Search advanced search
 
Books
Search:
x dismiss this message

Did you know you can edit this page?

Blue Nights
  • Rated 0 stars
Read Blue Nights

Blue Nights (2011) (edit title/settings)

by Joan Didion (Author) (edit contributors)

Share this book on:
see page history

Description edit see section history

In her first book since The Year of Magical Thinking, Joan Didion has now written with stunning frankness about her daughter, Quintana Roo, as well as thoughts and fears about having children and about growing old. Blue Nights opens on July 26, 2010, as Didion thinks back to Quintana’s... read more

Summary edit see section history

Didion recounts the loss of her daughter, husband, and some friends or acquaintances, as well as the encroachment of old age and it inconveniences. She describes the agonizing self-doubt that afflicts her when she considers the parenting she provided for her adopted daughter, wondering always... read more (warning: may contain spoilers)

Didion recounts the loss of her daughter, husband, and some friends or acquaintances, as well as the encroachment of old age and it inconveniences. She describes the agonizing self-doubt that afflicts her when she considers the parenting she provided for her adopted daughter, wondering always about the significance of certain phrases and comments her child offered throughout her short life. Didion wonders about old age, about its myriad semblances slowly infesting her and immobilizing her.

People edit see section history

Show all 33 characters
Popular Covers

Loading covers…

Choose your book’s cover

Setting & Locations edit see section history

Show all 27 settings

First Sentence edit see section history

In certain latitudes there comes a span of time approaching and following the summer solstice, some weeks in all, when the twilights turn long and blue.

Table of Contents edit see section history

Cover
Other Books by This Author
Title Page
Copyright
Dedication

Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Chapter 34
Chapter 35

A Note About the Author

Glossary edit see section history

  • l'heure bleue: Blue night. "To the English it was 'the gloaming.'"
  • The Broken Man: A figure of the author's daughter's dreams. Described in vivid detail as a blue-collar worker wearing a hat, with a common name.
  • Clean-plate club: Describe this term.
  • syncope: fainting; preceded by symptoms such as "palpitations, light-headedness, dizziness, blurred or tunnel vision"
  • locked-in syndrome: being fully awake but "unable to speak, able to move only by blinking one eyelid"
  • Zoster: a virus also referred to as "shingles"

Series & Lists edit see section history

This book is in Kirkus Reviews: Best Nonfiction of 2011. (authoritative list)
This book is in Amazon.com Best Books of 2011. (authoritative list)
This book is in Publishers Weekly Best Books of 2011. (authoritative list)

Authors & Contributors edit see section history

  1. Joan Didion (Author)

First Edition edit see section history

Original Language: English
Publisher: Knopf
Country: USA
Publication Date: November 1, 2011
ISBN: 978-0307267672
Page Count: 208

Classification edit see section history

Links to Supplemental Material edit see section history

More Books Like This edit see section history

   
  • Nothing Was the Same
  • A Grief Observed

We’re hiding the errata, movie connections, books that influenced this book, books influenced by this book, books that cite this book and books cited by this book sections. If you would like to add content to them, you must first make them visible.

© 2006-2013 Shelfari | Terms & Conditions | Privacy Policy | Copyright Policy

Close