Adam: always addressing interesting things I'm not in the know about; always writing with clarity, insight, and humor; always leaving me feeling smarter and entertained. Thank you!
while I've definitely read more Babitz than Didion… and am also probably not going to read this book lol… I have to admit that the anecdote about Didion asking if The Year of Magical Thinking will be a bestseller seems (as used by Anolik) awfully unfair. Every time I see it mentioned it just sounds like pitch-black humor to me, not a revelation of her priorities. Maybe there's more to it, idk.
Oh that’s interesting, I hadn’t thought of the black humor angle. Very possible! And I basically think Anolik *is* unfair, lol, but she sees that as combatting what she perceives as Didion’s own unfairness—as in, writing Year without mentioning Dunne’s struggles with alcohol. It’s a very partisan, even biased book overall, and weirdly I found that refreshing? Even if I may not agree with the conclusions that follow from the partisanness.
I don't mind the partisan-ness in the abstract but I feel like there's "unfair" as in, I love this writer better, and "unfair" as in, I've decided you're Lucille Bluth haha
Adam: always addressing interesting things I'm not in the know about; always writing with clarity, insight, and humor; always leaving me feeling smarter and entertained. Thank you!
You are so welcome! Much appreciated!
while I've definitely read more Babitz than Didion… and am also probably not going to read this book lol… I have to admit that the anecdote about Didion asking if The Year of Magical Thinking will be a bestseller seems (as used by Anolik) awfully unfair. Every time I see it mentioned it just sounds like pitch-black humor to me, not a revelation of her priorities. Maybe there's more to it, idk.
We hide money in the banana stand in order to live
Oh that’s interesting, I hadn’t thought of the black humor angle. Very possible! And I basically think Anolik *is* unfair, lol, but she sees that as combatting what she perceives as Didion’s own unfairness—as in, writing Year without mentioning Dunne’s struggles with alcohol. It’s a very partisan, even biased book overall, and weirdly I found that refreshing? Even if I may not agree with the conclusions that follow from the partisanness.
I don't mind the partisan-ness in the abstract but I feel like there's "unfair" as in, I love this writer better, and "unfair" as in, I've decided you're Lucille Bluth haha
Read Slow Days. It really is EB's best book (some would say, her *only* really good one).
I plan to! Excited to do so