Based on a harrowing true story, the groundbreaking #1 New York Times bestseller, Looking for Mr. Goodbar, is a story of love, power, sex, and death during the sexual revolution of the 1970s. Theresa Dunn spends her days as a schoolteacher whose rigid Catholic upbringing has taught her to find happiness by finding the right man. But at night, her resentment of those social mores and fear of … social mores and fear of attachment lead her into the alcohol-and-drug fueled underworld of singles’ bars, where she engages in a pattern of dangerous sexual activity that threatens her safety and, ultimately, her life.
Looking for Mr. Goodbar is “uncommonly well-written and well-constructed fiction, easily accessible, but full of insight and intelligence and illumination” (The New York Times Book Review). With more than four million copies in print, this seminal novel–a lightning rod for controversy upon its publication–has become a cultural touchstone that has forever influenced our perception of social rebellion and sexual empowerment.more
The dark side of sexual liberation rears its ugly head in Judith Rossner’s 1970s novel about a schoolteacher whose nights spent cruising New York singles bars lead to fatal consequences. Based on actual events, Looking for Mr. Goodbar might seem familiar to Truman Capote’s “In Cold Blood,” but the exception is that the characters remain sympathetic, even the murderer (somewhat), but most of all Teresa Dunn. Set up for a life of sexual exploitation by a predatory teacher early on, her self-confidence is further impacted by a physical disability that eats away at her, leaving her self-destructive and often cruel, particularly with her hapless suitor James. Even so the reader can’t help but appreciate her honesty, as brutal as it is at times. If it seems as if I’m giving too much away, I’m not: the story is set in classic noir structure with the murder upfront and Teresa’s story following, leading to a harrowing finish that I found masterful. The writing is strong and immediate, boiled down for maximum effect with no pretensions. The dialogue is real. A powerful novel and one that might not be written today, with its unblinking perspective.
Looking For Mr. Goodbar, Judith Rossner, 1975
My favorite quote: “I’d rather be seduced than comforted.”
Notable characters: Theresa Dunne, a woman leading a double life; James, the man who loves her; Martin Engle, the professor; Tony, a lover; Gary White, the killer
Most memorable scene: The closing one. I was so shook I didn’t know what to do with myself. Even my cat was like, wtf? (sometimes I read to her)
Greatest strengths: Its setting. This book brings 1970s New York to full life. Not just the scenery but the attitudes of the time — particularly those concerning sex, women, and feminism
Standout achievements: Although based on a real-life case, this book really, really works as novel — much more so than many novelizations of real world events
Fun Facts: In 1973, Judith Rossner wrote an article for Esquire about the brutal murder of a schoolteacher named Roseann Quinn, who’d been killed earlier that year by a man she’d picked up in a bar. For fear of legal consequences, the magazine chose not to publish the article, so Rossner wrote a book about it instead. When it was adapted into film two years later, Rossner claimed that she “detested” it, though she praised the performance of Diane Keaton
Other media: The 1977 film of the same name, starring Diane Keaton and Richard Gere (if you can f*cking find it, that is)
What it taught me: Well, not to go home with strangers I meet in bars for one thing … but really, I think this book is a kind of period piece that, if nothing else, sheds light on the pre-AIDS free-sex era and its sometimes deadly sonsequences. While not exactly a book I’d list as a MUST-READ, I found it to be deeply psychological and I think anyone who decides to give it a go will come away with something personally relevant
How it inspired me: I thought the character Tony was especially interesting for some reason and found myself making mental notes of his mannerisms and speech patterns. So far, I haven’t utilized any of it, but you never know … one day, a fidgety, traumatized womanizer just might show up in one of my books …
Additional thoughts: I didn’t realize this was based on a true story when I read it and was surprised and haunted by the way it just … ends. In that way, it reminded me of The Diary of Anne Frank — one minute you’re just reading merrily along and then BAM! It’s over. There’s something really riveting about that. Riveting and … sad
My rating: 4 of 5
Haunt me: alistaircross.com