Sex and Rage by Eve Babitz Summary
Overview of Sex and Rage
Eve Babitz's "Sex and Rage" - a rediscovered 1970s masterpiece capturing LA's intoxicating culture with razor-sharp wit. From forgotten novel to National Bestseller four decades later, this Belletrist book club selection offers a rare, candid glimpse into female identity that made Babitz a feminist icon.
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The Seductive Pull of 1970s Los Angeles
Sex and Rage follows Jacaranda, a surfer-turned-writer navigating the treacherous waters of 1970s Los Angeles. Named after a flowering tree, she emerges from rebellious roots-her father a Trotskyite descended from Russian anarchists, her mother born after her grandmother refused to marry her rapist. Growing up near Santa Monica's shore, Jacaranda develops a profound connection with the Pacific Ocean that becomes her true north, her religion, her sanctuary. The ocean defines her existence from childhood. She progresses naturally from body-surfing to surfboards, mastering waves with intuitive understanding. While her violinist father works at Twentieth Century-Fox, Jacaranda develops her artistic talents painting custom surfboards. What's fascinating is how she transforms this ocean connection into a spiritual framework-the Pacific becomes her divine force, her compass, her salvation. When others call her lucky, she knows better-she understands that she needs to see the world before encountering the "brick wall" everyone warns California children about. But even as she ventures beyond her oceanic sanctuary, it remains her true home, the place where she finds herself when everything else falls apart. This tension-between the pull of the authentic self and the seduction of dangerous new worlds-forms the novel's emotional core.
Dangerous Men and Toxic Love
Riding the Wave of 1960s Excess
Max's Golden World
The Barge of Beautiful People
Finding Salvation Through Work
Confronting Demons in New York
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"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
From Columbia University alumni built in San Francisco
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
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