A NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

‘Utterly fascinating' - NEW YORK TIMES

'A profound, rich document’ - NEW STATESMAN

'An act of intimate storytelling' - VOGUE

A recently discovered journal from one of America's most iconic writers, Joan Didion, the author of The Year of Magical Thinking and Blue Nights.

In November 1999, Joan Didion began seeing a psychiatrist and recorded conversations about the complexities of her relationship with her daughter, Quintana, ranging from adoption to anxiety and guilt. The journal reflects on her challenges with work, childhood misunderstandings, and the legacy of her experiences.

Didion’s writing showcases her intelligence, precision, and elegance, providing an intimate account that reveals unknown aspects of her life while maintaining her unmistakable voice.

'An incredibly intimate insight into her relationship with her daughter, depression, and creativity' - GUARDIAN

'So moving. I am astonished at the level of recall … They are a record of trying to save a life, and understand her own' - NEW YORK TIMES BOOK REVIEW

'Sheds intriguing light on the question of Quintana’s part in the family dynamic' - OBSERVER

'The literary source for the three great works of Didion's old age' - INDEPENDENT

'It’s always a pleasure to read Didion’s measured prose' - STANDARD

'Written with the immediacy of fresh recollection … and with the cool, forensic clarity she was known for' - NEW YORKER

'Compulsive … it shows Didion the reporter at work' - TELEGRAPH

'An intimate chronicle … Notes to John offers readers a key to Didion's persona and her work' - NPR

'Perhaps for the first time, we can hope to see Didion as she saw the world: unwavering and unflinching, straight down the line' - ANOTHER

'An unexpected parting gift to biographers and civilian readers' - AIRMAIL

'Fascinating … offers insight into her work' - iPAPER

'A tour de force from one of the best' - PEOPLE