Phillip's review
Play It As It Lays: A Novel
by Joan Didion
Phillip's review
Play It As It Lays: A Novel by Joan Didion
Phillip's review
rating:
I think this was the first book by Joan Didion that I read. It's a really taught, arid novel, with very little room to breathe. Since I grew up in Los Angeles, I could really relate to how brilliantly she integrated place in the novel (the story takes place in Los Angeles). She's a great writer, this isn't a bad place to start if you're thinking about checking her out. If you're a non-fiction reader, Salvador is a brilliant meditation on the Reagan-era U.S. (CIA-sponsored) activities in that country; and "After Henry" and "Political Fictions" are my favorite collections of her essays.
