Book 22: The Year of Magical Thinking

Knife to the chest, anyone? This was hard to read--it evoked so many emotions and rang so true to me, from what little experience I have with grief. I am very glad I read it. I confess that I crept out of bed a few times during the night while reading it to kiss my little ones.



The book is the account of the year after Didion's husband died. Their only daughter was also hospitalized at the time and those experiences feature in the book as well.

Interestingly, the New York Times review from 2005 says the book has moments that are "deadpan funny". Huh. I wonder if I read the same book.

Book 21: The Year of Living Biblically

This book had me chortling in the middle of the night.



Yes, it was funny. Maybe not as funny as I had expected--I wasn't constantly guffawing--but still very funny. And in the midst of that was a search for fulfillment in religious activity that was really interesting to read.

The beard pictures were wonderful. But I really don't want Courtney to grow a beard like that.