If you haven't seen the television show "Gilmore Girls" you are missing on out on some fast talking, diner food eating, book reading goodness. This blog is about celebrating the book reading aspect, but you might also find additional references to "Gilmore Girls" or reading in general throughout. Some awesome soul compiled a list of 349 books read or featured on "Gilmore Girls", and this blog is my attempt to read all of them in two years. Join me for the good, the bad, the oh-my-gosh-i-don't-wanna-read-that, and more. For every book I complete, I will be donating books to children.
Of the ones above, I can't choose a single favorite, although I do most identify with Joan Didion and Abigail Thomas in part because we are living in the same time, although they are both quite a bit older. I also identify with Temple Grandin as, although I don't have autism, I do often think visually. It's automatic and from talking to others, apparently it isn't normal...? Elie Wiesel ~ how does one become so eloquent in the face of such experiences? Anne Frank ~ her sweetness, compassion, love for others mixed with her normal, everyday girlness are wonderful despite what ultimately happened to her. And, as for Julia Child and Alex Prod'homme, well, I love to cook and I would love to try life in another country. My Life in France is just plain interesting and at times fun.
My favorite mystery novels and series (coming soon)
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The Year of Magical Thinking by Joan Didion is by far one of my favorite memoirs. Didion explores her own grief after the death of her husband, writer John Gregory Dunne, all while her daughter is battling severe, life threatening illness.
This book can be depressing.
But, it is one of the best books I have ever read. Didion shares her pain, her grief, her questioning with the reader in a way that allows us to examine our own relationships and inner beliefs about grief and loss.
Didion's memoir ranges from Manhattan to Los Angeles and Santa Monica to Honolulu and back. She builds a relationship with us, her readers, through examining her relationship with her husband. She pushes us to examine mortality as well.
Didion is much like myself in that in the face of a problem she does research (not to imply that the death of her husband or illness of her daughter are less serious than other issues). She seeks out poetry, medical literature and research, memoirs of others, etiquette guides, and more. As one that loves to read books in which other books are discussed, this aspect of The Year of Magical Thinking alone adds to this being one of my favorite books.
The memoir also made me think of my own loved ones -- in particular those loved ones I am closest to and would be lost without. I can't imagine losing my parents or my son. My sister, my brother, my best friend. Losing any of them would be devastating and there is no way to predict how I will or would react in the face of any of their deaths. And, that's the thing, right? So often we are cavalier and think or say, "Well, when the time comes I will do x and y and z." We think we already know the experience, but we don't. Until it happens we don't know. Years after the deaths of my grandparents and great grandparents, I still grieve them all. The nature of the grief when it strikes is unpredictable. The way it changes over time is also unpredictable.
I'm sure that Didion left out quite a bit of her grief from her memoir, but what she did include is moving and thought provoking.
Vanessa Redgrave discussing portraying Joan Didion in a theater production of the memoir (the first half of the video):
Interview between Joan Didion and Katie Couric discussing the memoir, dealing with the grief of her husband's death, and also her daughter's illness and eventual death as well (terrible quality though):
Did you enjoy this post? Or, have you read this book? Please leave a comment and let me know what you think.
