Modern Love

Modern Love defies genre, weaving science fiction, detective fiction, and historical drama into a singular, boundary-breaking narrative. First published in 1977 by Standard Editions—an avant-garde imprint co-founded by De Jong and artist Dorothea Tanning—this novel is as much a work of visual art as it is of literature.

At its core is a fluid portrait of loss, identity, and displacement. The story spans centuries and continents, moving from Sephardic exile in Spain toward a house in Oregon, unfolding through the voices of multiple characters—Charlotte, Roderigo, Fifi Corday, and the unnamed narrator—whose lives overlap in unexpected ways.

De Jong’s prose operates in pulses of rhythm and image, shifting tone and perspective with the precision of a performance piece. Her narrative form itself becomes a dance of recurrence and motion, mimicking the flow of memory and emotion.

Reissued in a facsimile edition by Primary Information and Ugly Duckling Presse in 2017, Modern Love reclaimed its legendary status among readers and artists alike. Its staccato cadence, visual layout, and genre-transcending structure make it a vital text in experimental literature and performance art history.