Book Summary and Reviews of Fear of Dying by Erica Jong

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MDF

Fear of Dying
It doesn't surprise me Erica Jong has written a satire and aimed it directly at what she feels is a pressing issue of our human plight. Death... As in Fear of Flying she has aimed her arrows at truth and the ability to laugh while we crying and see as we are blinded and believe while we run for our lives. Ok, she stands up and puts out there for all to see... Her fear! What else did you think she was going to say... "Death is fun?" No, it's hard and confusing and very very messy. Yes, at 60 we all find ourselves toying with our demise... And at the same time we are seeing it all around us. We are human and so we truly believe that we are special snowflakes that nothing bad will come to us. And we also believe that we will handle what we must in the best possible way and somehow impart a deep wisdom no other has ever uttered.

Well, hang on to your hats ladies, cuz you too will find out one day that we are all a part of a grand simmering mix of desires and fears and sentiments. This book, thru Vanessa, shows what goes through our minds whether we wish to admit it or not. We are all afraid and we are all brave and just because we fear does not mean we don't live and love and go on. What has lapsed since Fear of Flying, is fear of being seen as human... Being the Perfect person is contrary to our human nature... It's good to know that we can show all our sides... Being wise is more about living honestly than having a nice quote on the wall.

Shirley L. (Norco, LA)

Like a reunion with an old friend
Erica Jong is a great writer. When she and I were much younger I marveled at her adventures in Fear of Flying. We both have matured and I loved her words of wisdom about grower older and facing death. Her story was poignant, funny, sad and hopefully...just like life itself. I marked numerous passages to reread. A marvelous read.

Barbara G

What Haunts Many of Us
For women of a particular age, Erica Jong’s Fear of Flying was the naughty, titillating book that fearlessly spoke of sexual yearnings and escapades. Forty-two years later she returns with, if not quite a sequel, a novel in which many women will be able to see themselves and their current stage of life—sandwiched between aging, dying parents and newly adult children, often with sex on the back burner for now. (Not that she isn’t contemplating it.) She’s a savvy enough writer that she references with a sly implicit wink that earlier book by making the narrator of Fear of Flying the narrator of the current novel’s best friend. The situations are real and written with compassion. The writing is spare, but filled with references to problems and outlooks the average female in her audience of that certain age can certainly relate to.

Virginia B. (Foster, RI)

Sex at 60
Fear fuels Erica Jong's latest book and sends Vanessa, her main character, spinning into several unpredictable situations. Jong ably expresses Vanessa's concerns and love for her dying parents and an aging husband. She is so convincing I sometimes thought I was reading a memoir, not fiction. However, Vanessa's fear drives her to seek sex outside her marriage as a way to dissolve her fear and this response seemed immature and unbelieveable.

I did appreciate reading an author whose character is closer to my age in a market where authors are often much younger and usually don't "get" older women. As expected, Jong includes a fair amount of sex but there is a balance of humor, insight, and good dialogue. This is a quick read and I would recommend it to people who have read "Fear of Flying."

Carole

Fear of Aging
I was scheduled to review this until so many evidently found it not worthy. I kept reading to determine why so many had negative thoughts about this book. Yes, I read "FEAR OF FLYING" in that day and age. Personally I did not dislike "FEAR OF DYING" to the extent others apparently did.. As I read I would share passages or thoughts with those in both book clubs and other "reading" friends. The comments were interesting and perhaps in line with the other Book Browse readers. I felt they all had a fear of aging and the issues that arrive with the process. The book was interesting - not the best ever - but hey ... Erica is out there and writes what she feels. It would be hard to imagine that any of my peers could not find a parallel to their lives. Reading isn't always about "fun" - it is about learning, growing and taking time to truly look at some issues that are apart of everyday life. Let us al hope we have the opportunity to age!

Carolyn

Fear of Dying
In Fear of Dying, we get the same sexual Erica of old, but now she is dealing with the death of her parents. It is not a new theme, nor does she handle it well. Sex at sixty is not as funny as when she was young.

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