Joan Didion's posthumously published journal entries, titled 'Notes to John,' offer a profound glimpse into her therapy sessions and her reflections on personal and cultural narratives.

These entries reveal Didion's fears, particularly her anxiety about losing her daughter, and her struggles to confront her family's history and her own legacy.

Her therapy insights ultimately contributed to the creation of 'Where I Was From,' a work that presents a nuanced view of California's contradictions alongside her family's legacy.

In these writings, Didion intertwines California mythology with her family story, showcasing her struggles with self-examination and the acknowledgment of personal truths.

Throughout her therapy, Didion also grapples with the impact of her daughter's battles with addiction and mental health, highlighting a deep interdependence that complicates her own recovery.

Didion's work frequently critiques the postwar counterculture of California, which she perceives as hollow and incoherent, as she seeks meaning in her reflections on her upbringing and the state's landscape.

In 1976, while covering the trial of Patty Hearst for Rolling Stone, Didion's notes revealed more about her own anxieties and identity than about the trial itself.

'Notes to John' serves not only as a companion to Didion's earlier works like 'The Year of Magical Thinking' and 'Blue Nights,' but also illustrates her evolving understanding of herself and her writing process.