'Breaking the wall in a zig-zag pattern'

 

“Peoplealways think that history proceeds in a straight line. It doesn't. Socialattitudes don't change in a straight line. There's always a backlash againstprogressive ideas.” – Erica Jong
Born on this date in 1942, Jong is anovelist, satirist, and poet, known particularly for her 1973 novel Fear ofFlying, famously controversial for its attitudes towards female sexuality.  To date it has sold more than 20 million copiesworldwide.
Jong earned degrees from Barnard andColumbia, where she majored in English Literature, and started writing formagazines and journals before trying her hand at fiction.  Fear ofFlying was her first effort and catapulted her into a successful lifelongcareer.  She has authored 11 novels,8 nonfiction books, and 7 books of poetry.  This past year she was the subject Kaspar Kasics' documentary film, Erica Jong - Breaking the Wall.
While fiction has led to most of herfame, she says she really enjoys poetry and her most recent book is a 2019 book of poetry titled– The World Began With Yes.                          “In poetry you can express almostinexpressible feelings,” she said.   “You can express the pain of loss, you canexpress love. People always turn to poetry when someone they love dies; whenthey fall in love.”