Joan Didion

Joan Didion

Joan Didion was born on December 5th, 1934. Joan passed away December 23rd, 2021 at 87 years old. Joan Didion was born in Sacramento, California, USA.

Joan Didion has written 22 Non-Fiction Books. The first was released in 1968 with the book Slouching Towards Bethlehem. The most recently released was Notes to John which was released in 2025.

Joan Didion: Awards & Accolades

Joan Didion won the St. Louis Literary Award, Distinguished Figure in Literature, in 2002.

Didion's book, The Year of Magical Thinking won the BookBrowse Awards, Ruby Award, in 2006.

Joan Didion books have also been nominated for multiple awards, Democracy was nominated for the Los Angeles Times Book Prize, Best Fiction, in 1984. Slouching Towards Bethlehem was nominated for the Audie Award, Best Short Stories or Collections, in 2013. Notes to John was nominated for the Audie Award, Best Short Stories or Collections, in 2026.

Joan Didion: Lists & Other Mentions

• Let Me Tell You What I Mean was a Library Science Book Club January 2021 Pick.
• South and West was the Belletrist Book Club March 2017 Pick.
• Play It As It Lays was a Library Science Book Club May 2020 Pick.
• The Year of Magical Thinking has made several lists including:
  1. The Guardian: 100 Best Books of the 21st Century Section in 2019.
  2. Honi Soit: 100 Best Books of the 21st Century Selection in 2024.
  3. New York Times: 100 Best Books of the 21st Century Selection in 2024.
  4. Amazon US: 100 Books to Read in a Lifetime Selection in 2014.
  5. Paste Magazine: Best Books of the Decade(2000-2009) Selection in 2009.
  6. Telerama: The 25 Masterpieces of World Literature That Will Define the 21st Century Selection in 2025.
  7. Los Angeles Times: The 30 Best Non-Fiction Books of the Last 30 Years Selection in 2025.
  8. New York Times: The 50 Best Memoirs of the Past 50 Years Selection in 2019.
  9. Entertainment Weekly: The New Classics - 100 Best Reads from 1983 to 2008 Selection in 2008.
  10. Refinery29: The Ultimate Book Bucket List Selection in 2023.
• Play It As It Lays was a Good Housekeeping: 100 Best Books to Read by Women Authors Selection in 2021 and a Time Magazine: All-Time 100 Novels Selection in 2005.
• Slouching Towards Bethlehem has made several lists including:
  1. Ex Libris: 100 Books to Read and Reread Selection in 2020.
  2. New York Public Library: 125 Books We Love for Adults Selection in 2020.
  3. Jezebel: 75 Books Every Woman Should Read Selection in 2008.
• Let Me Tell You What I Mean was a New York Times: 100 Notable Books Selection in 2021.
• The White Album was a People Magazine: Best Books From the 1970s Selection in 2024.
• We Tell Ourselves Stories in Order to Live was a Parade: The 75 Best Books of the Past 75 Years Selection in 2016.

Related Authors

Fans of Joan Didion also enjoy these authors:

1. Stephen King, author of The Dark Tower Series.
2. Margaret Atwood, author of The Handmaid's Tale Series.
3. Taylor Jenkins Reid, author of: The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo.
4. Kristin Hannah, author of: The Nightingale.
5. Fredrik Backman, author of: A Man Called Ove.

Joan Didion: F.A.Q