About this episode

Moira and Adrian explore Joan Didion's work and its impact on California's ideology.

It's Hot California Summer over here on In Bed with the Right ! For this first installment (of probably three), Moira and Adrian delve into the work of noted California-native and inveterate California-explainer Joan Didion, whose conservatism was a central part of our episode on San Francisco in the conservative imagination. The episode's focus is on Didion's 2003 book Where I Was From , a brilliant diagnosis of, and only intermittently self-aware display of, a particular California ideology. It's an ideology that continues to shape how the world views California, and how California views the world.

People in this episode

Hosts: Adrian Daub, Moira Donegan

Topics covered

• California ideology
• Joan Didion
• literature
• conservatism
• cultural analysis

Keywords

• Joan Didion
• California
• Where I Was From
• conservatism
• cultural critique

Mentioned in this episode

Books & works: Where I Was From

Places: California, San Francisco

More episodes of In Bed With The Right

• Episode 145 -- Third Anniversary Mailbag Spectacular · July 21, 2026 · 1h 6m
• Episode 144 [PATREON PREVIEW] -- J.K. Rowling · July 14, 2026 · 39 min
• Episode 142 -- Nancy Mace · June 30, 2026 · 1h 4m
• Episode 140 -- Lena Dunham · June 23, 2026 · 1h 24m
• Episode 139 -- Mifepristone · June 16, 2026 · 1h 4m

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