Didion and Babitz

By: Lili Anolik

Narrated by: Lili Anolik, Emma Roberts

Joan Didion is revealed at last in this outrageously provocative and profoundly moving new work "that reads like a propulsive novel" (Oprah Daily) on the mutual attractions—and mutual antagonisms—of Didion and her fellow literary titan, Eve Babitz.

Could you write what you write if you weren’t so tiny, Joan? —Eve Babitz, in a letter to Joan Didion, 1972

Joan Didion, revealed at last…

Eve Babitz died on December 17, 2021. Found in the wrack, ruin, and filth of her apartment, a stack of boxes packed by her mother decades before. The boxes were pristine, the seals of duct tape unbroken. Inside, a lost world. This world turned for a certain number of years in the late sixties and early seventies, and centered on a two-story rental in a down-at-heel section of Hollywood. 7406 Franklin Avenue, a combination salon-hotbed-living end where writers and artists mixed with movie stars, rock ’n’ rollers, and drug trash.

7406 Franklin Avenue was the making of one great American writer: Joan Didion, a mystery behind her dark glasses and cool expression; an enigma inside her storied marriage to John Gregory Dunne, their union as tortured as it was enduring. 7406 Franklin Avenue was the breaking and then the remaking—and thus the true making—of another great American writer: Eve Babitz, goddaughter of Igor Stravinsky, nude of Marcel Duchamp, consort of Jim Morrison (among many, many others), a woman who burned so hot she finally almost burned herself alive. Didion and Babitz formed a complicated alliance, a friendship that went bad, amity turning to enmity.

Didion, in spite of her confessional style, is so little known or understood. She’s remained opaque, elusive. Until now.

With deftness and skill, journalist Lili Anolik uses Babitz, Babitz’s brilliance of observation, Babitz’s incisive intelligence, and, most of all, Babitz’s diary-like letters—letters found in those sealed boxes, letters so intimate you don’t read them so much as breathe them—as the key to unlocking Didion.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.

©2024 Lili Anolik (P)2024 Simon & Schuster Audio

I loved all the Hollywood references

While I thought this book was super interesting, especially with all the Hollywood references that I was familiar with, it was super hard to follow in the audible version. Many times I had no idea that Lily had changed people and their stories and I had to rewind this a lot to figure out what was going on. The information, however, was really great, and although it was annoying, not knowing where I was or who we were talking about, I really did enjoy it. I read Lily‘s book Hollywood’s Eve, on my Kindle and I could follow along perfectly with that. I think maybe reading this book would’ve been better for me. I did like all the attention to detail about Hollywood and all the surrounding players, and I would definitely read one of Lillys books again… Just read it rather than listen.

Fascinating and escapist listen

If you’re a fan of Lili Anolik’s previous work, you know to expect a deep dive and a great listen. If this is your first exposure to Anolik’s work, the writing style (more like a gossipy conversation between you and the author), may strike you as unconventional, but I recommend it — especially for this story. The whole book is a fascinating flashback to a particular era with every detail brought to life. Highly recommend!

I’m still Team Joan

Very interesting; had me googling all sorts of names. But I still love Joan Didion’s writing even if it is contrived. Will need to find some Eve to read. I am also Team Virginia Woolf -