WOMEN SHAPING HISTORY 2017
Erica Jong: Writer, Novelist, Poet, Teacher; Founder of Barnard College Poetry Center
Erica Jong: Writer, Novelist, Poet, Teacher; Founder of Barnard College Poetry Center
What has inspired your current career path?
I’ve always wanted to write books for women that did not yet exist and I am still on that road, writing fiction, non-fiction and poetry.
What are some of the greatest challenges you’ve faced?
When I started out as a writer I had no idea that there was still so much prejudice against women. After my first few books were published, I began to see the onslaught of prejudice. It took me a while to get my sense of humor back and go on.
What are some of the accomplishments you are most proud of?
That I continued writing despite sometimes savage criticism. That I created opportunity for other women writers through mentoring, teaching and the Erica Mann Jong writing program at Barnard College. That I’ve continued to speak out for feminist transformation in our society.
Who have been the most influential mentors in your life?
There have been many. My grandfather who was a brilliant painter, my mother who was also a brilliant painter and a passionate reader of poetry, fiction, science. Teachers at Barnard like Maristella Lorch and James Clifford and Robert Pack. Many writers who mentored me like Henry Miller, John Updike and Anne Sexton.
What would you describe as a turning point in your life?
The greatest turning point in my life was the birth of my daughter, Molly, who has become my best friend.
What are your goals for the future?
To go on reinventing literature for women and men. To see my favorite books like FANNY turned into dramatic adaptations, and to create new work that will inspire a new generation.#
