Noted (Newsletter)

3 weeks ago | jillianhess.substack.com | Jillian Hess

Before Roald Dahl became a beloved children’s author, he was a pilot in the Royal Air Force and a British spy. As a spy, he gathered information to help Winston Churchill strengthen British-American relations during WWII. Dahl befriended FDR, Eleanor Roosevelt, and other high ranking officials. As a dashing 6’6” Brit in a uniform, he seduced diplomats’ wives.

3 weeks ago | jillianhess.substack.com | Jillian Hess

It’s June 1st, which means our Commonplace Book Club (CBC) has officially begun! Whether you’re a seasoned commonplacer or just getting started, you’re in the right place! Read more about how the club works here. I’ve assembled some tips to get you started. If you still have questions after reading this post, put them in the comments or ask in our chat.

1 month ago | jillianhess.substack.com | Jillian Hess

This is how Didion defines a writer: “a person whose most absorbed and passionate hours are spent arranging words on pieces of paper.” Anyone who has read Didion’s writing will not be surprised by this definition—her prose could only have been written by a person who passionately arranged words, hour after hour, day after day. Before I went to see Joan Didion’s papers at the New York Public Library, I read all the reports claiming the archive gives us new insight into Didion’s writing process.

1 month ago | jillianhess.substack.com | Jillian Hess

As an academic, summers have always been my best writing time. Suddenly, the days are longer, and my calendar opens up. I fill these longer days with writing projects. So, for our June edition of the Commonplace Book Club (CBC), I will focus on the writing process. Every morning, I’ll share a favorite quote about writing and creativity. I’m thinking of this as a way to kickstart my writing days.

1 month ago | jillianhess.substack.com | Jillian Hess

Joan Didion (1934-2021) has been much in the news lately. In a span of days, her archives at the New York Public Library opened to the public and a posthumous collection of her notes from meetings with her psychiatrist were released as Notes to John. I, of course, have thoughts on this publication—but I’ll get to them in this week’s post script because my ideas are tied to my experience in her archive, where I spent two days last week.