Tuesday, April 7, 2009

A reading


Last night, we went with E & A to hear Joan Didion give a reading from her book, The Year of Magical Thinking. The book is one of my favorites, and is particularly wrapped up in warm memories because it was lent to me by my dear friend, Mimi. I must have read that book at least 12 times before giving it back to her, and I know that the book was a little worse for wear by the time it was returned. But oh, how I cherish that book. Joan Didion writes about the year following her husband's sudden death, and how she dealt with the emotions and circumstances. You would think a subject such as this would be devastatingly sad, and at points it is, but what I really took away from it was that grief affects each of us differently, that grief can do strange things to a person, that, as my mother has always taught us, you never know when that ordinary instant can transform our lives into something unrecognizable and that life and the moments that make up life are best when savored and treasured. She speaks so lovingly of her late husband and the things that made their marriage happy. She speaks of her late daughter with the same love and even as my heart was breaking for her, it swelled with happiness as well. I have always known that I want a life and a family full of love and happiness, and I felt, when I read the book, that I had found a blueprint of sorts. I feel extremely privileged to have heard Joan Didion's voice reading the words that have been seared across my heart. It was, in a word, magical.

5 comments:

lizzie said...

I am so glad you got to go to the reading. I love Joan Didion, she is one of my favorite writers, although I haven't read "The Year of Magical Thinking" yet. But your post makes me want to run to the store right now and pick up a copy.

Also thanks for commenting at oliofolio. I had lost the url to your blog, but now I have added both your blogs to my reader.

Emily said...

Thanks, Lizzie! Check out Amazon, they have used copies of "Magical Thinking" starting at $1.00!

Mari said...

Sounds like a lovely evening.

Sarie said...

Great book review. And thank you for your insightful comment on my blog. You are welcome anytime. Lots of love.
xoxo

Unknown said...

I'll have to read it.