The_AT0 prolific_AJ0 writer_NN1 ,_PUN who_PNQ died_VVD today_AV0 at_PRP 87_CRD ,_PUN was_VBD a_AT0 penetrating_AJ0 anthropologist_NN1 of_PRF American_AJ0 myths_NN2 ._SENT 
In_PRP 1988_CRD ,_PUN Joan_NP0 Didion_NP0 joined_VVD a_AT0 scrum_NN1 of_PRF reporters_NN2 on_PRP the_AT0 tarmac_NN1 of_PRF the_AT0 San_NP0 Diego_NP0 airport_NN1 to_TO0 witness_VVI the_AT0 writing_NN1 of_PRF the_AT0 first_ORD draft_NN1 of_PRF history_NN1 ._SENT The_AT0 assembled_AJ0 journalists_NN2 were_VBD trailing_VVG the_AT0 Democratic_AJ0 presidential_AJ0 candidate_NN1 Michael_NP0 Dukakis_NP0 ._SENT She_PNP was_VBD trailing_VVG the_AT0 journalists_NN2 ._SENT Didion_NP0 watched_VVD as_PRP a_AT0 baseball_NN1 was_VBD procured_VVN ,_PUN a_AT0 staffer_NN1 tossed_VVD the_AT0 ball_NN1 to_PRP the_AT0 candidate_NN1 ,_PUN he_PNP tossed_VVD it_PNP back_AVP –_PUN and_CJC as_CJS the_AT0 cameras_NN2 dutifully_AV0 captured_VVN the_AT0 exchange_NN1 ._SENT She_PNP watched_VVD as_PRP presidential_AJ0 fitness_NN1 was_VBD redefined_VVN as_PRP athletic_AJ0 prowess_NN1 with_PRP the_AT0 consent_NN1 of_PRF the_AT0 national_AJ0 media_NN0 –_PUN as_CJS the_AT0 myths_NN2 that_DT0 shape_NN1 ,_PUN and_CJC limit_NN1 ,_PUN Americans_NN2 '_POS sense_NN1 of_PRF political_AJ0 possibility_NN1 were_VBD manufactured_VVN in_PRP real_AJ0 time_NN1 ._SENT She_PNP documented_VVD the_AT0 moment_NN1 in_PRP an_AT0 essay_NN1 for_PRP The_AT0 New_AJ0 York_NP0 Review_NN1 of_PRF Books_NN2 ._SENT It_PNP was_VBD titled_VVN "_PUQ Insider_NN1 Baseball_NN1 ,_PUN "_PUQ and_CJC it_PNP has_VHZ since_AV0 been_VBN ,_PUN like_PRP so_AV0 many_DT0 of_PRF Didion_NP0 's_POS essays_NN2 ,_PUN so_AV0 widely_AV0 imitated_VVN that_CJT its_DPS innovations_NN2 can_VM0 be_VBI easy_AJ0 to_TO0 overlook_VVI ._SENT But_CJC the_AT0 piece_NN1 was_VBD singular_AJ0 ,_PUN and_CJC scathing_AJ0 :_PUN a_AT0 collective_AJ0 profile_NN1 of_PRF ,_PUN as_CJS she_PNP wrote_VVD ,_PUN "_PUQ that_DT0 handful_NN1 of_PRF insiders_NN2 who_PNQ invent_VVB ,_PUN year_NN1 in_PRP and_CJC year_NN1 out_AVP ,_PUN the_AT0 narrative_NN1 of_PRF public_AJ0 life_NN1 ._SENT "_PUQ 
Didion_NP0 died_VVD today_AV0 at_PRP 87_CRD ,_PUN still_AV0 one_CRD of_PRF this_DT0 moment_NN1 's_VBZ most_AV0 debated_VVN and_CJC admired_VVN and_CJC consequential_AJ0 writers_NN2 ._SENT Thinking_VVG about_PRP her_DPS wide_AJ0 body_NN1 of_PRF work_NN1 –_PUN essays_NN2 ,_PUN novels_NN2 ,_PUN memoirs_NN2 ,_PUN pieces_NN2 of_PRF criticism_NN1 ,_PUN each_DT0 with_PRP their_DPS own_DT0 tendrils_NN2 and_CJC limbs_NN2 –_PUN I_PNP keep_VVB coming_VVG back_AVP to_PRP "_PUQ Insider_NN1 Baseball_NN1 ,_PUN "_PUQ because_CJS it_PNP captures_VVZ something_PNI so_AV0 essential_AJ0 about_PRP her_DPS approach_NN1 ._SENT She_PNP was_VBD a_AT0 storyteller_NN1 who_PNQ rejected_VVD mythology_NN1 ._SENT She_PNP had_VHD no_AT0 patience_NN1 for_PRP the_AT0 pablum_NN1 sold_VVN in_PRP the_AT0 hectic_AJ0 American_AJ0 marketplace_NN1 :_PUN bootstraps_NN2 ,_PUN merits_NN2 ,_PUN salvations_NN2 ._SENT Her_DPS most_DT0 common_AJ0 subject_NN1 ,_PUN instead_AV0 ,_PUN was_VBD entropy_NN1 ._SENT And_CJC her_DPS second-most-common_AJ0 subject_NN1 was_VBD grief_NN1 ._SENT She_PNP observed_VVD the_AT0 world_NN1 that_CJT was_VBD ,_PUN even_AV0 as_CJS she_PNP mourned_VVD the_AT0 world_NN1 that_CJT might_VM0 have_VHI been_VBN ._SENT 
The_AT0 first_ORD line_NN1 of_PRF "_PUQ The_AT0 White_AJ0 Album_NN1 ,_PUN "_PUQ Didion_NP0 's_POS partially_AV0 autobiographical_AJ0 account_NN1 of_PRF L.A._NP0 in_PRP the_AT0 1960s_CRD ,_PUN goes_VVZ like_PRP this_DT0 :_PUN "_PUQ We_PNP tell_VVB ourselves_PNX stories_NN2 in_PRP order_NN1 to_TO0 live_VVI ._SENT "_PUQ What_DTQ is_VBZ sometimes_AV0 forgotten_VVN is_VBZ the_AT0 series_NN0 of_PRF lines_NN2 that_CJT comes_VVZ after_PRP it_PNP ._SENT "_PUQ We_PNP interpret_VVB what_DTQ we_PNP see_VVB ,_PUN select_VVB the_AT0 most_AV0 workable_AJ0 of_PRF the_AT0 multiple_AJ0 choices_NN2 ,_PUN "_PUQ she_PNP writes_VVZ ,_PUN in_PRP part_NN1 ._SENT "_PUQ We_PNP live_VVB entirely_AV0 ,_PUN especially_AV0 if_CJS we_PNP are_VBB writers_NN2 ,_PUN by_PRP the_AT0 imposition_NN1 of_PRF a_AT0 narrative_AJ0 line_NN1 upon_PRP disparate_AJ0 images_NN2 ,_PUN by_PRP the_AT0 '_PUQ ideas_NN2 '_PUQ with_PRP which_DTQ we_PNP have_VHB learned_VVN to_TO0 freeze_VVI the_AT0 shifting_AJ0 phantasmagoria_NN1 which_DTQ is_VBZ our_DPS actual_AJ0 experience_NN1 ._SENT "_PUQ 
Readers_NN2 today_AV0 might_VM0 chafe_VVI at_PRP all_DT0 these_DT0 strident_AJ0 assessments_NN2 declared_VVD on_PRP their_DPS behalf_NN1 :_PUN Who_PNQ is_VBZ "_PUQ we_PNP "_PUQ here_AV0 ,_PUN exactly_AV0 ?_SENT But_CJC humans_NN2 '_POS desire_NN1 to_TO0 make_VVI the_AT0 world_NN1 meaningful_AJ0 is_VBZ a_AT0 species-level_AJ0 seduction_NN1 ._SENT Our_DPS craving_NN1 for_PRP story_NN1 is_VBZ elemental_AJ0 ,_PUN and_CJC therefore_AV0 inescapable_AJ0 ._SENT Didion_NP0 's_POS work_NN1 may_VM0 be_VBI easy_AJ0 to_TO0 romanticize_VVI –_PUN I_PNP read_VVD her_DPS speech_NN1 turned_VVD essay_NN1 "_PUQ Why_AVQ I_PNP Write_VVB "_PUQ when_CJS I_PNP was_VBD young_AJ0 ,_PUN and_CJC her_DPS account_NN1 of_PRF the_AT0 world_NN1 as_PRP a_AT0 series_NN0 of_PRF pictures_NN2 that_CJT "_PUQ shimmer_NN1 around_PRP the_AT0 edges_NN2 "_PUQ still_AV0 evokes_VVZ the_AT0 old_AJ0 tenderness_NN1 –_PUN but_CJC her_DPS project_NN1 was_VBD distinctly_AV0 anti-Romantic_AJ0 ._SENT She_PNP looked_VVD into_PRP herself_PNX ,_PUN yes_ITJ ._SENT She_PNP wrote_VVD "_PUQ On_PRP Self-Respect_NN1 "_PUQ and_CJC "_PUQ Goodbye_ITJ to_PRP All_DT0 That_DT0 "_PUQ and_CJC "_PUQ On_PRP Keeping_VVG a_AT0 Notebook_NN1 "_PUQ and_CJC other_AJ0 works_NN0 that_CJT are_VBB sometimes_AV0 recycled_AJ0 ,_PUN today_AV0 ,_PUN as_CJS silk-screened_AJ0 wisdom_NN1 ._SENT But_CJC even_AV0 in_PRP the_AT0 more_AV0 sentimental_AJ0 of_PRF her_DPS writings_NN2 ,_PUN her_DPS own_DT0 emotions_NN2 were_VBD not_XX0 the_AT0 end_NN1 of_PRF her_DPS stories_NN2 ._SENT They_PNP were_VBD the_AT0 beginning_NN1 ._SENT She_PNP was_VBD her_DPS own_DT0 data_NN0 point_VVB ._SENT 
Her_DPS coolness_NN1 had_VHD a_AT0 double_AJ0 valence_NN1 ._SENT See_VVB ,_PUN in_PRP one_CRD shot_NN1 ,_PUN the_AT0 portrait_NN1 of_PRF her_PNP as_PRP a_AT0 young_AJ0 woman_NN1 ,_PUN posed_VVN in_PRP front_NN1 of_PRF that_DT0 Corvette_NP0 Stingray_NP0 ,_PUN her_DPS cigarette_NN1 dangling_VVG from_PRP her_DPS fingers_NN2 ,_PUN her_DPS face_NN1 frozen_VVN in_PRP an_AT0 insouciant_AJ0 glare_NN1 ._SENT But_CJC she_PNP directed_VVD the_AT0 coolness_NN1 inward_AV0 as_CJS well_AV0 ._SENT She_PNP interrogated_VVD her_DPS own_DT0 perceptions_NN2 with_PRP the_AT0 stoicism_NN1 of_PRF a_AT0 scientist_NN1 ._SENT She_PNP was_VBD ,_PUN one_PNI might_VM0 say_VVI ,_PUN a_AT0 misplaced_AJ0 modernist_NN1 ._SENT She_PNP learned_VVD her_DPS craft_NN1 in_PRP part_NN1 by_PRP rewriting_VVG Hemingway_NP0 's_POS stories_NN2 on_PRP her_DPS typewriter_NN1 ,_PUN trying_VVG to_TO0 train_VVI her_DPS tendons_NN2 into_PRP his_DPS rhythms_NN2 and_CJC arrhythmias_NN2 ._SENT She_PNP expanded_VVD the_AT0 possibilities_NN2 of_PRF what_DTQ language_NN1 could_VM0 do_VDI ,_PUN not_XX0 just_AV0 in_PRP the_AT0 techniques-of-fiction-applied-to-nonfiction_AJ0 way_NN1 of_PRF New_AJ0 Journalism_NN1 ,_PUN but_CJC also_AV0 in_PRP a_AT0 starker_AJC sense_NN1 :_PUN Her_DPS words_NN2 lodge_NN1 and_CJC stab_NN1 and_CJC scar_NN1 ._SENT They_PNP itch_VVB ._SENT They_PNP hurt_VVD ._SENT Her_DPS work_NN1 acknowledges_VVZ the_AT0 power_NN1 that_CJT stories_NN2 have_VHB to_TO0 shape_VVI reality_NN1 ;_PUN her_DPS sensibilities_NN2 were_VBD thus_AV0 also_AV0 squarely_AV0 postmodern_AJ0 ._SENT In_PRP the_AT0 clinical_AJ0 precision_NN1 of_PRF her_DPS prose_NN1 ,_PUN she_PNP captured_VVD the_AT0 cellular_AJ0 intimacy_NN1 of_PRF narrative_NN1 ,_PUN the_AT0 hold_NN1 it_PNP can_VM0 have_VHI on_PRP the_AT0 soft_AJ0 tissues_NN2 of_PRF the_AT0 human_AJ0 heart_NN1 ._SENT But_CJC she_PNP also_AV0 instructed_VVD readers_NN2 to_TO0 resist_VVI "_PUQ the_AT0 imposition_NN1 of_PRF a_AT0 narrative_AJ0 line_NN1 ._SENT "_PUQ She_PNP doubted_VVD herself_PNX ,_PUN and_CJC wanted_VVD us_PNP to_TO0 doubt_VVI her_PNP too_AV0 ._SENT When_CJS she_PNP talked_VVD about_PRP the_AT0 stories_NN2 we_PNP tell_VVB ourselves_PNX in_PRP order_NN1 to_TO0 live_VVI ,_PUN she_PNP was_VBD n't_XX0 offering_VVG a_AT0 gauzy_AJ0 pronouncement_NN1 ._SENT She_PNP was_VBD issuing_VVG an_AT0 indictment_NN1 ._SENT 
That_DT0 brand_NN1 of_PRF jaded_AJ0 realism_NN1 –_PUN that_DT0 roving_AJ0 frustration_NN1 with_PRP fictions_NN2 that_CJT claim_VVB to_TO0 be_VBI transcendent_AJ0 truths_NN2 –_PUN is_VBZ part_NN1 of_PRF the_AT0 reason_NN1 her_DPS work_NN1 has_VHZ remained_VVN so_AV0 urgently_AV0 relevant_AJ0 ,_PUN over_PRP an_AT0 improbable_AJ0 number_NN1 of_PRF decades_NN2 ._SENT (_PUL "_PUQ You_PNP are_VBB getting_VVG a_AT0 woman_NN1 ,_PUN "_PUQ Didion_NP0 writes_VVZ of_PRF herself_PNX in_PRP "_PUQ In_PRP the_AT0 Islands_NP0 ,_PUN "_PUQ "_PUQ who_PNQ somewhere_AV0 along_PRP the_AT0 line_NN1 misplaced_AJ0 whatever_DTQ slight_AJ0 faith_NN1 she_PNP ever_AV0 had_VHD in_PRP the_AT0 social_AJ0 contract_NN1 ,_PUN in_PRP the_AT0 meliorative_AJ0 principle_NN1 ,_PUN in_PRP the_AT0 whole_AJ0 grand_AJ0 pattern_NN1 of_PRF human_AJ0 endeavor_NN1 ._SENT "_PUQ )_PUR Optimism_NN1 ,_PUN that_DT0 most_AV0 renewable_AJ0 of_PRF American_AJ0 resources_NN2 ,_PUN can_VM0 crush_VVI people_NN0 as_CJS easily_AV0 as_CJS it_PNP can_VM0 buoy_NN1 them_PNP ._SENT With_PRP an_AT0 anthropologist_NN1 's_POS eye_NN1 and_CJC an_AT0 artist_NN1 's_POS imagination_NN1 ,_PUN Didion_NP0 documented_AJ0 disillusionments_NN2 and_CJC disenchantments_NN2 –_PUN dreams_NN2 both_AV0 quick_AJ0 and_CJC dead_AJ0 ._SENT She_PNP named_VVD her_DPS own_DT0 regrets_NN2 and_CJC mourned_VVD the_AT0 paths_NN2 she_PNP 'd_VHD left_VVN untaken_AJ0 ._SENT She_PNP examined_VVD her_DPS grief_NN1 ._SENT She_PNP examined_VVD others_NN2 '_POS grief_NN1 too_AV0 ._SENT She_PNP wrote_VVD about_PRP California_NP0 ,_PUN the_AT0 place_NN1 of_PRF her_DPS birth_NN1 and_CJC later_AV0 her_DPS chosen_AJ0 home_NN1 ,_PUN as_CJS dusty_AJ0 and_CJC often_AV0 delirious_AJ0 ,_PUN her_DPS writing_NN1 conjuring_VVG a_AT0 place_NN1 where_AVQ most_DT0 everything_PNI ,_PUN dreams_NN2 and_CJC cars_NN2 and_CJC homes_NN2 and_CJC people_NN0 ,_PUN might_VM0 be_VBI made_VVN disposable_AJ0 ._SENT Something_PNI better_AJC will_VM0 surely_AV0 be_VBI in_PRP store_NN1 ,_PUN her_DPS characters_NN2 tell_VVB themselves_PNX ,_PUN because_CJS that_DT0 is_VBZ the_AT0 line_NN1 they_PNP 've_VHB been_VBN told_VVN ._SENT They_PNP throw_VVB away_AV0 what_DTQ they_PNP have_VHB to_TO0 make_VVI space_NN1 for_PRP what_DTQ they_PNP wo_VM0 n't_XX0 ._SENT 
Didion_NP0 's_POS writing_NN1 is_VBZ cinematic_AJ0 ,_PUN not_XX0 because_CJS it_PNP is_VBZ sweeping_AJ0 or_CJC epic_AJ0 –_PUN on_PRP the_AT0 contrary_NN1 ,_PUN the_AT0 typical_AJ0 piece_NN1 of_PRF Didion_NP0 prose_NN1 is_VBZ prickly_AJ0 in_PRP its_DPS precisions_NN2 –_PUN but_CJC because_CJS her_DPS words_NN2 are_VBB informed_VVN by_PRP the_AT0 grammars_NN2 of_PRF film_NN1 ._SENT Didion_NP0 lived_VVD ,_PUN for_PRP a_AT0 time_NN1 ,_PUN in_PRP Hollywood_NP0 ;_PUN her_DPS work_NN1 lives_VVZ in_PRP Hollywood_NP0 too_AV0 ._SENT She_PNP used_VM0 jump_VVI cuts_NN2 to_TO0 get_VVI from_PRP one_CRD moment_NN1 in_PRP time_NN1 to_PRP the_AT0 next_ORD ._SENT She_PNP was_VBD attuned_VVN ,_PUN always_AV0 ,_PUN to_PRP the_AT0 framing_NN1 of_PRF scenes_NN2 ._SENT She_PNP channeled_VVD the_AT0 camera_NN1 's_POS gaze_NN1 ._SENT Her_DPS reeling_AJ0 reports_NN2 can_VM0 sometimes_AV0 read_VVI as_PRP horror_NN1 ._SENT In_PRP her_DPS book_NN1 South_NP0 and_CJC West_NP0 :_PUN From_PRP a_AT0 Notebook_NN1 ,_PUN she_PNP mentioned_VVD a_AT0 man_NN1 she_PNP once_AV0 dated_VVD ._SENT "_PUQ We_PNP lived_VVD together_AV0 for_PRP some_DT0 years_NN2 ,_PUN "_PUQ she_PNP remarked_VVD ,_PUN "_PUQ and_CJC I_PNP think_VVB we_PNP most_AV0 fully_AV0 understood_VVN each_DT0 other_NN1 when_CJS once_AV0 I_PNP tried_VVD to_TO0 kill_VVI him_PNP with_PRP a_AT0 kitchen_NN1 knife_NN1 ._SENT "_PUQ In_PRP Slouching_NP0 Towards_PRP Bethlehem_NP0 ,_PUN Didion_NP0 wrote_VVD of_PRF a_AT0 woman_NN1 whose_DTQ husband_NN1 died_VVD —_PUN accidentally_AV0 or_CJC not_XX0 ,_PUN because_CJS some_DT0 things_NN2 cannot_NN1 be_VBI fully_AV0 known_VVN —_PUN in_PRP a_AT0 raging_AJ0 car_NN1 fire_NN1 ._SENT She_PNP observed_VVD a_AT0 5-year-old_AJ0 girl_NN1 in_PRP Haight-Ashbury_NP0 whose_DTQ mother_NN1 had_VHD given_VVN her_DPS LSD_NN1 ._SENT She_PNP made_VVD decay_NN1 visceral_AJ0 ._SENT 
