Navigate to Arts & Letters section

Liberated Bride

Alix Kates Shulman on the creation of an ex-prom queen and protofeminist

by
Sara Ivry
March 20, 2007

In 1972, Alix Kates Shulman wrote her first novel, Memoirs of an Ex-Prom Queen. The book follows Sasha Davis, a Jewish girl from Cleveland saddled with excess intelligence, ambition, and sexual desire, as she confronts 1950s notions of femininity.

Even before the book was published, it caused a great stir among secretaries as the galleys made their way through various printing houses. It went on to sell more than a million copies, and has been in print almost continuously ever since; Kate Millet cites it as the first notable work of fiction to come out of the women’s liberation movement.

Shulman went on to play a prominent role in that movement, both as a writer and an activist. Now, as Memoirs hits bookstores yet again, this time as a special 35th anniversary edition, Shulman talks with Nextbook about how Sasha Davis came into being, and about how much—or how little—has changed since readers first encountered her.

Your browser does not support the audio element.

Sara Ivry is the host of Vox Tablet, Tablet Magazine’s weekly podcast. Follow her on Twitter @saraivry.

Sara Ivry is the host of Vox Tablet, Tablet Magazine’s weekly podcast. Follow her on Twitter@saraivry.