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3.64 AVERAGE
3.64 AVERAGE
medium-paced
This was my most disappointing read of May! It was a shame because I was dying to read Joan Didion. Now I'll buy The Year of Magical Thinking which I might enjoy more!
These fragments were taken from Didion's notebooks in which she shares her experiences during a road trip she took with her husband John Dunner, in 1970, through Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama. I liked reading her insights and how she discussed race issues but I think I would have enjoyed it more if I was from the US because she is very detailed about the South states.
For more reviews, follow me on Instagram: @booksturnyouon
These fragments were taken from Didion's notebooks in which she shares her experiences during a road trip she took with her husband John Dunner, in 1970, through Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama. I liked reading her insights and how she discussed race issues but I think I would have enjoyed it more if I was from the US because she is very detailed about the South states.
For more reviews, follow me on Instagram: @booksturnyouon
dark
reflective
medium-paced
adventurous
emotional
informative
reflective
fast-paced
adventurous
informative
reflective
fast-paced
Didion's writing style is very matter-of-fact, seems like she gives you the bare bones and leaves it to you to put the rest together. It is definitely a unique writing style to observe but it did not pull me in as much as other (mostly fiction) books have. Requires a lot of thinking power to process and draw conclusions. Probably a great feat in an English class but not my first choice for pleasure reading.
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
From this article regarding [b:On Self-Respect|8626|On Self-Respect|Joan Didion|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1451981618l/8626._SX50_.jpg|11567]--
"For all its power, Didion’s essay is also problematic, though subtly. It is written with a casual 'we' that implies that all readers can accept its conclusions, and while using a universal 'we' is not bad if done with nuance, the issue is that Didion assumes that all readers will essentially see the world the way she does. The essay is less overtly for those readers who cannot be sure that they can always trust their self-perceptions, as Didion never seems directly aware that people’s perceptions can differ drastically."
I feel the same with this book. Despite her being able to actively and fruitfully describe any atmospheric condition having only been at the location for minutes sometimes, I still feel her upbringing and lack of "deprivation" as a child has led her to not fully understand the people she is writing about. As someone who was born and raised in these exact mystiques of the South, it seems odd that she report on the moods and feelings and social/political conditions of the people who reside in these towns without actively diving into why it is she senses these feelings. For someone who is as an acclaimed reporter/writer as Joan Didion this is a bit lacking in the summarizing or investigative aspect. On some fronts I expected her to comment at least on the injustices, mysteries, social anomalies she encountered but she left her notes as she took them. Part of me wants to think this is stylistic but the paragraph about buying the Confederate flag towel and how her child adores it makes me think it's moreso ignorance that pervades this collection of notes.
This is my first Joan Didion piece and I am not sure I would like to read the others if they contain this level of perception without judgement or reasoning. 2.5 / 5
"For all its power, Didion’s essay is also problematic, though subtly. It is written with a casual 'we' that implies that all readers can accept its conclusions, and while using a universal 'we' is not bad if done with nuance, the issue is that Didion assumes that all readers will essentially see the world the way she does. The essay is less overtly for those readers who cannot be sure that they can always trust their self-perceptions, as Didion never seems directly aware that people’s perceptions can differ drastically."
I feel the same with this book. Despite her being able to actively and fruitfully describe any atmospheric condition having only been at the location for minutes sometimes, I still feel her upbringing and lack of "deprivation" as a child has led her to not fully understand the people she is writing about. As someone who was born and raised in these exact mystiques of the South, it seems odd that she report on the moods and feelings and social/political conditions of the people who reside in these towns without actively diving into why it is she senses these feelings. For someone who is as an acclaimed reporter/writer as Joan Didion this is a bit lacking in the summarizing or investigative aspect. On some fronts I expected her to comment at least on the injustices, mysteries, social anomalies she encountered but she left her notes as she took them. Part of me wants to think this is stylistic but the paragraph about buying the Confederate flag towel and how her child adores it makes me think it's moreso ignorance that pervades this collection of notes.
This is my first Joan Didion piece and I am not sure I would like to read the others if they contain this level of perception without judgement or reasoning. 2.5 / 5
challenging
informative
reflective
fast-paced
i loved this one!! the imagery was out of this world. i could’ve read her grocery list & would’ve been blown away. i can’t decide which nonfiction i loved more—this or “let me tell you what i mean”. definitely looking forward to reading more of her books