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
