January 29, 2026
Ernest HemingwayL.ANew JournalismPlay It As It Laysbret easton ellisjoan didionLos AngelesminimalistNihilism
Play It As It Lays by Joan Didion | Patron-Only Early Access / Ad-Free
A finely crafted minimalist portrait of emotional devastation in 1960s Hollywood.
Abysmal, but beautifully written.
Comments (2)
M
Marie · February 2, 2026
Eerie that she wrote this problematic mother/daughter relationship and the fate of her daughter- especially w/r/t the video shared on your Friday list where she seemed to be meditating most on the mother/daughter relationship with her very young Quintana. I haven’t read it but it sounded like there was future parallels !
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Better Than Food · February 2, 2026
Great observation. It is eerie, isn't it? She wrote two memoirs, "The Year of Magical Thinking" and "Blue Nights", regarding the passing of her husband and daughter, respectively. I haven't read either, but I imagine they're intense. It's so incredibly tragic. Admirable endeavors, hats off to her.