Hettie Jones' work is an important contribution to the Beat era. The Beats were avant-garde in many ways, but they remained entrenched in sexism. Sexual liberation is here frought with masculine privilege, as is drug-taking and the creation of art--men get to create, while the mothers cook, clean, and change diapers.

However, I found the book a bit dull and unreflective. Jones seems not to have been very excited by the Beat scene or the people whom she knew. Nor does she emote a real feminist consciousness. Instead, she seems to sense that something was wrong, and hope that things will change.

Great books - stayed up until 3 am to finish. paid the price this morning but it was worth it.

This is the kind of book that makes the reader despair of writing! Not only does she have more interesting experiences to write about than most people (she shows beyond any reasonable doubt that the price she paid earned them), but she does it so well! With dignity, she recalls how she coped with women throwing themselves at her unresisting husband as he became better known, and being left for being white (though not divorced by her in-laws)e. She is clear but unbitter about the costs of nurturing a man's career and subordinating her own work to that and the unreasonable expectations to be mother, muse, sextoy, and an independent voice all at the same time.