The World According to Joan Didion

“Intrepid journalist, novelist, essayist, and memoirist Joan Didion inspires passionate admiration….Shaped by intellectual rigor and artistic grace in chapters coalescing around totem objects that figured prominently in Didion’s life and imagination … McDonnell’s portrait is vibrant, fluent, sensitive, and clarifying.” – Booklist (starred review)

“For the Joan Didion fan in your life, this is a must…it’s also just a wonderful appreciation for any literary-minded person, and certainly a fine introduction to the work and life of one of the most celebrated writers of the past 60 years. Smart and concise, it’s a welcome and clarifying look at a hugely influential figure.” – Esquire, “The 30 Best Books for Holiday Gifting” Roundup

“Evelyn McDonnell has written a wonderfully fitting tribute to Joan Didion: one that avoids simple platitudes, approaching the great writer with a fierce, probing intelligence, flawless language, and the impulse, which drove Didion’s finest work, to understand the dreams of another.” – Hua Hsu, Pulitzer-winning author of Stay True

“McDonnell, a writer and journalism professor at Loyola Marymount University, wisely stays away from traditional biography. Instead, she sets out to create ‘more of a notebook’ about Didion, to capture ‘what it was for her to be her, at different places and different times.’ Illustrations by the Brooklyn artist Anne Muntges enhance the tender, diary-like feel.” – Wall Street Journal

“McDonnell offers a thoughtful assessment of Didion’s importance but doesn’t shy away from Didion’s flaws… . An appreciative portrait of an iconic author.” – Kirkus Reviews

“Joan Didion fans will delight in Evelyn McDonnell’s intimate portrait of the author and her work …McDonnell is a smart, concessive writer, not only praising the obviously talented Didion but ruminating on her shortcomings. … a thoughtful read.” – Montecito Journal

“McDonnell’s deep knowledge and expertise shines brightly in THE WORLD ACCORDING TO JOAN DIDION, a heartfelt guide to Didion’s wide library of work that will not only serve newcomers looking to dive in, but also change the long-standing perceptions of the many who’ve read Didion’s classics numerous times.” – Alex Segura, bestselling author of Secret Identity

“A brilliant, visceral interpretation of “the queen of California Noir.” – Allison Wolfe, of Bratmobile and cofounder of the Riot Grrrl Movement

“McDonnell skillfully offers all the lessons she’s learned from years of reading, considering, and teaching Didion. … piercing and poignant. – California Review of Books

Evelyn McDonnell has written or coedited eight books, including Women Who Rock: Bessie to Beyonce. Girl Groups to Riot Grrrl 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. Her writing has appeared in anthologies and publications, including the New York Times, The Guardian, Los Angeles Times, Ms., and Billboard. She teaches journalism at Loyola Marymount University and lives in San Pedro, California.