Definitely one of Jong's best books. she takes you on an indepth journey throu english history from the eyes of a woman.

I was blessed to read some of Erica Jongs masterpieces of poetry. But this book, "Here comes & Other Poems" is my most favotite. I myself write somehow poems in both Arabic and English. It is my pleasure to admit that Erica Jong's poems are most inspiring to me. I do remember a lot of lines of her by heart. Here you have two lines I love of her "Here Comes &Other Poems": "If a woman wants to be a poet,/ she must dwell in the house of the tomato." The expression "the house of the tomato" is well known in colloquial Arabic. But here, with Erica, it dresses a revolutionary battledress of feminisim. To end up my humble entry I call upon one of my favorite Western poets (Erica Jong): keep drawing dewy dreams of delight for writing snowy poems of light to brighten our Wide World night. There is a lot of darkness here, there and everywhere. Only devoted efforts of love, beauty and virtue, like what your ink is doing, can erase a little bit of that damned darkness.. letting a narrower margin of pure light to stand instead. Please, dear readers, forgive my "translated from Arabic" English. "Salamatt" (Greetings)!

It was the best book I have ever read, and it is so true. I think everyone can relate with what she is talking baout.

This was the first time I read Erica Jong's poetry. What is most evident after reading this collection is that she is a woman who truly celebrates and experiences life, particularly the sensual things of the world. She presents the knowledge she has gained through relationships with men both tragically and beautifully. These poems are essentially about love: love of poetry, love of men, love of her life as a woman, and love of nature. Certain poems seem perfect in their construction, as if each word falls exactly where it should. My only misgiving is Jong's use of more crude language, at times, when discussing sex acts. In a different context I might find such words appropriate and necessary to relay a point, but in this collection, I found her choice of rough language as tiny rips in the symmetry of the poems. I know such language is characteristic of her work, but still felt the poems would be stronger without this harsh element. My criticism should not prevent others from reading this collection though, since most of the poems are passionate and amazing without the harsher tone.

Jong's poetry is smart, sassy and shocking. Historically her directness informed the poetry world of the previously unspoken subjects that was only hinted at with whispers and sweet metaphors, instead Jong shouted it out stories of pain, love, secrets and periods for all to read.

I have had this collection for about five years now, and still on a rainly afternoon, I will occasionnally pick it up and flip through it. Each time I do, I find something new, something honest, and something funny.

Unlike Slvia Plath and Anne Sexton, Jong is hunourous about the life and painful parts of being a woman. Her poetry reminds us that each person has their own secrets, but does not have to be ashamed and yes, you can laugh about it.

I love the way she references people, facts, and things we can relate to. In some ways, these poems are a series of essays about women, life, and the time it was written because it is a collection, you can also feel and see the changes of the times through it.

Sometimes Jong's work can seem sloppy if broken down under scrutiny, yet the essence of the poem is alway fresh and creative.

I highly recommend this collection.

This book of poetry has brought me such peace. Jong's words mesmerize the soul. She tangles you in her web of sex and pain. I've never read anything like it before. She is truly one of my favorite poets because of her connection to the human soul.

Erica Jong's debute book of poetry is quite a fine collection of work. to be honest, i didn't realize a person could allude to so much with vegetables, especially onions.

Erica takes the ordinary and makes it extraordinary in this her first book of her poetry. I am sick and tired of reading poetry in textbooks by dead white male windbags that have absolutely no relation to my life as a female.

Erica writes lovingly of the lowly Onion! "I am thinking of the onion again, with it's two O mouths, like the gaping holes in nobody. . . . " and it is pure ecstasy! I highly recommend this book to all poetry lovers. Also visite her website for even more inspriation: ericajong.com.

This was an excellent book. Very very good.

...the Great Erica Jong.

I remember people comparing her to Phillip Roth when Fear of Flying and this came out and since I was into popular fiction a lil more back then than I am now, I vowed to read one of her books. Little did I know back then that she would become one of my favorite all time writers. And I agree that this would be the better offering of the first two novels, because Isadora Wing, to me, seems more real in this one. And it tells of going thru a emotionally sterile period in her life and how she reached fulfillment. Wing is Jong and if you want to get an idea of how and what a woman thinks without being intrusive and obtusive this is one good way to do it...(however, don't rely on this alone). There is outrageous erotica, verbal play and plenty of first person quips all thru it and you will be thoroughly entertained. Don't forget to get a load of Jong's poetry. Read also Jong's great piece on Henry Miller, "The Devil at Large". Excellent writing!

Jong is one of America's greatest writing talents, an original voice that speaks her particular truth with wit and moving realism. It is far better than its predecessor, Fear of Flying.

THe story is about a divorce, as a prelude to growth, with a lot of sensual experimentation, both hiularious and titilatting, along the way. But underneath this is a wonderful vision of life and growth, with observations that are psychologically acute and so real that they are occasionally painful to read. Someday, this will be regarded as a classic.

Highest recommendation.

I gather this is required reading at a lot of high schools these days, and I'm sure that a lot of today's high schoolers do indeed think of it as a drag. It sure doesn't have to be, though, if you read from a larger perspective.

To fully appreciate today's world, it helps to understand the attitudes and experiences of the past, and JANE EYRE is one of the novels that helps us understand.

The book takes an orphaned girl taken in by an unloving aunt, and follows her into an unhappy school experience and ultimately into as good a career as a woman of that time and station could hope for, that of governess.

Well, this is one of the earliest gothic novels and true to the genre, you know the girl's going to fall in love with her employer who, unfortunately, has a deep and dark secret.

There's tragedy of sorts here and there's triumph, all told against the mores of a bygone era. There's much to learn and to enjoy here if you open up to it. It is dated, and not 100% relevant to today's life, which is why I give it four rather than five stars.

It may be helpful to read and compare JENNA STARBORN to JANE EYRE. The former pales horribly by comparison, but by setting the story in the future, today's reader may gain a better understanding of the original story.

I recently finished Jane Erye and I couldn't bear the thought of there not being more of it to read. At first I thought it was strange that Jane could fall in love with such a cold, hard man. But then it turned out that he had a certain charm and gentleness that was buried deep inside him, not to show its face until Jane uncovered it. I think a big reason that some people don't like this book is because they expect Jane to fall in love with a handsome, obviously charming man. But that kind of romance is done too often in literary works, and eventually it loses its effect. In his own suttle way, Mr. Rochester is Prince Charming, though it takes time and patience to see. The book has a slow start, but stick with it. I've seen two movie versions of this story already, and it's a shame to put the title Jane Eyre on them. They are great stories in themselves, of course, but they hardly do the book justice. I'm 14 years old now, and in a few years I plan to read this book again, in hopes of getting more out of it than I already have.

I first read "Jane Eyre" when I was entering my sophomore year in high school. I was so fascinated by the beautiful language, expressing the love between Jane and Edward Rochester. I love Edward so much, because he is human. He is depressed with his life, and wishes for another. He searched for another, taking any and every risk he needs to...even adultery or bigamy. His love for Jane is deep and real, as is her love for him. This classic hasn't lost it's details, details about hope, love, and dreams, in the some 150 years since it's been published. I still enjoy it, even after reading it about 100 times!!~ I consider it the greatest love story ever written.....a story that defies the stuffy rules and regulations of 19th century England. It just shows that love can be more powerful than anything. With that, I give this story 5 stars....only wishing I could give it all the stars in the world. Why? Because it deserves that!

This is my least favorite of Jong's novels. The heroine, Leila Sand, is thoroughly baffling; too arrogant to be likable, too appeasing & long-suffering to seem hateful, not easy to relate to or sympathize with. There's no "rootin' interest" here...Leila drinks, drugs, paints, gallivants and occasionally plays with her twins. The Twelve-Step talk is heavy-handed, doesn't translate well here and comes off all wrong somehow. There are so many dangling story lines that there's no closure or relief in sight.

Having said all that, I read it cover to cover in one sitting, never lost interest, enjoyed the satellite characters & got off on some of the humor. Jong at her worst will do this much for me. So it's an okay read. But nowhere near the integrity and poignance of Fear of Flying, Parachutes & Kisses and How to Save Your Own Life. Not even close.

Any Woman's Blues packs a punch like no other. Erica Jong has always had the talent for relentless honesty and in this book she bravely goes where most writers fear to tread. She doesn't dwell on psychotic mind-sets that the average person can only imagine; she goes places where we all go every day of our lives. Her heroine is steeped with self-doubt, fear, loneliness. In short, she is just like the rest of us. That is why her triumps and setbacks reach us so deeply. That is what Erica Jong's gift is all about.

Erica Jong, although I didn't know who she was before I read this book, I have made a point to buy her other books. This book was Erotic, sexy, adventursome, and imaginative. My wife bought it, but I couldn't put it down once I started it.

This is a book of artwork and poetry written by someone who is using the loaded imagery of the Witch as a way to explore feminism, art, history, and the evolution of religion. It is a thoughtful book but does not pretend to delve deep into any of the issues it explores. It is a book for artists and poets who explore the world through the creative process, and as such I found it hugely successful.

Whether the book fits in the current trends of Wicca/Witchcraft is a side issue that is really up to each person who reads it. I feel it is absolutely a Wiccan book because it gave me tons of the spiritual inspiration I need in my creative pursuits.

As to some of the snarly comments, I don't think people should try to say in a blanket sort of way what is and is not Wicca. To me, Wicca seems more of a craft - a skill you create and develop continually. It's not some fixed set of rituals and beliefs that someone spoon feeds to you and then you practice (horrible word) "as is" for the rest of your life.

Very inspirational book!

Witches is the most beautiful book I own. It is not meant to be a treatise on wicca, but a labor of love that acknowledges and honors the herstory of women judged as witches, making an artistic connection with the misogyny that too many of today's women have yet to dis-cover, yet that certainly still exists, particularly when the word "witch" still retains the power to create havoc that it does. Erica Jong is not teaching witchcraft, what she is sharing is the attitudes about witchcraft that led to the torture and deaths of thousands of women in the Middle Ages. It is herstory that is not taught in school. It is herstory that any witch worth her salt needs to know.

Like I said, this books text might and will offend some people! Overall, i'd say this book isn't about wicca, but the witch trials. It goes in a large depth of detail, shows a few spells, the witches"tools", and soo much more!It has a lot of info you won't find in any other book! e.g.:the witch is put in your mind as someone evil, you know her, you've grown up with her, you've ate her apple, you've nibbled at her gingerbread house!It tells you famous wiccans, and it's really hard to describe this book! I highly recommend it to anyone!

The reviewers have not been kind to this book and having read it, I know why. It has too much intellectual stuff and not enough true emotion. It has too much summary and not enough rendered experience. The locales, the historical references, the literary allusions all add up to prove that Erica did a great deal of authentic research about ancient Greece and Delphi and all that. But making a non-tendentious novel by the non-episodic coherent intergration of all this information is something she didn't do. You will get more enjoyment from reading her other works such as Fruits & Vegetables, Half-Lives, Fear of Flying, and Witches.

I read this novel quickly. It is a good story and has intriguing characters. I loved the ending. It was somewhat slow in the beginning but I quickly found myself looking forward to finding out what happened to dear Sappho. It is not historical fiction though, just complete and wonderful fiction. You'll have fun with this book.

Erica Jong leads us on a journey back 2,600 years to experience the adventurous life of history's most famed love poetess, Sappho of Lesbos. Sappho was seduced at the tender age of 14 by her idol, the romantic poet Alcaeus. Pregnant and in disgrace, she is forced to marry a lecherous old sot to keep her out of trouble, but she instead plots to overthrow her stepfather, the island's cruel dictator. She loses custody of her baby daughter through her mother's treachery, and she and her female lover and slave, Praxinoa, are banished from Lesbos, doomed to roam the islands in search of her daughter and her true love, Alcaeus.

Aphrodite and Zeus amuse themselves by toying with Sappho to challenge her resourcefulness and prove her worthiness. Aphrodite has faith that Sappho is worthy of being memorialized as history's greatest singer. Zeus scoffs that she will fail as all women do, by throwing herself away on a man. They toss heaving ocean storms, shipwrecks, pirates, erupting volcanoes and hordes of barbarians in her path on an odyssey to rival Odysseus. She encounters centaurs, the legendary Amazons, wanders aimlessly through Hades, becomes the favorite of an Egyptian Pharaoh, vies with the Oracle of Delphi as a seeress, winning her way into portals usually closed to women with her enchanting songs and poetry.

The few remaining fragments of poems available to scholars stirred Jong to research the fascinating times of ancient Greece and bring Sappho to life in a way portrayed by no other author.

Jong says in the afterword: "Sappho is an icon to women everywhere despite the fact that so little is known about her. She is associated with women's sexuality and gay rights, but she may not have been homosexual at all, or she may have loved both women and men as was common in the ancient world, and in ours. The concept of homosexuality as a distinct lifestyle did not exist in classical antiquity. People were bisexual, free of sexual guilt as we know it; it was a pagan world. Attitudes toward love, toward sex, toward conquest, toward slavery, toward money, toward social climbing were uncannily like our own --- and yet fascinatingly different. Women were sexual chattel, yet, as in all times, there were rebellious, adventurous women."

It's no wonder Erica Jong was fascinated with the multi-faceted poet of legend. When she roared onto the bestseller lists with FEAR OF FLYING in the 1970s she was hailed as shocking, exhilarating and at the cutting edge of women's sexuality. Fans will relish this creative and thoroughly exuberant historic romp through ancient times. I had not read Jong since FEAR OF FLYING, but am now looking for back titles. My pick for a great beach read.