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Just not for me. It was recommended to me; the title and cover already made me hesitant. I found the essays to be fairly boring and not holding any refreshing or new ideas. Oh well.
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What Do Women Want?: Essays by Erica Jong
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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 risqu? 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?
336 pages, Paperback
First published January 1,1998
This edition
- Format
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336 pages, Paperback
- Published
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May 10, 2007 by Penguin Publishing Group
- ISBN
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9781585425549
- ASIN
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1585425540
- Language
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English
About the author
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Erica 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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Yeah, the title… it's not a “How to pick up girls” primer. In case you are curious, the answer is... the same things men want. But you should know that already.
There is a lot to learn in this collection of essays written in the 90s. But first…
In 1973 Erica Jong wrote a huge and sexy bestseller, THE FEAR OF FLYING. In terms of popularity, it was the FIFTY SHADES OF GREY of its day. It may have shared the cultural impact of LOLITA or LADY CHATTERLEY'S LOVER of even earlier generations. Culturally sanctioned sexual fantasies do hit the mainstream from time to time, and they are liberating.
Owing to my own ignorance, I hadn’t heard anything of Erica Jong since 1973. I bought and read WHAT DO WOMEN WANT in 2016 because; it contained an essay about Hillary Clinton, I recognized Jong’s name, and two essays featured the provocative titles; THE PRESIDENT'S PENIS and INCEST & ANAÏS NIN. I found Erica Jong a lighter version of the academic, Camille Paglia. That is not a slight. Jong is simply more comprehensible. Both are intellectuals and feminists. I am a feminist, though I hate feminists who hate me(n).
Picking up my copy to refresh my memory before writing this, I found I’d marked many passages. I started rereading essays. They are so good. I had to stop. There are too many other books waiting for me. Many of her essays are about literature and being a writer. Jong includes a valuable list of 100 great novels by 20th century female writers.
Here are a few quotes;
“She writes her stories with a light, ironic hand. She is able to tell tales on herself---the sign of a real writer. And, blessedly, she doesn’t take herself too seriously.”
“Words are our antidote to mortality.”
“The truth was, Di had gone as far as she could go alive. Virgins can’t stay virgins and they mayn’t be public whores, so they have to die. From Juliet to Sleeping Beauty, consider the fate of virgins. The kiss kills as often as it cures.”
There is a lot to learn in this collection of essays written in the 90s. But first…
In 1973 Erica Jong wrote a huge and sexy bestseller, THE FEAR OF FLYING. In terms of popularity, it was the FIFTY SHADES OF GREY of its day. It may have shared the cultural impact of LOLITA or LADY CHATTERLEY'S LOVER of even earlier generations. Culturally sanctioned sexual fantasies do hit the mainstream from time to time, and they are liberating.
Owing to my own ignorance, I hadn’t heard anything of Erica Jong since 1973. I bought and read WHAT DO WOMEN WANT in 2016 because; it contained an essay about Hillary Clinton, I recognized Jong’s name, and two essays featured the provocative titles; THE PRESIDENT'S PENIS and INCEST & ANAÏS NIN. I found Erica Jong a lighter version of the academic, Camille Paglia. That is not a slight. Jong is simply more comprehensible. Both are intellectuals and feminists. I am a feminist, though I hate feminists who hate me(n).
Picking up my copy to refresh my memory before writing this, I found I’d marked many passages. I started rereading essays. They are so good. I had to stop. There are too many other books waiting for me. Many of her essays are about literature and being a writer. Jong includes a valuable list of 100 great novels by 20th century female writers.
Here are a few quotes;
“She writes her stories with a light, ironic hand. She is able to tell tales on herself---the sign of a real writer. And, blessedly, she doesn’t take herself too seriously.”
“Words are our antidote to mortality.”
“The truth was, Di had gone as far as she could go alive. Virgins can’t stay virgins and they mayn’t be public whores, so they have to die. From Juliet to Sleeping Beauty, consider the fate of virgins. The kiss kills as often as it cures.”
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Heb niet alle essays even goed gelezen, maar wel weer wat mooie citaten opgedaan over vrouwen en creativiteit.
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She's the sassiest of my favorite sassy girl writers. I'm reading the old edition from the library (subtitled power, sex, bread and roses), but it's fairly timeless. She talks about love and motherhood, politics, porn, feminism, and literature.
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Just ignore the cheesy title. I like how many modern important female figures and female literature she touched in this book from a fairly relatable angle to the general readers. Camilla Paglia talked a lot of the same female figures in her sexual persona, vamps and tramps and sexual culture. Camilla “s perspective is innovative and mind blowing while Jong “s is more like listening to a girl next to door.
The verse and writing style is not colourful but the ideas are grounded in. After read hers You will say yes I totally agree with you and I think the same way! Jong “s writing run parallel in resonance. It is a book for general readers and some academia who are not snobbish and are willing to sit down and listen to another woman to talk.
I think as a woman, you will find reconfirmation of your thoughts in this book and also find strength and encouragement while facing the world as a female.
Erica Jong is not afraid to talk about the truth and not afraid of sharing our most universal fear and worrisome.
Although I don’t like her opening about emphasizing herself being a writer, maybe she can be a bit humble ??
The verse and writing style is not colourful but the ideas are grounded in. After read hers You will say yes I totally agree with you and I think the same way! Jong “s writing run parallel in resonance. It is a book for general readers and some academia who are not snobbish and are willing to sit down and listen to another woman to talk.
I think as a woman, you will find reconfirmation of your thoughts in this book and also find strength and encouragement while facing the world as a female.
Erica Jong is not afraid to talk about the truth and not afraid of sharing our most universal fear and worrisome.
Although I don’t like her opening about emphasizing herself being a writer, maybe she can be a bit humble ??
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Quanto amo questa donna! Quanto ho amato questo libro!
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A lot of people seem to be hung up on the title. What this book is is a collection of essays by Erica Jong with a catchy title. The essays therein don't necessarily answer the question on the cover. For those looking for an answer to that question, you will probably be disappointed.
The essays are loosely grouped into 3 categories: Power, Sex, and Bread & Roses. You'll probably like some and others not so much like I did. If you like Ms Jong's writing, you should give it a spin.
The essays are loosely grouped into 3 categories: Power, Sex, and Bread & Roses. You'll probably like some and others not so much like I did. If you like Ms Jong's writing, you should give it a spin.
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A collection of essays -both funny and serious and always stimulating- about the female universe.
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