Revered journalist and author Joan Didion died Thursday at her home in New York City due to complications from Parkinson’s disease, her longtime publisher confirmed to ABC News.
She was 87 years old.
Didion was known as one of most incisive writers of her time, penning screenplays, novels and works of nonfiction, including two books about her own personal losses: The Year of Magical Thinking and Blue Nights.
“Joan was a brilliant observer and listener, a wise and subtle teller of truths about our present and future. She was fierce and fearless in her reporting. Her writing is timeless and powerful, and her prose has influenced millions,” her editor, Shelley Wanger, said in a statement.
Wanger added, “We will mourn her death but celebrate her life, knowing that her work will inspire generations of readers and writers to come.”
Born in Sacramento, Didion was a graduate of the University of California, Berkeley, and went on to live in New York City, where she launched her career as a journalist. Her first book, Run River, was published in 1963; other novels included A Book of Common Prayer, Democracy and The Last Thing He Wanted.
The next year, Didion married fellow writer John Gregory Dunne, who became her longtime collaborator. Together, they worked on screenplays for The Panic in Needle Park, Play It As It Lays — based on her novel of the same name — and A Star Is Born, among others. In 1967, they adopted their daughter, Quintana Roo.
Didion was also known for being a prolific essayist who published several works of nonfiction, including Slouching Towards Bethlehem and The White Album, among many others. However, it was her memoir about Dunne’s death, The Year of Magical Thinking, that earned her the National Book Award for Fiction in 2005.
After Quintana Roo died of acute pancreatitis, Didion wrote a companion book, Blue Nights, which was published in 2011. Her latest book, Let Me Tell You What I Mean, came out just this year.
Didion was a 2013 recipient of the National Medal of Arts and Humanities.
Copyright © 2021, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.
Related Posts
Adam Driver is a man literally on the edge in tease to Francis Ford Coppola’s ‘Megalopolis’
May 4, 2024
ABCOn Saturday morning, May 4, legendary filmmaker Francis Ford Coppola dropped a tease to his…
May the cash be with you: Julien’s putting massive trove of ‘Star Wars’ stuff on the auction block
May 3, 2024
Julien's AuctionsTimed in anticipation of May 4's Star Wars Day, Julien's Auctions and Turner…
New Music Friday: Meghan Trainor, Sia and more
May 3, 2024
This week's New Music Friday features new singles from big names and notable album releases from…
NBC renews ‘Night Court’ reboot for a third season
May 3, 2024
NBC/Nicole WeingartNight Court will stay in session at NBC. The network announced on May 3 that the…
Nicholas Galitzine on how BTS inspired his role in ‘The Idea of You’
May 3, 2024
Alisha Wetherill/PrimeNicholas Galitzine plays Hayes Campbell, the lead singer of the fictional boy…
Fourth season of ‘Emily In Paris’ will be split in two
May 3, 2024
Netflix/Stephanie BranchuOn Friday, May 3, the cast of Netflix's Emily In Paris teased the show's…
Survey says 92 minutes is Americans’ ideal movie length
May 3, 2024
Getty/Klaus Vedfelt(NOTE LANGUAGE) After marathon movies like the Oscar-winning Oppenheimer and the…
Reality Roundup: ‘Gypsy Rose: Life After Lockup’ trailer, Andy Cohen on ‘Vanderpump Rules’ break and more
May 3, 2024
Have no fear, your reality roundup is here! Here's a look at what happened in the world of reality…