How to Save Your Own Life (Paperback)

by Erica Jong (Author), Anthony Burgess (Afterword)
Key Phrases: New York, Seventy-seventh Street, Beverly Hills (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
Picks up the story of Isadora three years after the events of "Fear of Flying". Isadora is by now an older, wiser and somewhat more rueful heroine. This time her odyssey takes her to the never-never land called California where she meets a variety of sharks, knaves, fools - and one real lover. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

About the Author
Erica Jong is the author of twenty books of poetry, fiction, and memoir. Her most recent essays have appeared in The New York Times Book Review. --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Paperback: 320 pages
• Publisher: Plume (June 1, 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0452274540
• ISBN-13: 978-0452274549
• Product Dimensions: 7 x 5 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #978,732 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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  #29 in	Books > Literature & Fiction > Authors, A-Z > ( J ) > Jong, Erica
  #39 in	Books > Literature & Fiction > Authors, A-Z > ( B ) > Burgess, Anthony

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The book is powerful , witty, insightful-- one of her best!, January 18, 1999

By	[e-mail] "jccasey" (San Diego, CA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: How to Save Your Own Life: A Novel (Hardcover)

Erica Jong does a wonderful job of capturing her heroine's ambivalence as she struggles to decide whether or not to leave a marriage that she finds unsatisfying and oppressive. The story illuminates the jealousy (and subtle undermining tendencies) of the heroine's successful husband once she starts to become successful in her own right as an author. A number of years ago, I wrote a paper on Jong's book for a college course entitled,"Philosophy of Literature." In the paper, I analyzed the book from a feminist perspective--comparing and contrasting the book with--believe it or not--Cosmopolitan editor, Helen Gurly Brown's book, "Having it All." (HGB is an incredible and very witty author, herself!--and the book includes advice on love and marriage). Jong is marvelously witty and insightful. The only shortfall of the book--from a feminist perspective--is that the heroine is never portrayed as having much strength in the relationship. Nor do we get a sense that she is striving to understand her husband, communicate more effectively, and, if necessary, take a stand--even if it means risking the relationship. The only way that Jong's character is finally able to leave her husband--and her unresolved marital conflicts--is when she met another man. Thus,while Jong succeeded in shedding light on a "feminist" problem (inequality, lack of respect, closeness and true love in the marriage, etc.), we are not given a positive literary role model of a woman who is able to become stronger and ultimately make wise decisions for herself and her marriage--apart from meeting a new man and having an adulterous affair.

10 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Ladies encore to FEAR OF FLYING........, September 3, 2003

By	girldiver "Enjoy!" (tangled up in blue.) - See all my reviews

This review is from: How to Save Your Own Life: A Novel (Hardcover)

You don't have to read FEAR OF FLYING to enjoy this book but it would give you a little background to protagonist of this book: Isadora Wing.

Isadora is stuck in a marriage that is dying a slow painful death. She has begun affairs with several people to help her deal with her feelings or fulfill her needs that are not being met by her aloof, detached, and psychologically dominate husband of eight years. Isadora echoes many of the feelings modern women feel in their marriage and other relationships and is often very insightful.

Also, there are a few chilling moments in the book that took me by surprise. I won't give them away you will have to read the book.

So, Erica Jong takes you on a journey with Isadora while she tries to figure out what her future will hold and how to move forward with or with out her husband. This journey has lots of sexual liasons that are heartfelt, sad, and often hillarious. She speaks the truth about her sex experiences even if we are not ready to hear it.

Isadora is a woman who has gotten lost in the forest and can't see the trees because of the forest but is on a path of discovery. Isadora will discover friendship, betrayal, love, loss, and most of all courage.

I love Erica Jongs writing style. She is a realist but at times I often wonder how much of her books are fiction or autobiographical. I enjoyed her sequal to FEAR OF FLYING and do recommend it.

11 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Terrible, March 27, 2005

By	Romantic Anna (Bronx, NY United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: How to Save Your Own Life: A Novel (Hardcover)

I found this in a used book store and was so happy. Then I read it and am no longer happy. Fear of Flying is one of those novels that I love and re-read often. It is truly funny and shows a whole range of emotions. This book is sadly lacking. Isadora turns whiny, her friends are caricatures. The unhappiness of this charcter seems pathetic and unimportant in this novel. Plus, I truly miss her family; those characters provided necessary contrast. This was a profound disappointment