Play It As It Lays
Back of the Book
A ruthless dissection of American life in the late 1960s, Joan Didion's Play It as It Layscaptures the mood of an entire generation, the ennui of contemporary society reflected in spare prose that blisters and haunts the reader.
Set in a place beyond good and evil---literally in Hollywood, Las Vegas, and the barren wastes of the Mojave Desert, but figuratively in the landscape of an arid soul---it remains more than three decades after its original publication a profoundly disturbing novel, riveting in its exploration of a woman and a society in crisis and stunning in the still-startling intensity of its prose.
We Love It Because
Didion remains astute through the looming, desolate shadows of Hollywood, Las Vegas as she takes readers through a quietly devastating narrative charting a woman’s search for a tether to her own sense of self. Play It As It Lays remains a distressingly relevant portrait of feminine ennui and annihilation, in the face of the many pursuits of happiness women are offered as consumers.
Memorable Passage
It had seemed this past month as if they were all one, that her life had been a single sexual encounter, one dreamed fuck, no beginnings or endings, no point beyond itself.
About the Author
Joan Didion (1934–2021) was an iconic American author and essayist whose profound impact on literature and journalism has earned her a revered place in the cultural landscape. Born in California, Didion's sharp, incisive prose captured the essence of the tumultuous 1960s and '70s, and her work became synonymous with the New Journalism movement. Renowned for essays such as Slouching Towards Bethlehem and The White Album, Didion's writing delves into the complexities of American society, politics, and her personal experiences. With an unparalleled ability to distill the nuances of the human condition, she explored themes of loss, identity, and the fragility of existence. Didion's work not only shaped contemporary nonfiction but also influenced a generation of writers who admired her distinctive voice, precision, and courage to confront uncomfortable truths. Joan Didion is worth knowing for her literary prowess, her journalistic legacy, and her unflinching exploration of the cultural and emotional landscapes of modern America.
Mentioned By