"Slouching Towards Bethlehem" by Joan Didion - Book Review

Summary

"More than perhaps any other book, this collection by one of the most distinctive prose stylists of our era captures the unique time and place of Joan Didion's focus, exploring subjects such as John Wayne and Howard Hughes, growing up in California and the nature of good and evil in a Death Valley motel room, and, especially, the essence of San Francisco's Haight-Ashbury, the heart of the counterculture. As Joyce Carol Oates remarked: "[Didion] has been an articulate witness to the most stubborn and intractable truths of our time, a memorable voice, partly eulogistic, partly despairing; always in control.""

Review

A friend recommended Joan Didion to me, and I am surprised I had not discovered her work sooner. This short book of selected essays offers a light-hearted yet brisk reading experience that is far from superficial. Most of the essays were written in the 1960s, during a time of significant social upheaval in California. Didion masterfully captures the spirit of that era, highlighting the contrast between idyllic rural life in remote areas and the cosmopolitan lifestyle in big cities, as well as how each affects human consciousness. With clever and profound observations, this book is a delightful read for anyone interested in exploring the psyche of a bygone era that still has relevance today.

Key Takeaways

  • An easy and quick read that offers profound psychological insights
  • A snapshot of American consciousness during the 1960s
  • A talented writer with insightful comments on an interesting period in history

Who Should Read This

Readers interested in philosophical narratives, mature streams of consciousness, and the philosophical ideas of the 1970s.

Favourite Quotes

"The future always looks good in the golden land, because no one remembers the past."

"Once, in a dry season, I wrote in large letters across two pages of a notebook that innocence ends when one is stripped of the delusion that one likes oneself."

"Except on that most primitive level—our loyalties to those we love—what could be more arrogant than to claim the primacy of personal conscience?"

Rating

⭐⭐⭐½ (3.5/5 stars)

Back to blog