Diane English Goes From The Women to Fear of Flying

BuzzSugar — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 11:32:55 -0700

The woman who spent 16 years bringing her adaptation of the 1939 female-led comedy The Women to modern audiences is diving right into her next project: an adaptation of Erica Jong's Fear of Flying. Originally published in 1973 when Jong was 30 years old, the novel was considered shocking and revolutionary. Here's the synopsis from the back cover:

Isadora Wing was afraid of flying. She was also afraid of her own beauty, brains, physical appetites, and intellectual curiosity. Then, while on a trip to Vienna with her brilliant, handsome psychiatrist husband, Isadora met the man who embodied her most erotic fantasies - and who offered her a chance to conquer all her fears. What happened to Isadora then was a wild, sexually extravagant bolt across Europe that had worldwide reverberations - in the most uninhibited, delicious, wonderfully witty, erotic novel a woman ever wrote.

According to an item in Variety, director Diane English plans to make her adaptation R-rated (I would assume so!), and "[i]f she has her druthers, she'll star the often-Oscar-nominated Kate Winslet in the role of the sex-driven Isadora Wing."

I could certainly see Kate Winslet in this role; she's stupendous at playing characters on life-changing journeys. Have you read Fear of Flying? Do you think it will translate well to the big screen?

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What's Buzzworthy: Smart Chick Lit

BuzzSugar — Sat, 05 May 2007 11:33:48 -0700

Your picks of some of the best smart chick lit out there will keep my reading list stocked for months! I loved the variety of responses to this Buzzworthy challenge, which covered Jane Austen, Valley of the Dolls, Bridget Jones and everything in between. Here are a few I'll definitely be checking out:

Fear of Flying by Erica Jong
Picked by SaraSmile, who said: "The smartest of smart chick lit. Erica Jong's exploration of psychoanalysis and sexual relationships of men and women is as relevant today as it was in the 70s. I first read this book a few years back while on vacation with my family at the Jersey shore, and then the tide came up and warped the pages of the paperback. I am thinking it might be time to pick up a new (dry) copy and get reacquainted with Isadora and her many, many neuroses."

Summer Sisters by Judy Blume
Chosen by jadenirvana, who said: "Within the pages of this magical novel, the typical summer fare of beaches and carousels and drinking and boys mixes with darker scenes: losing their virginity to the same guy and brushes of lesbianism may be enough to snuff out the usual friendships, but not for these summer sisters. This book is a must-read for anyone who's ever had that female friend who felt always slightly out of reach, or anyone who ever wanted to feel special against all odds."

Three more, so read more

Anthropology of an American Girl by H.T. Hamann
Picked by bizzybee, who wrote: "This is essentially a coming of age story. But it is also so much more. It's about being a girl, becoming a woman, falling in love, leaving home and the search for self ... The writing style of this book is more poetic and literary than most of the works generally catalogued as chick lit. This makes it a book that will take some time to read and ponder."

Can You Keep a Secret? by Sophie Kinsella
Found by Advah, who said: "I read other novels by Sophie Kinsella and didn't find them that amazing, just really cheesy. Reaaaally cheesy. But I think this one is really good; I got it as a present and read it in two days, laughing out loud!"

Lucia, Lucia by Adriana Trigiani
Chosen by CocoChic, who wrote: "Lucia, Lucia is a fantastic book about a young Italian-American woman living in NYC in the 1950s. This book includes love, fashion, intrigue, and a smart girl trying to find her way. She stands with dignity even when she is betrayed and shows an awesome example of what a modern woman should be."

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