Joan Didion Joan Didion, author of Play It As It Lays (1970), in 2012. (more) Play It As It Lays novel by Didion Written by David Tucker David Tucker is a contributor to 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die (2012), where an earlier version of this Britannica entry first appeared. David Tucker Fact-checked by Britannica Editors Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree.... Britannica Editors Last updated Mar. 4, 2026 •History Play It As It Lays, second novel written by American essayist and novelist Joan Didion. First published in 1970, it is regarded as a defining example of modern American fiction. Didion’s novel of 1960s dissolution centers on the character Maria Wyeth, a minor actress whose career and marriage are both dissolving. The story focuses on Maria’s messy world on the fringes of half-formed social-convenience networks built around the edges of the filming industry. Framed as...

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