Main content
Sorry, this episode is not currently available

Episode 1

New Orleans' oppressive atmosphere stirs memories of childhood visits and an ex-lover - and stark comparisons between the south and Joan Didion's home in California.

New Orleans' oppressive atmosphere stirs memories of childhood visits and an ex-lover - and stark comparisons between the South and Joan Didion's home in California.

From the best-selling author of the award-winning The Year of Magical Thinking - excerpts from her never-before-seen notebooks.

Joan Didion has always kept notebooks of overheard dialogue, observations, interviews, drafts of essays and articles - and here is one that traces a road trip she took in June 1970, through Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama.

And in her native west, the memoir piece California Notes that began as an assignment from Rolling Stone on the Patty Hearst trial of 1976.

Read by Laurel Lefkow
Abridged by Eileen Horne
Produced by Clive Brill
Directed by Eoin O'Callaghan
A Brill production for Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 4.

15 minutes

Last on

Tue 12 Sep 2017 00:30

More episodes

Previous

You are at the first episode

See all episodes from Book of the Week

Credits

Role Contributor
Reader Laurel Lefkow
Author Joan Didion
Abridger Eileen Horne
Producer Clive Brill
Director Eoin O'Callaghan

Broadcasts

  • Mon 11 Sep 2017 09:45
  • Tue 12 Sep 2017 00:30

Listen to more Audio Books

Listen to more Audio Books

Including My Sister The Serial Killer, Queenie, The Flatshare and more.

Opening Lines

Opening Lines

John Yorke unpacks the themes behind the stories in Radio 4's weekend afternoon dramas.

Sample our books and authors Clip Collection

Interviews, previews and reviews

Subscribe to the Short stories podcast

Featuring the best stories from the UK's finest writers

How many of these 100 Novels have you read?

How many of these 100 Novels have you read?

After a passionate debate, our panel has come up with this surprising literary selection.

Finding Your Story

Finding Your Story

Ten remarkable novels about identity: Which one will help you discover yourself?

Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Arts: Books

Celebrating reading and the 100 novels that have shaped our world.