The Author (Joan Didion)

Joan Didion is a well known and critically respected novelist and screenwriter. Hers is the sole narrative voice in the book, hers is the core emotional perspective explored, and hers is the evident talent, experience and skill that draw the reader in, powerfully evoking images and experiences and emotions. It's important to note, however, that the professional aspect of her life is significantly downplayed throughout The Year of Magical Thinking; for the most part, references to her career are made in passing, with details being presented only when they are, in her mind, relevant to the central issue she's exploring, the nature and experience of grief.

The author portrays this experience as being simultaneously universal and unique. She writes eloquently, and with well researched detail, of how her experiences parallel, at least to some degree, those of any/everyone who's ever experienced grief and/or...