Erica Jong is a highly accomplished American novelist, poet, and essayist, best known for her efforts to further feminist consciousness. She began her writing career in 1971 and has since published a substantial body of work, including six non-fiction books, six poetry collections, eight novels, and numerous articles featured in prominent publications such as the New York Times, the New York Times Book Review, Vogue, and the Sunday Times of London. Jong's writing has gained international recognition, with her works translated into several languages and read widely in Europe, the United States, China, Japan, and other Asian countries.
Jong's most notable contribution to literature is the Isadora Wing series, which she uses as a platform to give a powerful and rational voice to feminist consciousness. The series includes four novels, beginning with her groundbreaking first novel, Fear of Flying, which has sold over twenty-six million copies in more than forty languages. The series follows the life and experiences of the fictional character Isadora Wing, who also features prominently in three subsequent novels.
In addition to the Isadora Wing series, Jong has written three historical novels that demonstrate her mastery of various literary styles and forms. These novels include Fanny, Shylock's Daughter, and Sappho's Leap, which showcase her expertise in eighteenth-century British literature, Shakespearean verses, and ancient Greek lyric, respectively. Jong's writing has earned her numerous awards and accolades, including the United Nations Award for Excellence in Literature, Poetry magazine's Bess Hokin Prize, the Deauville Award for Literary Excellence in France, and the Sigmund Freud Award for Literature in Italy.
Jong is a graduate of Barnard College and Columbia University's Graduate Faculties, where she received her M.A. in 18th Century English Literature. She also attended Columbia's graduate writing program, where she studied poetry with Stanley Kunitz and Mark Strand. In 2007, Columbia University's Rare Book & Manuscript Library acquired a large collection of Jong's archival material, which will be available to graduate and undergraduate students. Jong has taught at various universities, including Ben Gurion University in Israel, Bennington College in the US, Breadloaf Writers’ Conference in Vermont, and many other distinguished writing programs and universities. She loves to teach and lecture, though her skill in these areas has sometimes crowded her writing projects. Jong is a committed advocate for women's rights, authors' rights, and free expression, serving as president of The Authors' Guild from 1991 to 1993 and still serving on the Board. She established a program for young writers at her alma mater, Barnard College, and was honored with the United Nations Award for Excellence in Literature.