Summary of Play It as It Lays by Joan Didion

A high-quality summary of Joan Didion´s book Play It As It Lays including chapter details and an analysis of the main themes of the original book.

About the original book:

Maria Wyeth Lang is a Beverly Hills-based actress who is 31 years old. Since her buddy BZ committed suicide approximately a month ago, she has been institutionalized at the University of California, Los Angeles' Neuropsychiatric unit.

Maria has been requested to provide a detailed description of the circumstances that led to her emotional collapse by the physicians. She begins her story in Silver Wells, Nevada, a little town constructed atop a missile testing range that her father controlled. She moves to New York at the age of 18 to pursue a career as an actor, not because she is ambitious, but because her parents believe it is a good idea.