What is Sex and Rage by Eve Babitz about?

Sex and Rage by Eve Babitz follows Jacaranda, a free-spirited surfboard painter in 1970s Los Angeles who becomes entangled with Max, a charismatic but emotionally abusive older man. The novel chronicles her journey from the hedonistic beach culture of California to New York City, where she pursues a writing career while battling alcoholism and overcoming the psychological damage inflicted by Max's manipulation.

Who should read Sex and Rage by Eve Babitz?

Sex and Rage is ideal for readers interested in Los Angeles literary culture, semi-autobiographical fiction, and stories about women reclaiming their power after toxic relationships. Fans of Joan Didion, writers exploring 1960s-70s counterculture, and anyone drawn to sensuous prose that captures the seductive yet destructive nature of Hollywood will find this novel compelling.

Is Sex and Rage by Eve Babitz worth reading?

Sex and Rage is absolutely worth reading for its sharp observations, distinctive voice blending vulnerability with cynicism, and honest portrayal of self-destruction and recovery. The New York Times praised Babitz's "talent for the brilliant line" and her feel for languid pleasures. The novel has achieved national bestseller status in its reissue and solidifies Eve Babitz's place as a singularly important voice in Los Angeles literature.

When was Sex and Rage published and what is its background?

Sex and Rage was originally published in 1979 by Alfred A. Knopf. The novel emerged from Eve Babitz's deep immersion in Los Angeles's cultural scene of the 1960s and 70s, drawing on her experiences with the artists, musicians, and writers who defined that era. The book has been reissued by Counterpoint Press and became a national bestseller decades after its initial publication.

Who is Jacaranda in Sex and Rage?

Jacaranda is the protagonist of Sex and Rage, a sun-kissed beach bum and part-time surfboard painter who embodies the languid pleasure-seeking of 1970s Los Angeles. At twenty-eight, jobless and lacking purpose despite her beauty and social connections, she moves to New York City to pursue a writing career. Her character represents the tension between California's carefree hedonism and the need for meaningful artistic expression and self-definition.

What role does Max play in Sex and Rage by Eve Babitz?

Max is the charismatic older man who becomes the defining relationship in Jacaranda's life, though their connection is never explicitly romantic. He lives a glamorous lifestyle earning money through mysterious means and initially makes Jacaranda feel like the center of the world before revealing himself as a cold-hearted bully. Max systematically undermines Jacaranda's confidence in her appearance, art, and writing, leaving deep psychological scars that take years to overcome.

What are the main themes in Sex and Rage by Eve Babitz?

The primary themes in Sex and Rage include overcoming toxic relationships, the search for authentic identity versus performative existence, and finding creative purpose amid hedonism. The novel explores self-destruction through alcoholism, the contrast between Los Angeles's sensuous superficiality and New York's intellectual energy, and how women reclaim their voices after emotional abuse. It also examines the tension between freedom and commitment, and the courage required to pursue artistic expression.

How does Sex and Rage capture 1970s Los Angeles culture?

Sex and Rage functions as a "sensuous, sexual, self-destructive time capsule" of 1970s Los Angeles, consumed with place as much as feeling. Eve Babitz captures the seedy glamour and delayed consequences of the era, depicting a world of White Ladies cocktails with tycoons, surfboard culture, and Hollywood's alluring yet superficial entertainment scene. The novel references the music, art, and social dynamics that made Los Angeles the epicenter of counterculture during the 1960s and 70s.

Sex and Rage

Advice to Young Ladies Eager for a Good Time

Eve Babitz

3.55(19361 Reviews)

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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Chapter 1

The Intoxicating Dance of Art, Desire, and Self-Destruction

Eve Babitz's "Sex and Rage" stands as a shimmering time capsule of 1970s Los Angeles and the seductive pull of self-destruction. This semi-autobiographical novel follows Jacaranda, a surfer-turned-writer navigating the treacherous waters of artistic ambition, alcoholism, and toxic relationships. The book has experienced a remarkable renaissance in recent years, with celebrities like Lena Dunham and Emma Roberts championing its rediscovery. Babitz herself has become an icon of literary Los Angeles-her candid explorations of pleasure and pain resonating with a new generation seeking authentic female voices. With its unflinching portrayal of addiction alongside creative awakening, "Sex and Rage" captures the dangerous allure of living on the edge while maintaining a wry, knowing perspective that makes it feel startlingly contemporary even decades after its publication.

Chapter 2

A Child of the Ocean and Unconventional Heritage

Jacaranda's very name-pronounced "Jack-ah-ran-dah" like jack-o'-lantern-signals her uniqueness from the start. Named after a Central American flowering tree that grows in Los Angeles, she emerges from a lineage as unconventional as her moniker. Her father was a Trotskyite descended from bomb-throwing Russian anarchists, while her mother was born illegitimately after her grandmother refused to marry her rapist. This rebellious heritage perfectly suits someone destined to live outside conventional boundaries. Growing up in a mortgage-backed bungalow near the Santa Monica shore, Jacaranda develops a profound connection with the Pacific Ocean that becomes her true north. Tan-skinned with streaky blonde hair and tar-stained feet, she looks nothing like her more feminine younger sister April with her reddish-brown curls. What Jacaranda does inherit from her father Mort is an unusually large head-a physical trait that mirrors her outsized personality and appetites. The ocean defines her existence from childhood. She progresses naturally from body-surfing to surfboards, mastering the rhythm of waves and tides with an intuitive understanding. Surfing becomes her religion, her practice, her escape-she surfs before school, after school, and sometimes during school when her mother writes excuse notes about "coming down with a cold." While her father works as a violinist at Twentieth Century-Fox for $150 weekly (secured through his great-aunt Sonia's Hollywood connections), Jacaranda develops her own artistic talents, painting custom surfboards for $25 each by high school graduation. What's fascinating about Jacaranda 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.

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Chapter 3

The Seduction of Dangerous Men and Toxic Love

When eighteen-year-old Jacaranda meets twenty-nine-year-old Colman at Barney's Beanery, she encounters the first of several men who will lead her away from her oceanic sanctuary. With his black curly hair and reputation as a genius acting teacher, Colman reminds her of her father-a psychological pattern that will repeat throughout her relationships. Despite his peculiarities-keeping his windows covered with black curtains because he hates L.A.'s light-Jacaranda falls deeply in love and moves into his ramshackle, passionflower-covered house in West Hollywood. The relationship establishes a pattern of deception and self-deception that will characterize Jacaranda's romantic entanglements. Three weeks after she moves in, Colman announces his wife isn't divorcing him after all and will be returning with her cats. Yet rather than ending the relationship, this betrayal only deepens Jacaranda's attachment. She initially dismisses his constant lying as just what actors do offstage, failing to recognize the profound damage of these deceptions. What's particularly striking is how Colman's charm extends beyond Jacaranda to her entire family. Even her grandmother, who normally dislikes Irish people, makes an exception for his black hair. His New York Irish accent drives Jacaranda "wild with desire," and being in love with him transforms her appearance-she looks especially beautiful in purple, as though his gaze itself enhances her beauty. For five years after moving out, they continue meeting at an apartment belonging to Gilbert Wood, a student of Colman's whom Jacaranda never meets-another example of how these relationships exist in shadowy, borrowed spaces. This pattern of attraction to dangerous, deceptive men foreshadows Jacaranda's later relationships with Gilbert and Max. Each man offers a different flavor of toxicity, yet all share the ability to make Jacaranda feel both special and disposable simultaneously. The emotional whiplash of these relationships mirrors her later relationship with alcohol-both provide intense highs followed by devastating crashes, both promise transcendence while delivering destruction.

Chapter 4

Riding the Wave of 1960s Excess and Disillusionment

West Hollywood in the sixties becomes Jacaranda's next sanctuary after leaving her oceanic home. She finds herself in an "open city" where life revolves around rock-'n'-roll, where $120 a month rents a two-bedroom apartment in a bohemian ecosystem of dope dealers, musicians, actors waiting tables, screenwriters, and people with "no visible means of support." Through Colman's friend Hal, she secures work making $175 weekly circling names in industry publications and attending rock concerts-a job her groupie friends envy. This period marks Jacaranda's immersion in the excesses of the era. She drinks Southern Comfort with rich young men in Hollywood Hills mansions, attends the Monterey Pop Festival on "Sunshine acid and Icepack grass," and dresses in skintight satin pants with bleached, tangled hair. The rock scene becomes her new religion, replacing the ocean's rhythms with the pulse of music and chemical experimentation. Yet the narrative brilliantly captures the moment when this lifestyle begins to lose its luster. At a Rolling Stones concert at the Forum, Jacaranda has an epiphany of disillusionment, declaring "I hate rock-'n'-roll" in the midst of what should be a transcendent experience. This moment of clarity drives her back to her first love-surfing with her sister April-and she discovers with relief that her balance remains intact despite years away from the waves. The cyclical nature of Jacaranda's journey emerges here-each time she strays too far from her authentic self, she returns to the ocean for renewal. Her decision to move back to the beach, away from the rock scene that had consumed her, represents her first attempt at self-rescue, though certainly not her last. This pattern of immersion in destructive environments followed by retreat to healing spaces becomes the rhythm of her life, mirroring the ebb and flow of the tides themselves.

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Chapter 5

Finding Sanctuary and Setting the Stage for Transformation

Jacaranda's Santa Monica apartment on Third Street becomes her attempt at creating a sanctuary away from her previous excesses. This "rickety rectangle with three rooms all facing the Pacific Ocean" offers spectacular sunsets and, crucially, a garage where she can airbrush surfboards for the Eye of God Surf Company at $35 each. Despite its leaky roof, the place represents a return to authenticity-for six months, she devotes herself to "honest labor, reading novels, and surfing," allowing the ocean to purify her from her past indulgences. When Colman visits this new space, his reaction reveals the fundamental incompatibility of their worldviews. He's horrified by the light streaming in-the very quality that nourishes Jacaranda-and asks incredulously, "Aren't you going to get sick of looking out at that ocean all the time?" When he discovers she wakes at seven in the morning and sleeps at night, their relationship effectively ends, unable to survive her shift toward healthier patterns. The apartment becomes a physical manifestation of Jacaranda's attempt to reclaim herself. She adopts a black cat named Emilio, embracing domesticity and routine even as her friends complain that Santa Monica is "so far" from the Troubadour, Tana's, and everything that matters to them. Her declaration that she's tired of rock-'n'-roll despite it being "the pulse beat of art in America" marks her growing disillusionment with the scene that once defined her. Yet this sanctuary proves temporary. Just as she's establishing this healthier existence, she boards a plane for Hawaii-setting in motion the events that will introduce her to Gilbert and, ultimately, to Max. The apartment remains as a touchstone, a place she can return to when the outside world becomes too chaotic, but it cannot protect her from her own self-destructive impulses or from the magnetic pull of dangerous men who recognize her vulnerability.

Chapter 6

The Fateful Encounter That Changes Everything

At twenty-three, Jacaranda finds herself caught between worlds-"too old by her previous standards yet too young to brood over the past like Marcel Proust," whose book she reads on the plane to Hawaii. She considers herself an "Innocent Virgin," wondering if the sixties have permanently disrupted the simple life patterns of Jane Austen novels that once seemed possible. When a hurricane cancels her connecting flight from Oahu to Maui, fate intervenes in the form of Gilbert Wood-the same Gilbert whose apartment she'd never visited during her years with Colman. Watching him surf fifteen-foot hurricane waves with reckless abandon, Jacaranda is immediately drawn to his dangerous beauty. With his ashy hair and "vicious profile," Gilbert embodies risk and self-destruction-qualities that have always attracted her despite her better judgment. Their connection is immediate and physical. On their flight back to L.A., he impresses her by biting the back of her neck "so that time stood still"-a gesture that signals the passionate but ultimately harmful nature of their relationship. More significantly, Gilbert introduces her to Max, setting in motion the central relationship that will define the rest of the narrative. What Jacaranda doesn't initially realize is that Max has been watching her for a month before she notices him. It's Max's intense curiosity about her affair with Gilbert that keeps Gilbert interested in her-without Max's influence, their relationship would have lasted "merely two days after returning from Hawaii instead of dragging on for a month." This revelation exposes the manipulative dynamics at play, with Max pulling strings from behind the scenes long before Jacaranda becomes aware of his existence. When Max finally arrives at Gilbert's apartment one Sunday morning, emerging from his green Jaguar "like a tall drink of water" with golden hair, bright blue eyes, and a slender frame, Jacaranda is immediately captivated by his refined presence and passionate elegance. Despite Gilbert dismissing him as "just some fag," Max's declaration that "Secrets are lies that you tell to your friends" transfixes Jacaranda, who finds herself drawn into his orbit with an invitation to drinks at his place in the Sacramento. As she wonders what she'll wear "now that everything was going to be perfect," she has no idea of the destruction that awaits her in Max's carefully curated world.

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Chapter 7

The Allure of Max's Curated World and Its Golden Haze

Max's apartment in the Sacramento becomes the center of Jacaranda's universe-a carefully constructed stage for the drama that will consume her life. Located in the middle of Hollywood-"not the mystical state but the neighborhood that was decidedly 'not All Right' by Los Angeles standards"-the Sacramento represents Max's ability to transform the ordinary into the extraordinary through sheer force of personality and aesthetic vision. When Jacaranda arrives for her first gathering at Max's self-proclaimed "penthouse" (though most wouldn't consider a five-story building grand enough for such a designation), she discovers an unexpected oasis of luxury: white tablecloths, beautiful dishes, perfectly ironed napkins, and gleaming bottles of spirits. The wooden floors glow, and the walls display impressive artwork-Jasper Johns, Rauschenberg, Hockney, and a prominently placed Julian Wasser photograph of Marcel Duchamp playing chess with a naked woman. What makes Max's world so seductive is its perfect curation. His apartment isn't ostentatious-just perfectly chosen, from the fine silverware to the friends he collects. His gatherings have a magical quality that transforms ordinary evenings into transcendent experiences. Los Angeles locals arrive skeptically, unsure about the Sacramento and Max's intentions, but within moments they're enveloped in his delight. The atmosphere becomes "smooth and golden" as the entire gathering seems to "ascend to heaven." Max himself remains enigmatic. No one knows exactly where his money comes from-some claim his family pays him six thousand dollars monthly to stay out of Alabama, while others say he's "just rich." When Jacaranda directly asks what he does, Max vaguely replies he does "a little bit of this and a little bit of that." Rumors suggest he serves as a "social director" for the Beautiful People, with his friend Etienne Vassily covering expenses. The narrative brilliantly captures how Max's world operates like a cult, with its own rules and hierarchies. His cooking is extraordinary-his salads perfectly dressed, his French bread at the exact right warmth, his rice always perfect. Even ordinary foods taste better when served by Max. Though he claims Louisiana origins, he remains mysterious, notably being the only man who doesn't fall in love with Jacaranda's mother-a detail that suggests his fundamental disconnection from authentic human emotion. What Jacaranda cannot see, blinded by the golden haze of Max's world, is how this perfect curation will eventually extend to her-how she too will become an object to be displayed and discarded when she no longer serves his purposes.

Chapter 8

The Poisonous Transformation and Barge Metaphor

The narrative brilliantly employs the metaphor of a barge to describe Max's social world-a vessel floating down a river, picking up interesting people and discarding them when they no longer amuse. This metaphor captures both the transient nature of these relationships and their fundamental disconnection from solid ground. Somewhere along the way, Max's "tender-hearted gleeful spirit" transforms into something poisonous. His once-golden compliments about Jacaranda being "the best-dressed woman in Los Angeles" begin to sound mean-spirited and vile. The charm washes away, leaving behind only "the smell of suitcases and dry cleaning" instead of his former childlike joy. Jacaranda, like everyone else close to Max, keeps waiting for him to return to his former self, never understanding why he doesn't. The people brought aboard to amuse the barge suffer terrible fates-they either overdose, develop health problems like hepatitis, or become like Marianne, a heroin addict who can barely function. After twelve White Ladies (a vodka cocktail), Jacaranda realizes how "Impossible" everything has become-the same people, places, and conversations everywhere. They only discuss the newest restaurants, slimming techniques, and fabulous people, while dismissing anyone serious as "boring." What truly damages Jacaranda isn't a single dramatic incident but rather Max's casual cruelty. When he questions her choice of blue paint on a surfboard, she stops painting altogether-his offhand criticism destroying her confidence in her art. Gilbert warns her that Max is "dangerous"-getting close to people, softening them up with questions, then abandoning them once they lose their edge. This pattern becomes increasingly clear as Jacaranda witnesses Max and his friend Tom gleefully recount how they questioned a homeless man collecting bottles until police arrived and arrested him, showing no concern for the harm they caused. The "sin" that finally gets Jacaranda ejected from the barge is her writing. When she publishes a surfing essay in a prestigious magazine with a centerpiece spread and a $250 check, people begin calling to say, "I didn't know you could write." At twenty-eight, she's supposed to overdose, not get published. Etienne takes her aside and commands: "Don't write." Max suggests she write only poetry, nothing with "ideas" and "facts." The women at parties whisper, "Don't write, darling. It's not nice." After the "fourteen White Ladies incident" where Jacaranda dramatically exits a party declaring "this town isn't big enough for both of us," Max leaves Los Angeles. Neither he nor anyone from the barge-except Lydia Antonia-ever returns or contacts Jacaranda again. She has metaphorically jumped off the barge into the "crocodile-loaded river," somehow surviving when most girls used for "local color" died before thirty.

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Chapter 9

Rebuilding Through Work and Unexpected Opportunities

Jacaranda's path to recovery begins with humble work-finding employment at a Postal Instant Press branch near Santa Monica, a red, white, and blue establishment that serves as a hub of Los Angeles cultural activity. She enjoys the clean, spacious environment where aspiring screenwriters and actors bring their scripts and scenes for copying. This ordinary job provides structure and stability after the chaos of Max's world. While working there, she continues writing articles. The editor of a Southern California magazine proves supportive, allowing her to write about whatever interests her and paying what he can afford. Jacaranda finds satisfaction in Xeroxing all those movie scripts and TV ideas that will likely never see production-there's an honesty to this work that contrasts sharply with the artifice of Max's world. She befriends the owners of the Bamboo Cafe near her apartment, who let her drink white wine for free since patrons enjoy having a published author around. Despite making ends meet with her part-time job and article money, her apartment remains nearly empty-no furniture in the living room, just a basketball, bed, TV and forks. She types on the rug, far from achieving the composure of Jane Austen's heroines. The Bamboo Cafe itself becomes an important setting-an artist-designed tropical fantasy with pink walls, chartreuse tablecloths, and flamingo motifs throughout. Despite being in Ocean Park next to Venice, patrons willingly pay "New York prices" for the uneven "L.A.-Mediterranean" cuisine. The place seats seventy and quickly becomes THE place to be, with blond waitresses in black outfits serving alongside "twinkie" busboys. It's at the Bamboo Cafe that destiny intervenes in the form of two significant encounters. First, Jacaranda reunites with Shelby Coryell, a surfer she's known since they were fourteen. With his thick black hair and bronze eyes, he represents a connection to her authentic self-they can tell each other anything without explanation or boredom. Their deep connection offers the possibility of healing after the toxicity of her relationships with Colman, Gilbert, and Max. The same night, Janet Wilton, "the hottest agent in New York," approaches Jacaranda. This chic, rust-colored fashion plate with a "cement voice" hands Jacaranda her card, saying she wants to represent her after reading some of her pieces. When Jacaranda calls Janet collect as instructed and sends her an article, Janet sells it to a major magazine for $1,200-a life-changing sum that allows Jacaranda to quit P.I.P. and begin imagining a different future.

Chapter 10

The Drinking Problem and the Book That Changes Everything

Alongside these positive developments, Jacaranda confronts her growing alcoholism-a problem that "had crept up alongside Max's appearance in her life." Now that she's received $1,080 for writing, she embraces the stereotype that writers in the twentieth century naturally have drinking problems, discovering what most writers claimed-that they could only write three hours a day at most, so drinking filled the rest of the time. She considers her new status as a published author convenient cover for her alcoholism. A writer could behave like Norman Mailer striking out at cocktail parties and be considered a "classical drunk writer," while the same behavior from a Xerox operator would get their head broken by a stock boy. This self-awareness doesn't translate to recovery, however-it merely provides justification for continued self-destruction. The narrative brilliantly captures how Jacaranda's relationship with "the book" becomes complicated. From the moment Janet Wilton transforms her from "slatternly working girl" to "composed woman of letters," the problem of "the book" emerges. Every Monday at 7 a.m., Janet calls from New York to discuss potential magazine assignments, always noting she's declined them to protect Jacaranda's time for "the book." Gradually, Jacaranda realizes this mythical book is why Janet represented her in the first place. Magazine writing is "small potatoes" to Janet, who can sell a book advance for $10,000 plus potential paperback and movie rights. To avoid confronting this reality, Jacaranda manufactures romantic crises with Shelby, knowing Janet's sophistication crumbles at others' romantic catastrophes. By the forty-seventh Monday morning, Jacaranda finally knows what "the book" will be. She figures out how to crochet her wayward pieces together into a cohesive whole, complete with title. Rather than discussing it with Janet, she simply mails it off on a Saturday. When Janet calls Monday, Jacaranda merely says, "You'll be getting it this week." Janet's voice lightens noticeably, the "stone anchor" lifting as though her boat might finally sail somewhere. To Jacaranda's surprise, Dobson & Dalloway, "the best" publishing company in America, accepts her book immediately. Unknown to her, editor Wallace Moss has been hounding Janet every Friday, saying "I want to see anything she writes that even remotely resembles a book." After reading her "huge hodgepodge of loosely pasted-together material" over a weekend, Wallace offers five thousand dollars, which Janet negotiates to six.

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Chapter 11

The Reluctant Journey to New York and Final Confrontation

Despite her literary success, Jacaranda resists Janet's persistent question: "When are you coming to New York?" Janet insists she needs to meet her editor, magazine editors, and be seen, but the prospect terrifies Jacaranda. New York means possibly running into Max-he's everywhere in her imagination: Fifth Avenue, restaurant lobbies, taxis, elevators. She fears being without the Pacific Ocean (the Atlantic "wasn't an ocean"), and worse, she fears her drinking will be exposed. As Jacaranda resists, her fights with Shelby grow more cataclysmic. Though long-suffering, Shelby begins absenting himself, escaping to Laguna to surf. Meanwhile, Janet's Monday calls continue relentlessly: "Now, when are you coming to New York?" By July, Jacaranda has devastated her present so thoroughly that any future seems remote. Her social circle has narrowed to only those who drink as much as she does-friends who make tentative morning-after calls to check if they're still speaking after the previous night's behavior. When Shelby gently suggests she go to New York for "a week or ten days," explaining he can't join her because of his Pasadena exhibit, she accuses him of never loving her. The narrative reaches its crisis point at Jack Ripler's July 3rd party, where Jacaranda's revenge scheme against Shelby goes horribly wrong. She invites Zack Birnbaum and his girlfriend Sunrise Honey to the party, knowing that Sunrise had once broken Jack's heart so severely that he'd made Shelby promise never to mention her name again. When Zack strikes Sunrise at the party, leaving her bleeding in her white dress, Jacaranda's plan collapses into genuine tragedy. In the aftermath, Jacaranda impulsively takes Sunrise to La Jolla, where they confront their respective situations with the help of cocaine and brutal honesty. Sunrise finally identifies Jacaranda's problem: despite having money from publishers waiting for her in New York, Jacaranda refuses to go because Max Winterbourne is there. This moment of clarity leads Jacaranda to make plane reservations to New York for the following week. Two days before her trip, she stops drinking entirely.

Chapter 12

Transformation in New York and Return to Authentic Self

Jacaranda flies to New York drinking only diet grapefruit soda, having been sober for three days. Despite the challenges of withdrawal, she finds the city's morning skyline breathtaking. Her friend Winifred Shaughnessy meets her at the Essex Hotel, providing a safe base from which to venture into the intimidating city. Her first meeting at Dobson & Dalloway publishers initially terrifies her-the prestigious publishing house represents a validation she'd never expected, like "Bach asking her to study composition with him." When editor Wallace Moss finally appears-a medium-sized, light-haired young man with serious glasses-Jacaranda feels only her "skeleton team" of body and brains present, her heart and soul left in the lobby. Her breakthrough comes when she admits being "terrified" of meeting him, which softens Wallace who exclaims, "But I loved your book!" His genuine enthusiasm marks the beginning of her heart's return. As Jacaranda meets the Dobson & Dalloway staff, beginning with Lloyd Cavendish, the head of publicity, she experiences a transformation. Unlike the reserved Wallace, Lloyd effusively welcomes her with a stream of praise: "You've actually come to New York! After reading your book, I could hardly stand this place myself... My dear, you really can write!" His enthusiasm-reminiscent of Max-immediately captivates Jacaranda, bringing her heart "up on the same level as the rest of her." Throughout her week in New York, Jacaranda looks remarkably younger in the Essex mirror, and by week's end she appears her actual age of eighteen according to her mother. She spends mornings at Dobson & Dalloway with Wallace Moss, initially intimidated by him until discovering his soft spot for his golden retriever puppy Casey. Seeing Wallace's blurry framed photo of the dog transforms him from a spooky "brick wall" into "Wally," a boy with his dog. The inevitable confrontation with Max occurs on her last night in New York. At 2 a.m., he calls and invites her for drinks at the Plaza before his supposed departure to Paris. At the Plaza suite, Jacaranda is struck by how understated the room is compared to Max's former Sacramento rooms-as though everything has "given up its claim to vivid purpose" so Max could stand out. His beauty overwhelms her-"his body bent like a weeping-willow branch dressed in raw white silk," his voice "slow and Southern as a mint julep," his eyes "blue as postcard skies." Yet something has changed. Jacaranda feels familiar "aching waves" of desire yet knows she can't afford Max-"that much truth cost too much." She fears if she ever caught him, he'd cease being Max, crumbling "into dust like dry leaves." This realization-that Max represents an unattainable and ultimately destructive ideal-allows her to finally break free from his spell. As Jacaranda takes a taxi to the airport the next day, she resists the urge to drink on the plane as she'd promised herself. She reflects that her next drink would always be waiting for her, with memories of Sunrise "bleeding in her white dress" lurking behind it. As Manhattan's rectangular profile recedes, she thinks of returning to California where Shelby will meet her, "a coyote with bronze eyes," and Emilio will be "contemplating butterflies among wildflowers." Tomorrow she'll be surfing at dawn, riding waves that require perfect balance. Though most of her surf scars have faded, she has survived the "Old World seductions" that were supposed to be fatal to innocent virgins. Against all odds, she has "lived to tell the tale"-a triumph not just of survival but of finding her authentic voice and purpose amid the seductive dangers of sex, rage, and artistic ambition.

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Key Themes in Sex and Rage

artistic ambition
female addiction
hollywood bohemianism
toxic romantic patterns
california counterculture

Quotes from Sex and Rage

Surfing becomes her religion, her practice, her escape.
She finds herself in an "open city" where life revolves around rock-'n'-roll.
Each man offers a different flavor of toxicity.
This rebellious heritage perfectly suits someone destined to live outside conventional boundaries.
The Pacific becomes her divine force, her compass, her salvation.

Characters in Sex and Rage

JacarandaA surfer-turned-writer navigating 1970s L.A.
ColmanA genius acting teacher and Jacaranda's first love
MortJacaranda's father and a studio violinist
AprilJacaranda's more feminine younger sister
Gilbert WoodA student of Colman's and later romantic interest

About the Author

Eve Babitz is the author of Sex and Rage: Advice to Young Ladies Eager for a Good Time and a celebrated chronicler of Los Angeles counterculture and feminist experience. This semi-autobiographical novel follows young women navigating relationships, sexuality, and self-discovery in 1970s Los Angeles, drawing from Babitz's own immersion in the city's hedonistic art and music scene. Her writing blended memoir and fiction with irreverent wit, offering an unflinching look at female desire and the struggles of contemporary womanhood.

Before becoming a published writer, Babitz designed iconic album covers for Buffalo Springfield, The Byrds, and Linda Ronstadt at Atlantic Records while moving through creative circles that included Jim Morrison, Steve Martin, and Joan Didion, who helped secure her first book deal. Her essays and stories appeared in Rolling Stone, Esquire, and Vogue, establishing her as a distinctive literary voice of her generation.

Her other notable works include Eve's Hollywood, Slow Days, Fast Company, L.A. Woman, and Black Swans. Babitz's writing has been rediscovered in recent years, with her work now recognized as essential reading for understanding Los Angeles cultural history and second-wave feminism.

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Sensual Wellness 101: How to Be Sexy and Confident

The text outlines a program on sensual wellness, focusing on integrating body awareness, emotional safety, and daily rituals to enhance confidence, pleasure, and authentic communication.

2 h 29 m•4 Sections

LEARNING PLAN

Break Shame and Build Sexual Confidence

Societal taboos often leave individuals feeling disconnected from their own desires and bodies. This learning plan is designed for anyone seeking to replace shame with self-assurance, providing a roadmap for those ready to transform their intimate lives through vulnerability and mindful connection.

4 h 43 m•4 Sections

LEARNING PLAN

Reclaiming Yourself in the Affair

This plan is designed for those feeling lost in the complexity of being the 'other woman' and seeking to regain their autonomy. It provides the psychological tools necessary to break emotional cycles and shift from a state of waiting to a future of self-respect and availability.

2 h 30 m•4 Sections

LEARNING PLAN

Cows: A Descent into Visceral Madness

This course is designed for enthusiasts of transgressive fiction and psychological horror who wish to deconstruct the mechanics of visceral storytelling. It provides a deep dive into the descent from domestic misery into surrealist madness, ideal for writers and analysts of the macabre.

1 h 30 m•3 Sections

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@Matt, YC alum

108

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@Erin, Investment Banking Associate , NYC

254

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@djmikemoore

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@Pitiful

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@SofiaP

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@Jaded_Falcon

201

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@OojasSalunke

"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."

@Leo, Law Student, UPenn

483

"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"

@Cashflowbubu

See more on how BeFreed is discussed

From Columbia University alumni built in San Francisco

LOVED BY

1,000,000+ curious minds.

4.7

avg rating

1M+ learners

"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."

@Moemenn

"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."

@Chloe, Solo founder, LA

117

"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."

@Raaaaaachelw

"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."

@Matt, YC alum

108

"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."

@Erin, Investment Banking Associate , NYC

254

"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."

@djmikemoore

"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."

@Pitiful

4.5K

"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."

@SofiaP

"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"

@Jaded_Falcon

201

"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."

@OojasSalunke

"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."

@Leo, Law Student, UPenn

483

"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"

@Cashflowbubu

"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."

@Moemenn

"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."

@Chloe, Solo founder, LA

117

"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."

@Raaaaaachelw

"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."

@Matt, YC alum

108

"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."

@Erin, Investment Banking Associate , NYC

254

"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."

@djmikemoore

"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."

@Pitiful

4.5K

"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."

@SofiaP

"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"

@Jaded_Falcon

201

"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."

@OojasSalunke

"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."

@Leo, Law Student, UPenn

483

"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"

@Cashflowbubu

"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."

@Moemenn

"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."

@Chloe, Solo founder, LA

117

"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."

@Raaaaaachelw

"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."

@Matt, YC alum

108

"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."

@Erin, Investment Banking Associate , NYC

254

"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."

@djmikemoore

"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."

@Pitiful

4.5K

"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."

@SofiaP

"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"

@Jaded_Falcon

201

"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."

@OojasSalunke

"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."

@Leo, Law Student, UPenn

483

"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"

@Cashflowbubu

See more on how BeFreed is discussed

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Chapter 12

Sex and Rage

OverviewOverview of Sex and Rage

One book. Many ways to hear it.

The Intoxicating Dance of Art, Desire, and Self-Destruction

A Child of the Ocean and Unconventional Heritage

See every word as you hear it

The Seduction of Dangerous Men and Toxic Love

Riding the Wave of 1960s Excess and Disillusionment

Get more out of Sex and Rage

Finding Sanctuary and Setting the Stage for Transformation

The Fateful Encounter That Changes Everything

See every word as you hear it

The Allure of Max's Curated World and Its Golden Haze

The Poisonous Transformation and Barge Metaphor

Get more out of Sex and Rage

Rebuilding Through Work and Unexpected Opportunities

The Drinking Problem and the Book That Changes Everything

See every word as you hear it

The Reluctant Journey to New York and Final Confrontation

Transformation in New York and Return to Authentic Self

You made it to the end of Sex and Rage

Key Themes in Sex and Rage

Quotes from Sex and Rage

Characters in Sex and Rage

About the Author

Download Summary of Sex and Rage

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1,000,000+ curious minds.

1,000,000+ curious minds.

One book. Many ways to hear it.

The Intoxicating Dance of Art, Desire, and Self-Destruction

A Child of the Ocean and Unconventional Heritage

See every word as you hear it

The Seduction of Dangerous Men and Toxic Love

Riding the Wave of 1960s Excess and Disillusionment

Get more out of Sex and Rage

Finding Sanctuary and Setting the Stage for Transformation

The Fateful Encounter That Changes Everything

See every word as you hear it

The Allure of Max's Curated World and Its Golden Haze

The Poisonous Transformation and Barge Metaphor

Get more out of Sex and Rage

Rebuilding Through Work and Unexpected Opportunities

The Drinking Problem and the Book That Changes Everything

See every word as you hear it

The Reluctant Journey to New York and Final Confrontation

Transformation in New York and Return to Authentic Self

You made it to the end of Sex and Rage

Users also liked

Discover more

Overview of Sex and Rage