Joan Didion's The Year of Magical Thinking is a memoir exploring grief after the sudden death of her husband while their daughter lay in a coma. Through precise prose and unflinching honesty, Didion examines how the mind refuses to accept loss and the irrational thoughts that accompany mourning. The book becomes both personal testimony and universal meditation on grief, proving that even the most sophisticated minds engage in magical thinking when confronted with death.

WHY WE PICKED IT: Because Didion writes about grief with the same clear-eyed precision she brought to everything else, refusing to sentimentalize or find easy comfort. This National Book Award winner reminds us that grief makes us all irrational, and that the best writing about loss tells the truth about how strange and disorienting mourning really is.

DETAILS: • Author: Joan Didion • Publisher: Vintage • Format: Paperback • Publication Date: February 13, 2007 • ISBN: 9781400078431 • Award: National Book Award Winner • Ships direct from distributor in 3–7 business days