Joan Didion, the renowned author, left behind an intimate chronicle of her daughter Quintana’s struggle with borderline personality disorder, depression, and alcoholism in her newly published book “Notes to John”. The book is a collection of detailed reports of Didion’s therapy sessions with psychiatrist Roger MacKinnon, which she wrote for her husband, John Gregory Dunne.
The sessions address various aspects of Didion’s life, including her childhood with a depressed father, her tendency to catastrophize, and her denial regarding aging and mortality. MacKinnon advised her that she should let Quintana know that she is strong, not fragile, and give her room to make her own mistakes.
Published posthumously by Didion’s heirs, the book raises questions about privacy and the potential for profit from her writing. However, it also offers a unique insight into Didion’s persona and work, including the genesis of her soul-searching memoirs “The Year of Magical Thinking” and “Blue Nights”.
By exploring her therapy sessions, readers can gain a deeper understanding of Didion’s struggles as a parent and her approach to writing as a process for dealing with life’s challenges. The book serves as a powerful example of how Didion channeled her personal experiences into her writing, cementing her reputation as a writer who was always true to herself.
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Source: https://www.npr.org/2025/04/22/nx-s1-5333683/joan-didion-notes-to-john-review