HOW TO LOSE YOUR MOTHER A Daughter's Memoir

This deeply personal and powerful memoir, though witty and snarky, has a bittersweet tone and an often self-critical pose. Political journalist and TV commentator Jong-Fast is a hyper-aware writer whose famous mother, Erica Jong, the author of FEAR OF FLYING, was a narcissistic drunk with little time for her daughter. In this meditation on fame, Jong-Fast explores midlife exigencies and takes a clear-eyed look at her own alcoholism--she's been sober for 26 years. She details the fraught year, 2023, when she put her mom with dementia and stepdad with Parkinson's into a nursing home and her husband contracted cancer, requiring extensive surgery. While her plaintive voice takes a little getting used to--listeners should persevere. She narrates with raw emotion, intense passion, and a propelling pace. A.D.M. © AudioFile 2025, Portland, Maine [Published: MAY 2025]