First published 2025
Molly Jong-Fast opens her memoir with a pointed question about losing something you never possessed. As the sole child of Erica Jong, whose novel Fear of Flying launched her into 1970s literary stardom, Molly watched her mother appear constantly in media while remaining largely absent from home. The memoir traces their complicated bond through years of chaotic family life shaped by Erica's hunger for celebrity. Molly recounts growing up surrounded by her mother's famous circle, witnessing the gossip and feuds that defined their world. The narrative takes a darker turn as Erica begins her decline into dementia, forcing Molly to confront the approaching loss of this complex woman who shaped her life through both presence and absence. The book examines how fame can fracture family relationships while exploring the deep confusion that marks intense mother-daughter dynamics. Through sharp observations and unflinching honesty, Molly reveals both the damage and the love that defined their relationship, ultimately finding meaning in grief and connection.
Genres: literary-fiction, autobiography, memoir, biography-memoir, 21st-century, family-drama
Vibes: emotional-atmospheric, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: complex-relationships, unreliable-narrator
256 pages · Hardcover · Viking
Content warnings: mental-illness