About the book
From the bestselling, award-winning author of The Year of Magical Thinking: In this \"arresting amalgam of memoir and historical timeline” (The Baltimore Sun), Didion—a native Californian—reassesses parts of her life, her work, her history, and ours.
Didion applies her scalpel-like intelligence to California's ethic of ruthless self-sufficiency in order to examine that ethic’s often tenuous relationship to reality. Combining history and reportage, memoir and literary criticism, Where I Was From explores California’s romances with land and water; its unacknowledged debts to railroads, aerospace, and big government; the disjunction between its code of individualism and its fetish for prisons.
Whether she is writing about her pioneer ancestors or privileged sexual predators, robber barons or writers (not excluding herself), Didion is an unparalleled observer, and this book is at once intellectually provocative and deeply personal.
Editions of Where I Was From
- Hardcover
- ISBN 9780679433323
- Paperback
- ISBN 9780679752868
- EBook
- ISBN 9780307763297
- EBook
- ISBN 9780307787958
Read an Excerpt
From the bestselling, award-winning author of The Year of Magical Thinking: In this \"arresting amalgam of memoir and historical timeline” (The Baltimore Sun), Didion—a native Californian—reassesses parts of her life, her work, her history, and ours.
Didion applies her scalpel-like intelligence to California's ethic of ruthless self-sufficiency in order to examine that ethic’s often tenuous relationship to reality. Combining history and reportage, memoir and literary criticism, Where I Was From explores California’s romances with land and water; its unacknowledged debts to railroads, aerospace, and big government; the disjunction between its code of individualism and its fetish for prisons.
Whether she is writing about her pioneer ancestors or privileged sexual predators, robber barons or writers (not excluding herself), Didion is an unparalleled observer, and this book is at once intellectually provocative and deeply personal.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Where I Was From about?
From the bestselling, award-winning author of The Year of Magical Thinking: In this \"arresting amalgam of memoir and historical timeline” (The Baltimore Sun), Didion—a native Californian—reassesses parts of her life, her work, her history, and ours.
Didion applies her scalpel-like intelligence to California's ethic of ruthless self-sufficiency in order to examine that ethic’s often tenuous relationship to reality. Combining history and reportage, memoir and literary criticism, Where I Was From explores California’s romances with land and water; its unacknowledged debts to railroads, aerospace, and big government; the disjunction between its code of individualism and its fetish for prisons.
Whether she is writing about her pioneer ancestors or privileged sexual predators, robber barons or writers (not excluding herself), Didion is an unparalleled observer, and this book is at once intellectually provocative and deeply personal.
What core themes, tropes, or subjects are explored in Where I Was From?
Biography, Literature and Literary studies > Biography and non-fiction prose > Memoirs
Where can I read a sample of Where I Was From?
You can read an official preview of the few pages here https://www.book2look.com/book/9780679433323
Is Where I Was From part of a series, and can it be read as a standalone?
Yes it is a part of series Vintage International
Who is/are the Author/s of the book Where I Was From?
Joan Didion
What are the ISBN numbers for the physical and digital editions?
Where I Was From is available as hardcover(ISBN 9780679433323) and paperback(ISBN 9780679752868) and ebook(ISBN 9780307763297) and ebook(ISBN 9780307787958)
Where can I buy Where I Was From online or support local independent bookshops?
You can buy Where I Was From from below
Where can I buy Where I Was From?