Worst case scenario. Joan Didion’s gone. Looks as if Evan O takes the sad honors.
Evan, please email Dennis at the Cult with your mailing address. I was hoping you’d be wrong, but as I wrote in the Comments my spider sense told me you’d win. If you’re outside the United State, please include a phone number. As for Jason and Tiffany, thanks for your info, and your awards will go out early next week.
In college I read The White Album and Slouching Toward Bethelem and I’ve been a fan of Didion’s clear, clean style ever since. She’s a master at controlling the reader’s reactions through withholding information. Her description of living on Franklin Street in a derelcit house became the basis of my description of the Paper Street house in Fight Club. Her list for what to pack for a writing assignment — what clothes, what booze — became my space monkey list of clothing items (two pairs black pants…).
Didion was a constant supporter of Bret Ellis whenever he drew into public scorn. Doug Coupland once told me, “If it wasn’t for Joan Didion, Ellis wouldn’t have a style,” and his cadence and clarity do echo hers in the best way.
Didion and the Dunne family seem like our literary Kennedys. I am very sorry to see her gone.
At least you didn't call her out by name and jinx her (five friggen days ago!!) the way Chandler Morrison did on Twitter
A mentor of mine said that 'The White Album' was her writing career inspiration. I read it on South Beach in Miami for the first time about a year ago and I've been a fan since. Sad sad news.