Uncover the favorite NYC haunts of beloved American writer and journalist Joan Didion, author of The Year of Magical Thinking, Slouching Towards Bethlehem, and more best-sellers!
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Walk by the Barbizon Hotel, where Joan Didion lived upon first arriving in New York in 1955, like many other young women alone in the city and from 'elsewhere' with a suitcase and a dream
Stroll up Lexington Avenue, passing by several of the author's favorite restaurants and shops
Listen to passages from Didion's writing about living and working in the neighborhood
Stand outside the author's long-time home, across the street from St. James’ Episcopal Church
About this Event:
Beloved American writer and journalist Joan Didion called Manhattan's Upper East Side home for most of her life. The city and her apartment itself feature strongly in her later works, including The Year of Magical Thinking. On this walking tour, we’ll scout out her former homes and haunts while exploring their connections to specific passages from her writing. You’ll get a sense of the neighborhood where Didion lived and worked—first, as a young writer in the 1950s and ’60s, and then again, from 1988 until her death in 2021.
About Your Guide:
Brad Fraver teaches English at the Ethical Culture Fieldston School, in New York City. He has a PhD in English education from Teachers College, Columbia University. In addition to teaching full-time for almost two decades, Brad publishes in the field of English education (most recently, an article on listening in the classroom) and also enjoys long-distance running, listening to live jazz, singing tenor in a community choir, and leading historical walking tours.
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