In this episode, we discuss the life and work of writing icon Joan Didion, a writer’s writer. Not only a groundbreaking journalist, essayist, novelist, and screenwriter, Didion was also a keen observer of life in all its humor, disappointment and grace. Perhaps best known for essay writing and collections such as The White Album, The Year of Magical Thinking, and more, Didion was an eclectic writer across genres and mediums. Other published works include novels such as Run River and Play It as It Lays; films like 1972’s A Star Is Born starring Barbara Streisand and Kris Kristofferson; and other movies and plays adapted from her previous writings.
For this episode we are joined by writer and scholar Evelyn McDonnell, author of the recent biography The World According to Joan Didion; and Cady Lang, staff writer for TIME Magazine. You can read their full bios below.
Evelyn and Cady are interviewed by Nate King, Digital Content Associate at the American Writers Museum. This conversation originally took place November 10, 2023 and was recorded over Zoom.
More about our co-guests:
Evelyn McDonnell is a journalist, essayist, critic, feminist, and university professor who regularly teaches Didion’s work. She has written or co-edited eight books, including Women Who Rock: Bessie to Beyoncé, Girl Groups to Riot Grrl and Queens of Noise: The Real Story of the Runaways. She has been a pop culture writer at the Miami Herald and a senior editor at the Village Voice. She teaches journalism at Loyola Marymount University and lives in San Pedro, California. Evelyn will be at the Algonquin Hotel in New York City on Thursday, December 7 for an event celebrating Didion! You can attend the Remembering Joan Didion event for free by registering here.
Cady Lang is a staff writer at TIME. She covers culture, focusing on identity, celebrity, and fashion.