Let Me Tell You What I Mean

Let Me Tell You What I Mean

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  • Create Date：2021-02-01 04:13:12
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  • Author：Joan Didion
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Summary

Notes From Your Bookseller

A new book by Joan Didion sets our hearts on fire。 From politics to culture， Didion sets the bar high for literary nonfiction essays。 Hilton Als' generous introduction is worthy of its own anthology。 Als states her writing "anticipated the deeply troubling politics of today。" This collection captures the best of the most interesting conversations。 One moment， you're discussing history， the next a favorite novelist and then， at another point， a personal anecdote。 Joan Didion should be first the person on your literary dinner party guest list。 If she's busy—then you still have these essays。

From one of our most iconic and influential writers: a timeless collection of mostly early pieces that reveal what would become Joan Didion's subjects， including the press， politics， California robber barons， women， and her own self-doubt。

These twelve pieces from 1968 to 2000， never before gathered together， offer an illuminating glimpse into the mind and process of a legendary figure。 They showcase Joan Didion's incisive reporting， her empathetic gaze， and her role as "an articulate witness to the most stubborn and intractable truths of our time" （The New York Times Book Review）。

Here， Didion touches on topics ranging from newspapers （"the problem is not so much whether one trusts the news as to whether one finds it"）， to the fantasy of San Simeon， to not getting into Stanford。 In "Why I Write，" Didion ponders the act of writing: "I write entirely to find out what I'm thinking， what I'm looking at， what I see and what it means。" From her admiration for Hemingway's sentences to her acknowledgment that Martha Stewart's story is one "that has historically encouraged women in this country， even as it has threatened men，" these essays are acutely and brilliantly observed。 Each piece is classic Didion: incisive， bemused， and stunningly prescient。

Editor Reviews

11/09/2020

This wide-ranging essay collection from Didion （South and West: From a Notebook） showcases her strengths as a short form writer。 Organized chronologically from 1968 to 2000， the pieces trace Didion’s development as an essayist and offer glimpses of late-20th-century social history。 In 1968’s “Alicia and the Underground Press，” Didion writes of “tabloid-sized papers that respect the special interests of the young and the disaffiliated，” praising their ability to speak directly to their readers; “The Long-Distance Runner，” from 1993， is an ode to filmmaker Tony Richardson: “I never knew anyone who so loved to make things，” she writes; and “Everywoman。com，” from 2000， examines the “cultural meaning of Martha Stewart’s success” and the way she “branded herself not as Superwoman but as Everywoman。” As always， the writing is captivating—in the early “Getting Serenity，” she writes about attending a Gamblers Anonymous meeting （“I got out fast then， before anyone could say ‘serenity’ again， for it is a word I associate with death”） and finds just the right details to nail down the feeling of a bygone era—for example， the mix of “plastic hydrangeas” and cigarette smoke at the GA meeting。 Didion fans new and old will be delighted。 （Jan。）

Publishers Weekly

About the Author

JOAN DIDION is the author of five novels， ten books of nonfiction， and a play。 Her book， The Year of Magical Thinking， won the National Book Award in 2005。 She lives in New York。

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Reviews

B&NJulesH ，

The world is a better place for more of Joan Didion’s work available to us。 And a Hilton Als introduction to boot！ YES！

Jaime ，

3。5 ⭐️

Riley （runtobooks） ，

really fun collection of essays。 i find didion's writing to be very hit or miss for me， but this one really worked！ essays ranging from martha stewart's empire to being rejected from dozens of literary magazines， i think this collection has something for everyone。 really fun collection of essays。 i find didion's writing to be very hit or miss for me， but this one really worked！ essays ranging from martha stewart's empire to being rejected from dozens of literary magazines， i think this collection has something for everyone。 。。。more

Rebecca ，

⭐️3。5

Ken French ，

Joan Didion falls into the category of "I will read anything she publishes。" This collection is excellent， especially the three pieces on writing （"Why I Write，" "Telling Stories，" and "Last Words"）。 Joan Didion falls into the category of "I will read anything she publishes。" This collection is excellent， especially the three pieces on writing （"Why I Write，" "Telling Stories，" and "Last Words"）。 。。。more

Robyn ，

I’ve read enough Didion by now to know to savor each word。 This did not disappoint ❤️

Catie ，

Review copy provided by publisher - January 30， 2021

Sam ，

I love Joan Didion so much I read an entire essay on perhaps my most hated literary figure （Ernest Hemingway） for her。

Kimberlee ，

I have leaned on Joan Didion for decades since my first fix of Run River。 It levels me that this is most likely her last publication。 Her essay on Why I Write and comments on pretty Nancy Reagan assassinate。 Just。。。read everything she writes。 Didion is a thinker， a ponderer， and a rare thing-brilliant。

Ray Carroll ，

“Let me tell you one thing about why writers write: had I known the answer to any of these questions I would never have needed to write a novel。”Unfailingly precise and inexplicably beautiful in that precision， Didion lends a clear-eyed prescience to subjects from not getting into your first choice college to the empire of Martha Stewart。 If we need to take a good long look at this country （as I fear we must）， please — let us do it with Didion as our guide。 （4。5 stars）

Venky ，

Juxtaposing wicked wit with admirable irreverence， “Let Me Tell You What I Mean” – representing twelve previously uncollected essays – is Joan Didion at her inimitable best。 The oldest and the most recent essay contained within the book are separated by more than three decades， and yet in terms of candor and vigour alike， they are no different whatsoever。 Holding forth with resounding clarity on themes ranging from the quality of newspapers to a personal letter of rejection received by Didion af Juxtaposing wicked wit with admirable irreverence， “Let Me Tell You What I Mean” – representing twelve previously uncollected essays – is Joan Didion at her inimitable best。 The oldest and the most recent essay contained within the book are separated by more than three decades， and yet in terms of candor and vigour alike， they are no different whatsoever。 Holding forth with resounding clarity on themes ranging from the quality of newspapers to a personal letter of rejection received by Didion after she had applied to Stanford University， Didion is an absolute feast for the reader。The first essay in the book bemoans the absence of a connect between newspapers and their consumers。 “The only American newspapers that do not leave me in the grip of a profound physical conviction that the oxygen has been cut off from my brain tissue， very probably by an Associated Press wire， are The Wall Street Journal， the Los Angeles Free Press， the Los Angeles Open City， and the East Village Other”， writes Didion。 While papers such as the East Village Other might even be ambivalent and unperturbed about the actual facts that they carry， they uncompromisingly converse with their readers。 These ordinary papers shun pretentiousness and condescension in favour of a startling simplicity that accords to them a certain endearment， from Didion’s perspective。Another brilliant essay， and my personal favourite， is the one titled “Why I Write。” Didion makes no qualms about having palmed off the title from an earlier piece written by George Orwell。 Way back in 1975， at Berkeley University， Didion gave a rousing lecture under the same title。 Rending asunder all ossified and cliched notions espoused by the intellectual and armchair critic alike， on what makes a writer put pen to paper， Didion comes up with a fascinatingly refreshing take on the overarching motivations that spur the practice of writing。 “In many ways， writing is the act of saying I， of imposing oneself upon other people， of saying listen to me， see it my way， change your mind。 It’s an aggressive， even a hostile act”， asserts Didion。 In an essay on Hemingway， Didion weaves a paradoxical theme on the craft of writing， a craft that is at once inseparable and yet detached from the writer。 “The very grammar of a Hemingway sentence， dictated， or was dictated， by a certain way of looking at the world， way of looking but not joining， a way of moving through but not attaching， a kind of romantic individualism distinctly adapted to its time and source。”The quality of profound detachment manifests itself in another essay titled “My Trip to Xanadu”， where Didion reminisces over William Randolph Hearst’s gargantuan Xanadu estate in San Simeon。 Paying a visit to the palatial premises， long after the same was made over to the Government by Hearst’s offspring， with her small niece in tow， Didion is disappointed to see the metaphorical reductionism that has befallen the once awe-inspiring estate。 While vestiges of splendour still remain intact， the very essence that lent a surreal mystique to the place and embellished the myths associated with it are consigned to the fickle and fading memories of history。 The San Simeon that her astonished eyes viewed from the open windows of her parents’ car， and the aura emanating from its imperial presence is now only an extolled imagination。 As Didion wistfully concludes， “make a place available to the eyes， and in certain ways it is no longer available to the imagination。”An exquisitely satirical essay exenterates Nancy Reagan （this was the time when her husband was the Governor of California）， by recounting the elaborately artificial preparations for a scripted photoshoot。 If Phillip Roth has his Everyman， Joan Didion undoubtedly IS the Everywoman。 The essay on Martha Stewart drives home this fact with a lucidity that is so eviscerating that it makes the reader to literally gasp。 “The dreams and the fears into which Martha Stewart taps are not of ‘feminine’ domesticity but of female power， of the woman who sits down at the table with the men and， still in her apron， walks away with the chips，” articulates Didion。Every parent ought to read the essay titled “On Being Unchosen by the College of One’s Choice。” In an era where education symbolizes more badges of honour than an infusion of character， and where – as Michael Sandel illustrates in his brilliant book， “The Tyranny of Merit” – entry into an elitist Ivy League Institution becomes the very end， rather than a mean， Didion’s prescient essay comes across as a much needed panacea。 Unable to accept a rejection letter issued by Stanford， Didion contemplates suicide while sitting on the edge of her bathtub with an old bottle of codeine-and-Empirin ready for consumption。 Sanity prevails in the end as she brushes away the ominous thought。 Upon hearing the news that her daughter’s application to Stanford was rejected， Didion’s father just shrugs and offers her a drink。 “I think about that shrug with a great deal of appreciation whenever I hear parents talking about their children’s “chances””， muses Didion。 Incidentally in a piece featured on the 7th of July 2014， the “Intelligencer” magazine， informed its dumbfounded readers about a test conducted for 4 year olds by schools in New York City。 The “assessment” that was administered digitally （on iPads）， and going by the innocuously deceptive and turgid name of Admission Assessment for Beginning Learners（“AABL”）， targeted “overachievers” whose parents were particular on their kids attending either Horace Mann or the Riverdale Country School。 Defending such assessments by taking recourse to arcane and boiler plate language， Horace Mann argued that such measures were required to ensure that every applicant “for Kindergarten and First Grade at Horace Mann School has completed a standardized measure of reasoning and achievement that is psychometrically valid。” Kindergarten for heaven’s sake！“Let Me Tell You What I Mean” is worth reading for its magnificent foreword alone。 Hilton Als is in his elements as he writes a measured but munificent panegyric on the craft of Joan Didion。 Kaleidoscopic in its sweep， and candid in its wake， the introduction by Hilton Als gives the reader the secure belief that Joan Didion is neither for the past nor for contemporary， but for posterity。 I am not sure whether the marvelous lady herself would accord her wholehearted consent for such a notion， but I can surely perceive a wicked glint in her eye， upon such a fact being conveyed to her， that signifies a piece beginning to find its contours in her extraordinary imagination。 。。。more

Sakura ，

I don’t know how she does it。 Didion’s style is both disheveled yet soothing at once。 There is so much introspection that goes into her writing。 I adored each of the pieces in this book！

CJ ，

Didion can do no wrong in my book but this collection mostly made me sad that she isn't still currently writing essays。 I feel like what she would have to say about our current culture would be so much more insightful than most of what's being written about it。 Didion can do no wrong in my book but this collection mostly made me sad that she isn't still currently writing essays。 I feel like what she would have to say about our current culture would be so much more insightful than most of what's being written about it。 。。。more

Nicole ，

I discovered Joan Didion late in her life， as she lost her husband John and her daughter Quintana。 Through those two books， I fell in love with Didion’s writing。 This posthumously published book of essays is diverse in its subjects as well as perspective and they span decades。 My favorites included an essay regarding her rejection letter from Stanford， thoughts on Ernest Hemingway and HIS posthumously published letters， essays， and book， and her observations on Martha Stewart。 The MS essay is la I discovered Joan Didion late in her life， as she lost her husband John and her daughter Quintana。 Through those two books， I fell in love with Didion’s writing。 This posthumously published book of essays is diverse in its subjects as well as perspective and they span decades。 My favorites included an essay regarding her rejection letter from Stanford， thoughts on Ernest Hemingway and HIS posthumously published letters， essays， and book， and her observations on Martha Stewart。 The MS essay is last and I enjoyed it like dessert。 One thing I will mention is that the foreword， while good， is long and states key points of many of the essays， so it’s almost like you’re rereading them。 It would almost be better to read it afterwards。 。。。more

Salomé Esteves ，

I think I'm falling in love with Joan Didion's writing。 This book proved to me that I need to pick up more books from her， because I hear it just gets better。I recommend this if you love beautifully written essays。 I think I'm falling in love with Joan Didion's writing。 This book proved to me that I need to pick up more books from her， because I hear it just gets better。I recommend this if you love beautifully written essays。 。。。more

Paul Wilner ，

I found this， some of the notices notwithstanding， to be excellent。 It's a collection of occasional pieces， mostly for the Saturday Evening Post， but sharp， with Didion's trademark wit， insight。 Got my copy through @netgalley。 There are a number of good pieces out on it already - including David Ulin， and Nathan Heller's in the latest issue of The New Yorker。 Don't know if I have much to add to it at the moment - I certainly enjoyed the selection on Hemingway - but will just add that， like all o I found this， some of the notices notwithstanding， to be excellent。 It's a collection of occasional pieces， mostly for the Saturday Evening Post， but sharp， with Didion's trademark wit， insight。 Got my copy through @netgalley。 There are a number of good pieces out on it already - including David Ulin， and Nathan Heller's in the latest issue of The New Yorker。 Don't know if I have much to add to it at the moment - I certainly enjoyed the selection on Hemingway - but will just add that， like all of Didion's work， it's rewarding。 。。。more

Kurt Anderson ，

12 slices of vintage Didion。 Quick to read， long to savor。 A must for any Didion fan

Katie Coleman ，

Good but not great Didion， but new （to me） Didion is better than no more Didion ever again。 Worth the purchase to spend an evening with one of my favorite writers。 The best stuff here has been published already， I think， in various forms elsewhere: “Why I Write，” and “Telling Stories，” but these essays seem more cohesive here and are instructive to the writer at work。

Rachel Michael ，

Another set of sharp and encompassing essays by the iconic Didion。 I personally enjoyed the essays that explored Didion’s writer mind and craft: glimpses of how her discovery of words and structure lead to the narrative nonfiction and novels that we love。 I also enjoyed her humility of sharing her struggles as an early writer as well。 Thank you Joan 🖤

Kevin ，

I suppose there was nothing here that absolutely required calling in sick and reading the whole thing on publication day （I had encountered about half of the contents before）。 Still it was like a long letter from an old friend， and just what I needed。 I was surprised， though， that it did not reprint her Robert B。 Silvers lecture， "Fixed Ideas，" a favorite of mine， which seems to have gone out of print。 I suppose there was nothing here that absolutely required calling in sick and reading the whole thing on publication day （I had encountered about half of the contents before）。 Still it was like a long letter from an old friend， and just what I needed。 I was surprised， though， that it did not reprint her Robert B。 Silvers lecture， "Fixed Ideas，" a favorite of mine， which seems to have gone out of print。 。。。more

Michelle Vidal ，

My favourites were:-On being Unchosen by the college of One’s Choice-Why I Write-The Long-Distance Runner-Last Words

Andy Blaker ，

I mean。。。 it's Joan Didion。 One of my absolute favorites。 I'll read anything of hers。 Here's hoping for more collections like these in the （near） future。 I mean。。。 it's Joan Didion。 One of my absolute favorites。 I'll read anything of hers。 Here's hoping for more collections like these in the （near） future。 。。。more

André ，

“One morning in 1975 I found myself aboard the 8:45 a。m。 Pan American from Los Angeles to Honolulu。 There were， before take-off from Los Angeles， “mechanical difficulties，” and a half-hour delay。 During this delay the stewardesses served coffee and orange juice and two children played tag in the aisles and， somewhere behind me， a man began screaming at a woman who seemed to be his wife。 I say that the woman seemed to be his wife only because the tone of his invective sounded practiced， although “One morning in 1975 I found myself aboard the 8:45 a。m。 Pan American from Los Angeles to Honolulu。 There were， before take-off from Los Angeles， “mechanical difficulties，” and a half-hour delay。 During this delay the stewardesses served coffee and orange juice and two children played tag in the aisles and， somewhere behind me， a man began screaming at a woman who seemed to be his wife。 I say that the woman seemed to be his wife only because the tone of his invective sounded practiced， although the only words I heard clearly were these: “You are driving me to murder。” After a moment I was aware of the door to the plane being opened a few rows behind me， and of the man rushing off。 There were many Pan American employees rushing on and off then， and considerable confusion。 I do not know whether the man reboarded the plane before take-off or whether the woman went on to Honolulu alone， but I thought about it all the way across the Pacific。 I thought about it while I was drinking a sherry on the rocks and I thought about it during lunch and I was still thinking about it when the first of the Hawaiian Islands appeared off the left wingtip。 It was not until we had passed Diamond Head and were coming in low over the reef for landing at Honolulu， however， that I realized what I most disliked about this incident: I disliked it because it had the aspect of a short story， one of those “little epiphany” or “window on the world” stories， one of those stories in which the main character glimpses a crisis in a stranger’s life—a woman weeping in a tea room， quite often， or an accident seen from the window of a train， “tea rooms” and “trains” still being fixtures of short stories although not of real life—and is moved to see his or her own life in a new light。 Again， my dislike was a case of needing room in which to play with what I did not understand。 I was not going to Honolulu because I wanted to see life reduced to a short story。 I was going to Honolulu because I wanted to see life expanded to a novel， and I still do。 I wanted not a window on the world but the world itself。 I wanted everything in the picture。 I wanted room for flowers， and reef fish， and people who might or might not have been driving one another to murder but in any case were not impelled， by the demands of narrative convention， to say so out loud on the 8:45 a。m。 Pan American from Los Angeles to Honolulu。” 。。。more

Tamara ，

This is my third Didion book。 She is unquestionably a talented writer， but her work doesn’t age well。 Reading this collection of essays， published posthumously， I am unable to get past the thought of how dated the material is。

Ali Robertson ，

Delightful， even the piece about Hemingway。

Farah ，

As a longtime Didion reader this hit the right spots。

Amelia ，

3。6

Justin Hall ，

First as always，Thanks to PRHAudio for this complimentary listenThis selection of Joan Didion was entertaining but I do believe you need to know Didion and enjoy her to really like this book。 Her dry and witty humor is not for everyone。 I really enjoy her takes on Hemingway though and hearing about Martha Stewart from her perspective was enlightening。 A cornucopia of writing that jumps from one place to the next。 A must have for a Didion fan。

Rachel Dows ，

As always， Joan Didion enchants and impresses。 I don't care how many "old" essays she has， let's publish them all。 They're just as fresh today as they were in the '60s， and I'm so here for it。 As always， Joan Didion enchants and impresses。 I don't care how many "old" essays she has， let's publish them all。 They're just as fresh today as they were in the '60s， and I'm so here for it。 。。。more

Milky Mixer ，

Such an odd compliation of essays to choose for this collection since nothing ties them together other than they are written by the magnificent Joan Didion。 But I always enjoy reading her observations and ponderings， even when they're about someone as boring as Nancy Reagan。 Other collections and essays by Ms。 Didion are better， but still 3。5 stars。 Such an odd compliation of essays to choose for this collection since nothing ties them together other than they are written by the magnificent Joan Didion。 But I always enjoy reading her observations and ponderings， even when they're about someone as boring as Nancy Reagan。 Other collections and essays by Ms。 Didion are better， but still 3。5 stars。 。。。more

David Bruce Smith ，

In this new collection， the famed essayist demonstrates her longstanding mastery of the form。In the fall of 1954， an unworldly undergraduate at Berkeley signed up for English 106A， a revered writing workshop taught by an august academic。 The semester-long course convened at noon for one hour on Mondays， Wednesdays， and Fridays， but from the way in which Joan DidionJoan Didion relives it in her new essay compilation， Let Me Tell You What I Mean， the experience was mostly agony and angst: “[It] wa In this new collection， the famed essayist demonstrates her longstanding mastery of the form。In the fall of 1954， an unworldly undergraduate at Berkeley signed up for English 106A， a revered writing workshop taught by an august academic。 The semester-long course convened at noon for one hour on Mondays， Wednesdays， and Fridays， but from the way in which Joan DidionJoan Didion relives it in her new essay compilation， Let Me Tell You What I Mean， the experience was mostly agony and angst: “[It] was widely regarded…as a kind of sacramental experience， an initiation into the grave world of real writers…I remember each meeting of this class as an occasion of acute excitement and dread。 I remember each other member of this class as older and wiser…more experienced， more independent， more interesting， more possessed of an exotic past: marriages and the breaking up of marriages， money…sex and politics and the Adriatic seen at dawn…the very stuff which might be substantiated into…stories。”Didion ramped up to a feverish fright， ransacked her closet “for clothes in which I might appear invisible in class” （an old raincoat）， pushed through the term， and never said a word。Each student was required to write five short stories to pass， but Didion， doubtful that her simplistic life could possibly fill up so many pages， only managed to squeeze out three: “Mr。 Schorer， a man of infinite kindness to and acuity about his students divined intuitively that my failing performance was a function of adolescent paralysis， of a yearning to be good and a fright that I would never be。”He gave Didion a B， and “I wrote no more stories for exactly ten years。”But in her senior year， Didion won first prize in Vogue’s “Prix de Paris” writing contest and was hired by the magazine as a research assistant。 Then， in a prolific， seven-year rise， she honed a career composing a cornucopia of merchandizing， promotional， and editorial copy， which crested with a promotion to associate features editor: “At Vogue， one learned fast， or one did not stay…Going to work…[there] was， in the late 1950s， not unlike training with the Rockettes。”Meanwhile， Didion placated her private wrangles with writing and published Run River， a novel， in 1963。 But success pitched her into daunting doubt: “I was suffering a fear common among people who have just written a first novel: the fear of never writing another…I sat in front of my typewriter and believed that another subject would never present itself…Accordingly， as a kind of desperate finger exercise， I tried writing stories [which] I had， and have， no talent for…no feel for the…rhythms of short fiction。”Eventually， Didion ditched the dilemma of diluted “little [epiphanies] and small window[s] on the world” that were birthed by short stories， and went for the wider wallop， larger lens， and radiating resonance associated with nonfiction。 “I wanted not a window on the world but the world itself。 I wanted everything in the picture。”In six decades of reporting with meticulous， nuanced notice， Didion has montaged in words myriad mortals， monuments， and movements。 For this book， she moved her scrutinizing eye over Nancy Reagan， Tony Richardson， and Martha Stewart， William Randolph Hearst， Ernest Hemingway， and Gamblers Anonymous， to generate a fair-minded assessment。“Her narrative nonfiction” according to Hilton Als， who authored the foreword of the book， “is a question about the truth。 And if her nonfiction is synonymous with anything， says Didion in work after work， it is with the idea that the truth is provisional， and the only thing backing it up is who you are at the time you wrote this or that， and that your joys and biases and prejudices are part of writing， too。”Arguably， Joan Didion merits a luminous legacy in American letters on par with Mark Twain， Walt Whitman， and Frederick Douglass， Emily Dickinson， Carson McCullers， and Eudora Welty。 But she is unlikely to cross over into The Canon until an academic institution with ample audacity deduces that her words wield sufficient weight， warmth， wisdom — and worth。Review posted in Washington Independent Review of Books on Jan 22， 2021 。。。more

Reference

google book https://www.google.com/search?tbm=bks&q=Let Me Tell You What I Mean

hathitrust digital library https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/ls?q1=Let Me Tell You What I Mean&field1=ocr&a=srchls&ft=ft&lmt=ft

The British Library https://bll01.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/discovery/search?query=any,contains,Let Me Tell You What I Mean&tab=LibraryCatalog&search_scope=Not_BL_Suppress&vid=44BL_INST:BLL01&lang=en&offset=0