Sex & Rage: Advice to Young Ladies Eager for a Good Time (Canons) Paperback – 5 July 2018

This was bought as a present and was well received.

Ironically, while "Sex and Rage" is one of Babitz's best known books, it is the least favorite of many readers who otherwise enjoy and admire Babitz's writing. All of her work is a combination of memoir and fiction, but this one drags in places and maybe tries too hard to be a complete and fully formed fiction. That may be because there are fewer characters, less variety, and much less L.A. in this book than in any other. I've never thought that "plot" was an important part of why I like Babitz, and this book confirms it.Early Babitz books, like "Eve's Hollywood" or my favorite, "Slow Days, Fast Company", are unapologetically composed of short pieces more or less strung together. The same is true for the last book, "Black Swans: Stories". The early books are buoyed by youthful enthusiasm and energy. (She once sent Joseph Heller a fan letter that read: "Dear Joseph Heller, I am a stacked eighteen-year-old blonde on Sunset Boulevard. I am also a writer." That pretty much summed up her life at that point, and that's how she wrote.) Her later books and articles are a bit more mature, reflective, and knowing, but either way, all of those books are loaded with smart, sharp and elegant observations and set pieces. Not to mention generous slices of 60's and 70's L.A.."Sex and Rage" seems to be stranded in the middle, and maybe tries to hard to be a "real" novel. In any event, for the Babitz completist this is still required, and enjoyable, reading, and it still has a lot of great lines and throwaway bits. For a reader new to Babitz, any of her other books will probably do a better job of getting across the essential L.A.-ness and compelling personality of this iconic character.(Please note that I received a free advance ecopy of this book without a review requirement, or any influence regarding review content should I choose to post a review. Apart from that I have no connection at all to either the author or the publisher of this book.)

Àqueles que disseram não ter sexo e raiva o suficiente, é por que não entendenderam ou não perceberam a magia de Eve com as suas descrições. Ela é muito glamurosa, ama o tango e sex and rage vem de vários episódios no livro e fora dele, pra quem já leu seus outros. A acho fantastica, perfeita e devoro os seus livros, sem parar, sempre que começo. Amo amo amo! Ainda comprarei os que faltam, quando precisar ver a vida de um jeito como Eve o vê.

Great characters and very entertaining read… the prose is raw, honest and charged with some amazing quotes - I am happy I just discovered this author.

Brillante, sarcastica e lucida: l’autrice è davvero fenomenale. La scrittura è snella ma tutt’altro che scarna. Storia davvero graziosa, in questo freddo gennaio in lockdown davvero fa bene leggere di quei caldi e bei posti.

I read this whilst on holiday and it's a good read. Loved the characters, loved the setting.

Interessante, si legge tutto di un fiato