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4.12 AVERAGE
4.12 AVERAGE
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
relaxing
slow-paced
loved some of the essays, felt ambivalent towards others. the “personals” struck me as the most profound, whereas i struggled to get invested in the “life styles of the golden land” (maybe because i lack the california experience that didion details). didion has a great voice in her writing, but sometimes felt like she was trying to justify a storied history of Californian culture when her post-Gold Rush conception of the “spirit of California” is a relatively new thing
Some essays definitely worth reading, and some rather tedious read back-to-back.
California in the 60s, here we come.
California in the 60s, here we come.
Reading this cover to cover after her death made me grieve once again for the desire to read this when it was of the moment. Her voice, so potent, and yet so bird like, pecking at you insistently, convincing you that the way she was seeing things was without a doubt the truth.
informative
medium-paced
When she started talking about writing in her journal I lost interest.
Girly is too smart for me after a gin and tonic perhaps but she is very good and I will definitely read more of her.
She is sad though, there is definitely such beauty in the sadness though. Very exquisitely controlled sentences, tight writing style.
Part II was definitely the best collection and I will reread them for sure.
She is sad though, there is definitely such beauty in the sadness though. Very exquisitely controlled sentences, tight writing style.
Part II was definitely the best collection and I will reread them for sure.
This books re-read factor is stronggg wow I found myself often going back to certain essays and getting more from them everytime. There were passages in each essay that resonated with me, but I think my overall favorites were: Some dreamer of the golden dream, slouching towards Bethlehem, on keeping a notebook, on self respect, the sea coast of despair and goodbye to all that. I know I will continue to revisit this book in years to come and get something new from it everytime, particularly as some essays went over my head or I didn’t read some as closely as others. Even when I didn’t fully understand her references, Didions stories and ideas captured me completely. I also thought the part in “where the kissing never stops” where she talks about Baez’s vagueness around her beliefs was interesting because that’s something I really liked ab this book, the assuredness with which didion writes. Overall this was super inspiring and interesting to me and I can’t wait to read more of her work.
adventurous
inspiring
reflective
relaxing
fast-paced
challenging
inspiring
medium-paced