.
February 7, 2025
Frustrating, but I’ve been there
December 29, 2025
3,75
Libro a volte crudo, a volte illuminante, altre ripetitivo e prolisso. Nel complesso una lettura che meritava di essere fatta.
Libro a volte crudo, a volte illuminante, altre ripetitivo e prolisso. Nel complesso una lettura che meritava di essere fatta.
May 17, 2014
Frick...here I was saying I was not going to call my reviews "reviews" any more but "impressions"...and now I realize that I did not compose a review in the right place but in the "Comments" place...So I basically commented on my non-existent review...so, bass ackwards and cart before the horse, If you are interested in my review or impression, please see my comment. RRrrrr...I wish i was as smart as Erica Jong, then I would know how to actually compose a review on goodreads...I've done it before, but each time it seems to stump me afresh. But here is a headsup of my review, I basically was pissed-off at E, Jong for squandering her intellectual abilities on this chick lit. Well she'd done it before, had great success, hence allowing for a lifestyle no doubt no less fabulous than that of her heroine in this book. And that's the problem: dressing up Jong's smart and creative and intelligent philosophizing in a pedestrian chick-lit story. Even the cover of the edition I had, was pandering to naughty narcissists. I mean who but narcissists want to read about narcissists? I used to think i was self-absorbed but that element bored and annoyed me in this book. Jong and her stand-in seemed to be gloating on how much living they were doing. All this reader could take from that was either a) I better get myself out of this book and doing ANYTHING at all, if not racy or glamorous or interesting then at least smelling a daisy or something. or b) at least reading something that does enlighten or thrill or take me somewhere. This book did not take me along to Venice or Manhattan, it merely made me mad that she was there having that, and I was stuck here reading this!
Read
February 14, 2010this was an easier read than fear of flying, a little more structured, a little less 70s. interesting to see the difference and similarities in author's voice and themes. jong's women are very alive and attacking their lives to get the most out of it - wanting and thinking about how to make the best/most of it. i like that about her books. ask for more. ask for it all. screw up burn out and still ask for more. not all cultures raise women to even think any of that is possible.
and who knows if it really is - but to not even try...
and who knows if it really is - but to not even try...
June 28, 2015
Not my favorite of her novels, I found it quite silly and I eye rolled a few times and blurted out a "gross" here and there at some of the cheesy sex scenes, but I cannot deny her undeniable charm. I like to read an Erica Jong novel every 5 years or so because I like her so much and I find myself missing her. She is FUN, funny and I love how enjoyable it is to read her. I did appreciate that this book turned out to be a love letter to her readers and I have to say even though this was only a "three star" she still has my heart.
July 26, 2009
I could not finish this book. I was amazed at how sad and desperate it was for attention. This made it even less attractive.
I've read Jong's poetry and kind of liked it. This work, though seems like it's written by a hormonal teenager. This is the kind of thing you read when you're a fifteen-year-old virgin who is desperate to know about what the non-virgins are doing as a way to live vicariously.
Trust me, this isn't it.
I've read Jong's poetry and kind of liked it. This work, though seems like it's written by a hormonal teenager. This is the kind of thing you read when you're a fifteen-year-old virgin who is desperate to know about what the non-virgins are doing as a way to live vicariously.
Trust me, this isn't it.
January 21, 2014
I like Erica Jong's work and for that reason I struggled on for three weeks trying to like this book to the bitter end. I skimmed the last pages......glad to be done and wondering what I was missing? Maybe it was because i loved Fear of Flying so much that this book was such a disapointment. I just couldnt relate, or understand.
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