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| Plot Summary of A Round-Heeled Woman |
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"Jane Juska is a sixty-six year old retired teacher who decides she has not had enough sex and so places an ad in the "New York Review of Books" stating that by time she turns sixty-seven she would like to have a lot of sex with a man. The book then chronicles her adventures and misadventures as a rotund and not especially attractive woman who has several interesting sexual dalliances with men ranging in age from thirty-three to eighty-two. The book is well-written and at times grandiloquent. The prurient scenes are strong but Juska often interpolates chapters from her "real" life, including teaching at San Quentin Prison; these "real life" episodes seem extraneous and interrupt the flow of the narrative. Juska received, I believe, sixty-seven replies, thus showing how easy it is in America for even an unattractive albeit interesting and intelligent woman to get laid. "
Randy Williams, Resident Scholar
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"In the fall of 1999, retired high school English teacher and Berkeley resident Jane Juska placed the following ad in the New York Review of Books: "Before I turn 67 -- next March -- I would like to have a lot of sex with a man I like. If you want to talk first, Trollope works for me." This surprising and charming memoir describes both what happened next and the context of her entire life: an early marriage and divorce, her devotion to her work, her assumption for a long time that sex was over for her. Although her amorous adventures, good and bad, are the hook, what I really remember from this unique book is the chapter about teaching English reading and writing in prison (San Quentin!), and her fight to gain entry to the exclusive Berg Collection -- the holy of holies collection of Anthony Trollope manuscripts and memorabilia in New York City. This is a delightful book . . . for the open-minded reader."
David Loftus, Resident Scholar
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| Review Analysis of A Round-Heeled Woman |
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Our unique search engine provides a wealth of detail about books by breaking them down into many different literary elements, all of which are searchable (click here).
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Ratings are on a 1-10 scale (Low to High)
Plot
Romance
Yes
Kind of romance:
- searching for lover
- boatload of casual sex without love
Period of greatest activity?
- 1950+
Subject of Biography
Gender
- Female
Profession/status:
- teacher/professor
Age:
- 60's-90's
Is this an ordinary person caught up in events?
Yes
Ethnicity
- White
Nationality
- American (!)
How sensitive is this person?
- soggy whimpering jelly muffin
- sensitive to others' feelings
Sense of humor
- Strong but gentle sense of humor
- Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence
- Smarter than most other people
Physique
- average physique
- quite fatty
Setting
How much descriptions of surroundings?
- 1 ()
United States
Yes
The US:
- Northeast
- California
City?
Yes
City:
- New York
Misc setting
- prison
- resort/hotel
Century:
- 1980's-Present
Style
Person
- mostly 1st
Accounts of torture and death?
- no torture/death
Book makes you feel?
- very happy
Is book humorous?
Yes
If humorous, kind of humor
- eccentric personalities
- gentle
Sex in book?
Yes
What kind of sex:
- descript. of female anat. (the big B's)
- actual description of hetero sex
- descript. of female anat. (the big V)
Lot of foul language?
Yes
Commentary on society?
Yes
Commentary on
- love/sex
- decency
- selfishness
- capitalism
- war
- wicked men
Unusual Style:
- a lot of play on words
Writer's slant towards subject:
- favorable
Story of entire life, or part?
- story of set of events during life
If this is a kid's book:
- Age 16-Adult
Autobiography?
Yes
Pictures/Illustrations?
- None
How much dialogue in bio?
- significantly more descript than dialog
- little dialog
A LOT of info about personal vices?
Yes
Lot of titilating info about love life?
Yes
How much of bio focuses on most famous period of life?
- 0-25% of book
How much is philosophy rather than life story?
- 0-25% of book
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Click here for more information about this book
Jane Juska Resident Scholar Profiles
TOP SCHOLAR:
 David Loftus
SCHOLARS:
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Note: the views expressed here are only those of the reviewer(s). | |
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