On November 11, 1973, The New York Times reviewed feminist author Erica Jong’s debut novel Fear of Flying. A book focused on female sexuality and freedom, Jong’s book was selling rapidly all around the country. Her honest views of sex outside of marriage were a hit with many, yet some found Jong’s work “filthy” and too erotic to digest. As one of the most influential newspapers in the nation, The New York Times quickly reviewed the novel and gave it a certain level of credibility. The small bit of literary value that The New York Times gave to Fear of Flying was, no doubt, influential in sales and revenue for Jong and the publishing house, Henry Holt and Company.

In his review of the novel, Terry Stokes called Jong’s book “energetic, bawdy, and well-conceived,” yet he also goes on to object to Isadora’s “whining,” which “reduce[s] the experience for the reader”. Stokes also makes an important statement about the men of the novel, which possibly turned many men away from reading Fear of Flying altogether: that they were “either lifeless or fall guys for Isadora’s proclamations.” Stokes’ opinion of this is interesting, as this was, in a way, Jong’s intention. These men are just as lost as Isadora is, yet it is a female protagonist searching for the answers. This shift from the usual male leader being the hero to a woman doing the same thing was strange and it was shocking to male readers.

http://movies2.nytimes.com/books/97/07/20/reviews/jong-flying.html

Sources:

Stokes, Terry. “Fear of Flying Review.” The New York Times, The New York Times Company, 11 Nov. 1973, movies2.nytimes.com/books/97/07/20/reviews/jong-flying.html. Accessed 29 November 2018.