Joan Didion (12/5/1934 - 12/23/2021) was a writer I respected immensely. Born of the 1960s and 70s counterculture, she was the embodiment of New Journalism. She wrote political and social rhetoric with a personal touch.
Her first published collection of magazine articles Slouching Toward Bethlehem (1968) was a harbinger of writing to come. Her Year of Magical Thinking (2005) brought grief to the forefront after the death of her famous writer husband, John Gregory Dunne.
Her writing made one think. She was a tiny little thing with the power of a pen. Here are some quotes I liked
"People tend to forget that my presence runs counter to their best interests. And it always does. That is one last thing to remember. Writers are always selling somebody out."
"We are the stories we tell ourselves"
A fave:
"I have already lost touch with a couple of people I used to be"
Joan Didion - R.I.P. Her writing lives on
Hi Joanne - I'd forgotten she'd died recently - thanks for this reminder and some of her thoughts on life ... RIP to her, Happy New Year to you and Ray - cheers Hilary
ReplyDeleteThanks. She was always an interesting person and writer. There's a documentary on Netflix that was done by her nephew, the actor Griffin Dunne. It's quite insightful
DeleteI laughed at the comment, "I'd already lost touch of the people I used to be." It's true we change through life. Sometimes it's easy to lose touch of who we were at a specific time.
ReplyDeleteWishing you and your hubby all the best in 2022!
Glad you liked the quotes. She makes you think and chuckle. All the best to you too. I enjoy your FB posts.
DeleteSad that she's gone. I can relate to that last quote.
ReplyDeleteBased on her health issues, it sounded like it was time. But her words live on. She represents an era, that's for sure.
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