	58% buy the item featured on this page: Miami 3.5 out of 5 stars (2)
	21% buy Point of Departure (Classics of Reportage) �6.46
	9% buy Slouching Towards Bethlehem (FSG Classics) 3.0 out of 5 stars (7) �6.18
	9% buy The Year of Magical Thinking 3.8 out of 5 stars (21) �4.89

Explore similar items

Customer Reviews

2 Reviews

5 star:		(0)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

Average Customer Review

3.5 out of 5 stars (2 customer reviews)

Share your thoughts with other customers:

Create your own review

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A tremendous piece of reportage, 31 Mar 2006

By	Max Cairnduff "www.pechorinsjournal.wordpress... - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Miami (Classics of Reportage) (Paperback)

Joan Didion's book is a guide not only to the politics and culture of Miami in the 1980s, but also to the wider currents of American political life in that decade. It is well written, very easy to read and surprisingly gripping given that in a sense it is a work of current affairs about a period that is now 20 years behind us.

The writing is clear yet evocative, the book is well structured building over its course to provide a real feel for the city and its people (particularly on the interaction of the Anglo-Americans and Cuban-Americans) and works well to show how the history of one time and place reflects on the wider history of which it forms part.

This is not a light hearted book, it is very easy to read but it is in large part a tale of corruption, grimy politics and the social currents that can hide just out of sight of the gaze of the the casual tourist. It gives a tremendous insight into a fascinating city, but it doesn't tempt you to move there and I doubt the Miami tourist board are as taken by it as I am.

This is part of a Granta series of reissued great works of reportage, having read it I can see why Granta considered it worth republishing and why it is so highly regarded as a piece of high quality journalistic writing.

Help other customers find the most helpful reviews

Was this review helpful to you?

Report this | Permalink

Comment Comment

3.0 out of 5 stars Fascinating and sad., 10 Nov 2007

By	P. HEATH "Paul Heath" (Northampton UK) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Miami (Paperback)

I bought this as I have liked Didion's writing and I am interested in the Cuban Revolution.
The book is a collection of snapshots of Cuban emigre life in Miami,which is dispassionate enough to appear objective,although the writer's sympathies are evident.
The style in places is clumsy and disappointing,the chief culprit being rambling sentences with endless sub-clauses which are difficult to follow.
Additionally,some of this is overwritten,adding to the effort required.
This defect is not, however, ubiquitous,and Didion's more typical phrasing,a perspicacious yet languid cynicism,illuminates enough of the events examined to make it a very interesting read.
Real history is the hero of the book,a terrible story of treachery and violence by very bad men,another view of the America which Didion has tellingly portrayed in her other works.

Help other customers find the most helpful reviews

Was this review helpful to you?

Report this | Permalink

Comment Comment

Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review

› See all 2 customer reviews...

.jsOffDisplayBlock { display: block; } .jsOffDisplayInline { display: inline; } .jsOffVisibility { visibility: visible; } .jsOnDisplayBlock { display: none; } .jsOnDisplayNoneBlock { display: block; } .jsOnDisplayNoneInline { display: inline; } .jsOnDisplayInline { display: none; } .jsOnVisibility { visibility: hidden; } .jqOnDisplayBlock { display: none; } .jqOnDisplayInline { display: none; } .jqOnVisibility { visibility: hidden; } .jqOnDisplayNoneBlock { display: block; } .jqOnDisplayNoneInline { display: inline; }

Customer Discussions

This product's forum

Discussion	Replies	Latest Post
No discussions yet

Ask questions, Share opinions, Gain insight

Start a new discussion

Topic:

First post:

Receive e-mail when new posts are made

Prompts for sign-in

Guidelines

Active discussions in related forums

Discussion	Replies	Latest Post
politics Is it me or is there a reason why there are so many far right postings on this site?	66	15 hours ago
politics Is mass immigration a good thing?	276	18 hours ago
politics Was Churchill a europhile?	28	20 hours ago
politics "Sour faced little Englanders" - David Cameron	469	20 hours ago
politics Explosives - planted by airport security	28	21 hours ago
politics Nick Griffin - time for action	205	1 day ago
politics Tony Blair - A Smooth Criminal or a True Leader	17	1 day ago