In response to your heart-stirring observations in the midst of tragic horror truly conceivable only in such precincts as Mariupol, my apologies for seeming to cavil — though it's an honest, if contextually trivial, question: How could Joan Didion, writing in "1965,“ know that, "In the winter of 1966-67 eleven men were killed fighting a Santa Ana fire...."?
So I just found an answer to my earlier confusion: Didion's “The Santa Anas” comes from her book, 'Slouching Towards Bethlehem,' published in 1969 — not 1965.
Great sleuthing!! Will edit now. Silly me trusting my memory since I have read Slouching Towards Bethlehem so many times, I thought I knew it to be 1965. There's a lesson in there about always double-checking...
I lived in SoCal, off and on, for roughly a decade and always felt there was something mysterious and dangerous about the Santa Ana winds. Some people told me the Santa Ana's led to love. I never knew about Joan's essay. It's fascinating and chilling and enlightening. Thanks for sharing.
In response to your heart-stirring observations in the midst of tragic horror truly conceivable only in such precincts as Mariupol, my apologies for seeming to cavil — though it's an honest, if contextually trivial, question: How could Joan Didion, writing in "1965,“ know that, "In the winter of 1966-67 eleven men were killed fighting a Santa Ana fire...."?
So I just found an answer to my earlier confusion: Didion's “The Santa Anas” comes from her book, 'Slouching Towards Bethlehem,' published in 1969 — not 1965.
Great sleuthing!! Will edit now. Silly me trusting my memory since I have read Slouching Towards Bethlehem so many times, I thought I knew it to be 1965. There's a lesson in there about always double-checking...
Although I am seeing 1968 not 1969?
Yes sir: Upon double-checking, I also find "1968." (An historic year, all in all!) I must have been bleary-eyed when I wrote that earlier comment!
I lived in SoCal, off and on, for roughly a decade and always felt there was something mysterious and dangerous about the Santa Ana winds. Some people told me the Santa Ana's led to love. I never knew about Joan's essay. It's fascinating and chilling and enlightening. Thanks for sharing.
Have thought of you so many times this week, and am glad to know you are safe 🙏