5 Things You Should Know About Joan Didion
photo: Netflix
The American writer Joan Didion influenced generations of young women to be more forthright with their words, actions and sentiments. She was a strong, gracious blend of West Coast and East Coast and captured moments during chaotic social and political unrests as well as times of inventiveness and survival.
Although she wrote essays about the most intriguing times in America, we always found her life to be quite intriguing whether it was through her essays, books, photographs and especially watching the Netflix Documentary, Joan Didion: The Center Will Not Hold. From her most notable works such as Slouching Towards Bethlehem, The White Album and The Year of Magical Thinking, Didion remained a creative force well into her late 80’s.
Joan Didion passed away at the age of 87 on December 23, 2021. She has left a wide, open path for the next generation of womxn writers.
JOAN DIDION WAS BORN ON DECEMBER 3, 1934 IN SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA. SHE ONCE REFERRED TO THE CITY AS THE “MIDWEST OF CALIFORNIA”.
Joan Didion at Golden Gate Park, San Francisco in April 1967 / Photo: Ted Streshinsky Photographic Archive / Corbis via Getty Images circa 1967
SHE STUDIED ENGLISH AT UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, BERKLEY AND AFTER GRADATING IN 1956 HAD MOVED TO NEW YORK CITY. AFTER WINNING AN ESSAY CONTEST SPONSORED BY VOGUE MAGAZINE, SHE WAS OFFERED A JOB DOING MOSTLY FASHION COPYWRITING.
photo: Netflix
ALONG WITH HER HUSBAND, JOHN GRIFFIN DUNNE, JOAN CO-WROTE THE 1976 MUSICAL FILM A STAR IS BORN (STARRING BARBRA STREISAND AND KRIS KRISTOFFERSON). THE MOST RECENT REMAKE OF THIS FILM STARRED BRADLEY COOPER AND LADY GAGA (2018).
JOAN WENT ON TO WRITE MORE SCREENPLAYS FOR MOTION PICTURES SUCH AS THE FILM ADAPTATION TO HER NOVEL, PLAY IT AS IT LAYS (1972), NEEDLE PARK (1971), TRUE CONFESSIONS (1981) AND UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL (1996).
Joan Didion’s recipe in her handwriting.
