The Year of Magical Thinking

I guess... I had different expections for this book? Which I realize is on me, not on Joan Didion? I thought it would be more of a narrative of her grief after her husband's sudden death and her daughter's illness (she died right before this was published but after the book was written, in fact). But like... I would say at least 1/3 of this book was descriptions of beach houses and hotels she and her husband used to stay in.The parts where she actually describes her grief and weird, magical emotions are the most interesting.I kinda feel like she published this too soon after her husband's death and if she'd waited awhile and revised it maybe the book would have been stronger for it. But perhaps it is more honest for its immediacy, even if the immediacy led to me wondering if this book was sponsored by the Beverly Wilshire hotel. (In fairness, it sounds like a very nice hotel, and if I could afford to stay there I suppose it might figure heavily into my own memoir.)Also, why did this win the National Book Award?? Like... did people feel bad for her, or was everything else published in 2005 terrible, or did I just completely not get this book?IDK, for my money if you want to read a compelling narrative about grief, try [b:A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius 4953 A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius Dave Eggers http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1327714834s/4953.jpg 42857]... but I know a lot of people hate that book so your mileage may vary.