chantelmccray's review against another edition
4.0
I love Didion's style. And of course I feel for her. But on re- reading, I think this work could have been even better with more intimacy and less restaurant and hotel name dropping.
curiosophie's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
5.0
americattt's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
4.75
"I know why we try to keep the dead alive: we try to keep them alive in order to keep them with us.
I also know that if we are to live ourselves there comes a point at which we must relinquish the dead, let them go, keep them dead.
Let them become the photograph on the table.
Let them become the name on the accounts.
Let go of them in the water."
I also know that if we are to live ourselves there comes a point at which we must relinquish the dead, let them go, keep them dead.
Let them become the photograph on the table.
Let them become the name on the accounts.
Let go of them in the water."
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Grief
jacksneira's review against another edition
5.0
I don’t think this is a book people who haven’t suffered a great loss would understand. As to those of us who have, Joan Didion is good company in the process. It made me feel less alone to read about her experience with grief. To see the similarities in what we experienced, it helped. But also grief is deeply personal, unique, and painful. There were chapters that were really difficult to get through. At some point I had to stop in the middle, then jump to the last chapter, and continue in reverse order. I needed to know that she was ok, and that maybe I would be ok too.
It was comforting to find a book in the fresh into grief perspective. At no point does it mention anything about seeing the bigger picture, or channeling your pain into something productive, because those who truly know grief know there’s no such thing. It was a nice break to be in the company of someone who gets it (even if the company was in book form), as it is extremely draining to keep hearing well intentioned but misguided comments from mostly everyone who hasn’t been through it.
It was comforting to find a book in the fresh into grief perspective. At no point does it mention anything about seeing the bigger picture, or channeling your pain into something productive, because those who truly know grief know there’s no such thing. It was a nice break to be in the company of someone who gets it (even if the company was in book form), as it is extremely draining to keep hearing well intentioned but misguided comments from mostly everyone who hasn’t been through it.