Looking for Mr. Goodbar

Rarely has a bestseller had such a powerful yet upsetting impact on the psyche of contemporary American sexuality. Judith Rossner's novel brutally reflects the condition of today's swinging singles scene with the story of Theresa Dunn, a young 20-something grade school teacher living alone in Manhattan during the freewheeling 70's. On the surface, Theresa resembles the compassionate, down-to-earth All-American Girl that we can all identify with. Her ambition and desire for freedom and personal liberation transform her from a shy, insecure girl into an independent young woman living in the Lower East Side with a career teaching second graders. But as a result of a few traumatic events in her childhood and several debasing sexual relationships, this image is slowly deteriorated as we gain more insight into Theresa's troubled emotional and mental state. Add to that the unforgiving tide of the era's sexual revolution, Theresa becomes swept away in a pessimistic and alienated life of nameless sex and drug use. Fearing genuine emotional intimacy and attachment with anyone, Theresa instead tries to fill the spiritual and emotional void inside of her by taking home various men from bars and clubs for sex, and then kicking them out afterward so that she won't have to face the emotional consequences. Not surprisingly, Theresa soon finds herself spiraling downward at an out-of-control rate, and just as she realizes that she is careening toward catastrophe, she takes the wrong man home with her, and thus seals her own tragic fate. Rossner spends a considerable amount of the novel producing the background circumstances for Theresa's behavior, so that we can see why she unwittingly paid the ultimate price for the sake of misguided pleasure. What sets this novel miles ahead of similar psychological thrillers is the unsympathetic realism that is portrayed in the circumstances surrounding Theresa's self-destruction. The sex scenes are unpleasant and emotionally deadening and you'll never find more starkly realistic dialogue anywhere else. And then there's that notoriously graphic and bone-chilling ending which will haunt you for several weeks to follow.... Probably the biggest reason why such an overwhelmingly depressing novel like this was so widely popular and culturally influential is because Theresa is such an explicit reflection of the very worst in all of us. Not only do we see Theresa's insecurities and fears in our own thoughts, but her story is still told today again and again through the real-life tragic misjudgments of Natalie Holloway, Matthew Shepherd and others. This is not a crime novel or thriller. Rather, it is a psychological study of the tragic self-destruction of a human being. Overall, `Looking for Mr. Goodbar' is an essential must-read for those who are brave enough to acknowledge why we as individuals often cannot help but destroy ourselves.

This is definitely one of those novels that is like a car accident-- it's ugly, but you can't look away. Rossner's hypnotic writing style and pitch-perfect characterization will hook you from page one. What is perhaps most haunting about this work, however, is not being ushered into this dark, lonely way of life that Theresa Dunn leads but rather finding out just how many similarities you share with her. This book will definitely stay with you, which isn't the best feeling, frankly, but trust me, if you don't read it, you're missing out on a superb literary experience.

It's the 1970's and the world has lived through the sixties and exploded into a one big wild and careless party. The vestiges of responsibility and family begin to tear and no where is it better illustrated than in depicting the life of Theresa. Theresa is a lonely single girl, teaching underprivledged kids during the day and cruising the bar scene looking for love after dark. Living in the shadow of her seemingly fabulous sister, Theresa born the shame of spine curvature (eventually corrected by surgery), the indifference of her parents, lack of friends, and the pain of empty love relationships. Theresa during the day, Terry is her night time persona who takes the young teacher to levels she never dreamed off as the story unfolds. Theresa is at odds with the good girl vs. bad girl images and yet is spurned by physical pleasure and the thought of a lasting and pleasurable relationship. The book's end is shocking and inevitable as Theresa looks for love in all the wrong places. A cautionary tale which rings true today, a copy should be given to every Washington intern.

Theresa is a teacher by day, and a bar cruiser by night. It's the seventies, and everybody's doing it, and as often as they can. I first read Goodbar a few years ago and have read it a total of 5 times since. It's a haunting story, one that gets into your blood and won't let go of your concious thoughts for days after finishing it. I would recommend this book to anyone who is interested in reading about the inner turmoil women face when confronted with situations where their sexuality faces off with their morality. I would also like to point out that the film based on this book and of the same title confronts the issues of sexual independence with stark and vivid imagery. I would recommend reading the book, though, before seeing the film as the book delivers a real kick to the theoretical groin while the movie doesn't delve as deeply into the mind, the heart and motivation of its main character.