Readerville Veterans discussion
Fear of Flying by Erica Jong. Who wants in?
I safely can say I've a new addiction/obsession.
goodreads, I mean. It will take me a while (obviously) to navigate properly.Sorry to say, I'm not much of a re-reader. Too much fresh meat out there, ya know?!
Well, please participate anyway, dear. I'm sure the comments from us will get you going. Just spin off us, the more the merrier.
I generally feel the same way, Kat, but the difference between me at 13 and me at 46 makes this essentially a new read. With a little pentimento effect thrown in, more's the better. Anyway it's very good to see you here.
Entirely tickled to be here, Lisa.Timing is all -- that's what they say, right? Usually about comedy perhaps. "Fear" was published in 1973 and I then was 24 and that makes all the difference, as you note.
By then I'd moved from one country to another, gotten expelled from two colleges, had a number of lovers, became politically active and a Marxist and Trotskyist, got married, graduated from the fourth college privileged to host me, was hauled up in front of the Louisiana Supreme Court, moved to NYC, had an abortion and so on.
When Jong's book came out, I bought it in hardcover although money was scarcer than hen's teeth. It was a quick read and I remember thinking: whoa, I've never read anything like this before. I mean, it wasn't exactly Terry Southern's Candy (which I'd read when 14). At the time, life was difficult although often fun; there was no money and less security. My life was radically different from what my parents intended (middle-middle class at worst); struggle on all sides -- political, economic and personal.
The feminism of the time (as exemplified in Jong's book) existed at a different level from what I was living. Not that I didn't recognize and associate with much of it. But it was a narrowly-focussed book appealing to a specific demographic to which I could have belonged but I'd taken a different path.
So, long story made short: I appreciated the content because it was so very different from anything I'd read. But I didn't respond with the almost tidal force felt by so many others. Jong spoke then (as now) from a position of privilege. That doesn't minimize her courage, nor her book but I hope it provides some understanding of my perspective at the time.
Hi all, I posted a reply on that other thread (the one you linked me to Lisa, where this discussion started.)I will try to join in. As I said there, I got the book when it first came out but never read it. I still have my old dusty copy so I may give it a go. It would just be fun to talk about it with friends here.
I do recall being somewhat impressed that the publishers permitted "fuck" but was downright stunned that "cunt" was in the text. Good heavens!
I neglect to say: the other reaction I had to "Fear" was the semi-semi-conscious narrative and dialog which was new to me. And, I wasn't real comfy with it, either. Yet was intrigued.
I have not read Fear of Flying, being older than you lot, and in the midst of facing total poverty and new parenthood in my middle-class life when it was published. It wasn't in the library, and I certainly did not buy a new book between 1973 and about 1983, when I re-entered the workforce. I may look for a copy and read along, or perhaps I will just listen in on your discussion.
I'm the perfect age to have read FOF, and the perfect place mentally to have done so as well, yet I never did. Probably for the same reason I never saw Star Wars when it came out or went to CBGB's when it was the thing to do. Fear of Following, probably. But boy I remember the splash it made -- I'm in.
You know, I don't think I've read Fear of Flying . . . or if I did it went in and then out again. I can deal with April 1st, so I'm in.Kat, thanks for providing the background for you read. You've obviously lived a very interesting life.
This is fabulous. BTW, Amazon has it for a mere $5: http://tinyurl.com/ybah54eI think the book may be somewhat eye-rolling, certainly a time-piece, and probably irritatingly blind to class, race, and sexual orientation. I would bet that none of us--regardless of age--had an experience of feminism that is anything close to what is portrayed in Jong's novel. But that is the feminism that in mainstream ways has dribbled into history, I think.
I recall being annoyed--even laughing--at Jong's feminism, even as young as I was. I don't think her apple falls too far from Helen Gurley Brown's tree, but all that after so much time is what intrigues me to read it again. I'm not expecting to be inspired, but I would love to be surprised by something--anything--in it.
Cordel, I'd love if you would participate. I'd love to hear your impressions. Debi has also never read the book before--she was probably six years old when it came out. I'm curious for her impressions in the same way.
So, Debi and I will be the senior and junior of the discussion. I will look for it at the library, and see if my local indie can order it for me.
Cordel, I see it used all the time at a thrift store near me, I'll pick it up for you if I see it any time soon (all books there are 25 to 50 cents).I can't remember exactly when I read it, I was 18 or so when it came out but I didn't read it until a few years later.
Thanks, Karen, that is sweet of you. I do live in Canada though, so postage may be worth more than you pay for the book. Let me check the library first. I could get it from Amazon, but I have vowed to only buy through my local indie.
Oh, and Kat, I'd be interested in further comments from you on 'semi-conscious narration' when I do my reread.
Miriam wrote: "You know, I don't think I've read Fear of Flying . . . or if I did it went in and then out again."Kind of... a zipless read?
Nancy wrote: "This is fabulous. BTW, Amazon has it for a mere $5: http://tinyurl.com/ybah54eI think the book may be somewhat eye-rolling, certainly a time-piece, and probably irritatingly blind to class, rac..."
Nancy wrote: "This is fabulous. BTW, Amazon has it for a mere $5: http://tinyurl.com/ybah54e
I think the book may be somewhat eye-rolling, certainly a time-piece, and probably irritatingly blind to class, rac..."
Very on the mark, Nancy.
Lisa wrote: "Miriam wrote: "You know, I don't think I've read Fear of Flying . . . or if I did it went in and then out again."Kind of... a zipless read?
"
snerk. you could say that . . .
Hey, remember this? Is everyone or anyone still up for FOF on April 1? I know that many of you are up to your ladyparts in classicy-Britishy stuff; this is certainly not that. Please pop in with an opinion--any choice is fine with me.
My ladybits could use a little action. I'm in.
I'm probably in, but my intentions are better than my actions.
Intentions are all we need, Miriam. After that, que sera.I'm glad folks are still interested. I'll post again as April 1 approaches. Anyone is welcome to join in!
(^.^) HA! You guys are something... Tell me HOW on earth you dug up 'Fear of Flying' by Erica Jong ! I'd be totally in IF I could read it in Portuguese; (0.o) I'm SURE I have the book, but it might be easier just to buy another, very CHEAP copy than look for it in my chaotic library; fave booktore here offers a copy for only R$ 14,93 ( about US8.00 or even a little less than this )...
It would be fascinating to get your perspective on this novel, Pumper.
I'm gonna ask it to be put under reservation; (~_^) After we discuss it, I can always lend it -- or even give it !!! -- to my neighbor Estela , since it'll be in Portuguese !Thank you for your nice words, Nancy !
(^.^) Man... I smile to myself everytime I think of this ! Just imagine this dialogue :
- So, what have you been reading ?
-'Fear of Flying' by Erica Jong...
And the person who asks is over 40, so he or she will go:
- Excuse me ? (^.^) Heh .
Ok, I received 'Medo de Voar' ( Fear of Flying ) today. The discussion begins April, 1st, right ? I'll start reading it...
I have too many books on the go, and committed myself to too many books for book discussions, but I've requested Fear of Flying from the library and am hoping its a quick read . . .
I started it last night. I think it will be a quick read. Funny, but it's not sounding familiar at all. She's a decent writer, but the perspective and attitude of the story is pretty insufferable (so far). We might just end up laughing our asses off.
The protagonist lets us know in the first couple of pages that she is not wearing a bra and so can feel her nipples against the inside of her dress. I suspect that was a fairly radical idea at the time, at least among women of her class.Challenge: find something truly feminist in this novel.
The library just sent me an email. I can pick it up tonight.
I wish I'd known, Lauren. I saw a copy at the thrift store for a quarter recently. I still have a hardback copy from back in the day.
I was hoping my mom still had her old hardcover, but I didn't see it in her house, so I got out a library book myself. I love that the fiction stacks are on the same floor I work on (there are something like 16 levels of stacks here).
I'll check the library first, but thanks.
The Charlotte Library has exactly one copy.......but I managed to get it!
Our library only had one copy too. I suspect it isn't checked our very often.
I'm so glad you're all still in! So far I'm finding lots of basic 1970s feminist ideas, e.g., (woman says to man) "Don't you see that men have always defined femininity as a means of keeping women in line?"How new or radical were these ideas in 1973? Thirty-seven years later, they are a given.
Nancy,We will probably have lots to talk about, cuz here in Brazil the situation has changed, thank GAWD, but women still receive less, and they are still 'supposed' to be 'in line', at least in my generation ( I am 53 now ). I give classes to youngsters and lots have changed, but women here are FAR from being in an ideal situation. Brazilians are still 'very much machos', and this is ONE reason why I never married. Nowadays, the Brazilian women have come to the conclusion that marriages ARE indeed very interesting, but most of all for men... BUT we can discuss about this as we read the book.
I feel like such an idiot. I just realized that the novel is a SATIRE. When I first read it, I was 16 and taking everything at face value.
Oh, don't feel bad. How many of us would have recognized satire when we were 16 unless it was obviously branded as such? I haven't started rereading it yet, but now I'm thinking Yeah, now that you mention it... -- that's a whole new way of looking at the book.
I think I got it but I didn't read it until I was in my mid-twenties or so (I wish I'd started keeping a reading list when I was younger).
Now that I've realized that, I'm enjoying the book a lot more.
The plan is for the discussion to begin around April 1, but I'm opening the discussion now to see if there's any more interest. If anyone wants to post in this discussion before April 1, please feel free. I'm not big on following rules.