This is a memoir of Didion's life in the year following her husband's death. What else is it? It's a Worst Case Scenario Handbook for grieving. I think that anyone who has lost someone close to them will recognize the self portrait that Didion paints, the psychologically established* stages of mourning that soften but never quite go away. The most striking thing for me were the tours of associative memory; a million little reminders peppered throughout each day. Memory lane isn't a straight street, it's not even a cul-de-sac, it's a maze that you wander with no discernible exit. The fact that Didion is able to share her journey in such an accessible manner is a testament to her skill as a writer, and I would imagine that it was also a therapeutic exercise. Everyone handles grief a bit differently, but I also think that anyone who reads this book will come away with an observation that will be useful in the (hopefully distant) future or find some solace in the voice of a kindred spirit.
Rating: Four of a kind.
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