# ERICA JONG: FEARLESS VOICE OF FEMALE SEXUALITY

## Early Life and Education

Erica Jong (born Erica Mann on March 26, 1942) was born in New York City to a culturally rich family with Jewish roots. Her father, Seymour Mann (born Samuel Weisman), was a Polish Jewish businessman who owned a gift and home accessories company known for mass-producing porcelain dolls. Her mother, Eda Mirsky (1911-2012), was born in England to a family of Russian Jewish immigrants and worked as a painter and textile designer, also creating dolls for her husband's company.

Jong grew up alongside two sisters: an older sister named Suzanna, who married Lebanese businessman Arthur Daou, and a younger sister named Claudia, a social worker. Among her nephews is Peter Daou, a political strategist and former musician who in 1994 produced an album titled "Zipless," a concept album based on Jong's novel "Fear of Flying."

During the 1950s, Jong attended the High School of Music and Art in New York, where she developed her passion for art and writing. As a student at Barnard College, she edited the school's literary magazine and created poetry programs for Columbia University's campus radio station, WKCR. Jong graduated from Barnard College in 1963 and went on to earn a master's degree in 18th-century English Literature from Columbia University in 1965.

## Literary Career and Breakthrough

Though Jong had published poetry earlier (her first collection, "Fruits and Vegetables," came out in 1971), it was her 1973 debut novel, "Fear of Flying," that thrust her into the spotlight. The book became an immediate sensation for its frank treatment of female sexuality through the story of Isadora Wing, a woman in her twenties searching for her identity and future.

"Fear of Flying" expertly combined psychological insights with humor, rich cultural and literary references, and candid reflections on sex. The novel addressed many of the conflicts facing American women in the late 1960s and early 1970s: the condition of womanhood, femininity, sex, and relationships versus the quest for freedom and purpose. The book introduced the concept of the "zipless fuck" – a sexual encounter free from emotional entanglements or power dynamics – which became a cultural touchstone.

The novel went on to sell over 37 million copies worldwide according to the New York Times (as of 2022) and played a significant role in the development of second-wave feminism. Isadora Wing's story continued in two subsequent novels, "How to Save Your Own Life" (1977) and "Parachutes & Kisses" (1984).

## Diverse Literary Output

While Jong is often primarily associated with "Fear of Flying," her literary output has been both prolific and diverse. She has published several novels, including:

- "Fanny: Being the True History of the Adventures of Fanny Hackabout-Jones" (1980)
- "Serenissima" (later retitled "Shylock's Daughter") (1987)
- "Any Woman's Blues" (1990)
- "Inventing Memory" (1997)
- "Sappho's Leap" (2003)
- "Fear of Dying" (2015)

Jong has also maintained a significant career as a poet, publishing multiple collections:

- "Fruits & Vegetables" (1971)
- "Half-Lives" (1973)
- "Loveroot" (1975)
- "At the Edge of the Body" (1979)
- "Ordinary Miracles" (1983)
- "Becoming Light: New and Selected" (1991)
- "Love Comes First" (2009)
- "The World Began With Yes" (2019)

Her poetry explores female sexuality and often focuses on women's roles in contemporary society. Her poems reveal humor, understanding, and a deep knowledge of her literary predecessors. Critic and poet Jay Parini has compared her poetry to that of Sappho, Walt Whitman, and D.H. Lawrence, while poet Muriel Rukeyser highlighted the "joyful agility" of Jong's poems in "Half-Lives."

Jong's non-fiction works include "Witches" (1981), "The Devil at Large: Erica Jong on Henry Miller" (1993), "Fear of Fifty: A Memoir" (1994), and "Seducing the Demon: Writing for My Life" (2006).

## Personal Life and Influence

Jong has been married four times. After a brief marriage to Michael Werthman during her time at Barnard, and another in 1966 to Allan Jong, a Chinese-American psychiatrist, she married novelist Jonathan Fast (son of novelist Howard Fast) in 1977. Her third marriage was described in her novels "How to Save Your Own Life" and "Parachutes & Kisses." Jong has one daughter from her third marriage, Molly Jong-Fast. Her first three marriages ended in divorce. Jong was married to Kenneth David Burrows, a New York litigator, until his death on December 14, 2023.

From 1966 to 1969, Jong lived on a military base in Heidelberg, West Germany, with her second husband. She frequently visited Venice and wrote about it in her novel "Shylock's Daughter."

Jong's cultural impact extends beyond literature. She is mentioned in "Highlands," the closing song of Bob Dylan's Grammy-winning album "Time Out of Mind" (1997). Her literary archive was acquired by Columbia University in New York City in 2007.

Throughout her career, Jong has been an outspoken supporter of various causes, including LGBT rights and same-sex marriage, stating: "Gay marriage is a blessing, not a curse. It certainly promotes stability and family. And it's certainly good for children."

## Teaching and Other Professional Activities

Beyond her writing career, Jong has taught at several universities in the U.S., Austria, and Israel. She was a member of the English Department at the City University of New York during the periods 1964-65 and 1969-70.

Jong has also been involved in numerous literary endeavors, including editing the anthology "Sugar in My Bowl: Real Women Write About Real Sex" (2011).

## Legacy and Impact

Erica Jong stands as one of the most significant American writers of the latter half of the 20th century. Her groundbreaking "Fear of Flying" permanently altered the landscape of women's fiction, giving voice to female desires, ambitions, and conflicts in a way that was unprecedented at the time.

Jong became a symbol of female sexual liberation in the 1970s. Her work has been translated into over 22 languages, helping to spread her ideas globally. She broke taboos about female sexuality and created a space for honest conversations about women's experiences and desires.

As both a novelist and poet, Jong has consistently explored themes of gender, power, identity, and freedom. Her willingness to tackle controversial subjects head-on has inspired generations of writers, particularly women, to explore similar territory in their own work.

In recognition of her influence, Jong received the Konex Award in 2004 from Argentina as one of the most influential writers of the region, demonstrating her global impact. Her fearless approach to writing about women's lives continues to resonate with readers worldwide, cementing her place as an essential voice in contemporary American literature.