2015: The Year of Reading Women discussion

Putting up Joan Didion for her nouveau reportage, essays, narrative journalism etc.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joan_Didion

I'd be interested in exploring either/or or both of her fiction and nonfiction. Nobody said this group was restricted to reading fiction only.... ;)

I've been wanting to read Slouching Towards Bethlehem for a long time, Trav.

I have been eyeing that too, Kris! ..but I have started to despair of when to fit all of this in.... :P Maybe whoever gets to start on it first, should either make a separate thread or perhaps a good idea to simply post here in this thread on a more casual basis?

My copy of Slouching Towards Bethlehem is waiting for me in a bookshop, and I'll probably start on it in January or February. Still, I second Traveller on having a less formal conversation - or, if someone wants an honest to God read, I would be a very happy lurker:)

I've been wanting to read this Didion too. Oh--I don't know how I can keep up with all I want to read but perhaps I will try to join in when I see one of you reading it. My library has many copies available.

Less formal conversation sounds good to me. I will probably start to read it sometime in January, as soon as I finish the Rebecca Solnit collection that I am currently reading.

Ah, then we should perhaps create a thread for it, eh?

I received a copy of Slouching Towards Bethelehem at Christmas - I've only dipped in for a few essays so far, but they're incredible nonetheless.

I've read Play It As It Lays, but I read it on a plane, and I definitely want to revisit it in 2015 when I can read it with more focus/attention on what I'm reading. I'm curious to see the connections between her fiction and non-fiction once I've read more of her work.

I do agree that it's a good idea to read Didion's fiction along with her non-fiction. Play It as It Lays is a priority for me, but I'd be open to a different novel as well.

Traveller wrote: "Ah, then we should perhaps create a thread for it, eh?"

Yes -- should the starting month be January, but with our specifying that the read will be informal/open-ended?

I probably wouldn't be able to join in until February, not sure.

Sue wrote: "I probably wouldn't be able to join in until February, not sure."

That's no problem, Sue -- whenever you can will work.

My friend Jeff had a few recommendations about Didion's fiction -- here's what he wrote: "The first one I read was "Democracy." That may be one reason why it's my favorite. It's a very disorienting book that's slow to reveal itself as it brilliantly deconstructs story and examines Vietnam and exile. "Book of Common Prayer" and "Play It As It Lays" are both exceptional as well - "Prayer" is political where "Play" is a structurally perfect Hollywood book that strikes some folks as cold. Those three are her major achievements. "The Last Thing He Wanted" is under-valued but not quite at the same level. Worth checking out if you like those other novels. You can avoid "Run River" with a clear conscience - she hadn't found her voice or her form yet. Look forward to hearing your reactions as you read her. "

Slouching Towards Bethlehem thread: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

Here's an idea: How about we do one essay every month in the last week of the month?

That sounds good to me -- if all agree, I can change the info about the read schedule and details to clarify that.

Sounds good to me!

Also sounds good to me. I'll probably be reading from the library so taking it in and out as needed.

Just sharing:

Joan Didion’s Favorite Books of All Time, in a Handwritten Reading List
by Maria Popova

http://www.brainpickings.org/2015/01/...

Joan Didion Answers the Proust Questionnaire

http://www.brainpickings.org/2014/10/...

From that first link:

Joan Didion Documentary - We Tell Ourselves Stories in Order to Live

http://vimeo.com/109503746