Saturday 17 March 2012

Currently reading: Slouching towards Bethlehem

My fervent passion for writing is rooted in my enduring love affair with reading. 
I am currently reading Joan Didion's book Slouching towards Bethlehem, taken out from the library on recommendation from British Vogue editor, Alexandra Shulman when she recently appeared on BBC's My Life in Books.
Joan Didion is an American writer who worked at American Vogue as well as having pieces appear in Life magazine, Esquire & The New York Times among others. 
I find her writing really inspiring as her style fits under the category of 'new journalism'. New journalism is a way of telling facts through a more narrative storytelling angle, as I too enjoy writing creatively as well as my enjoyment for all things Sixties/Seventies I was eager to approach Didion's work and give it some of my time. This book, much like her others, are filled with essays and her articles collated from different periods. Slouching towards Bethlehem focuses on California and San Francisco in particular, during the Sixties. From where I have read to currently, the book has covered a picket fence family murder, John Wayne, Joan Baez to name a few. It is a very personal insight in to stories Joan chose to cover and explores the cultural chaos of Sixties, golden state California. You can really feel when reading how much Ernest Hemingway has inspired Joan's writing and with a penchant for all things Hemingway myself it is such delightful easy reading with a terrific insight to a bygone era. 

Are any of you reading any great books right now or have any suggestions?
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5 comments:

  1. hey girl! I've tagged you to do the 11 questions tag! Here is the post: http://messydirtyhair.com/2012/03/11-random-facts-about-me.html

    xx Kelly

    www.MessyDirtyHair.com

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  2. I love to read too, so much. I love the smell of fresh ink on paper.

    You have a really cool blog here. Do you want to follow each other, I would love that.
    Tereza
    http://drastic-plastic-fantastic-plastic.blogspot.com/

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    1. What books do you like reading?
      Thank you for the comment :) I will check out your blog now :)

      Holly

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  3. Didion... one of my most favourite authors - read it all! The White Album is amazing too. And if you can, get your hands on "Just Kids" by Patti Smith, such a wonderful read. Glad to have found your blog! xo

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    1. Hi Kirsty, oh wow it's so great to hear someone just as passionate about books and reading with similar style to me. I do need to check The White Album out, that was the book initially recommended on the show. I got my hands on this one and Sentimental Journeys as they were the only two at the library but I will continue to find more of her work to read.
      I've had 'Just Kids' on my Amazon wishlist for some time now, I saw her live last year, thank you for the recommendation and your kind comment.

      Holly

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