The gothic, candelabra-lit parlor of the Chateau Marmont was buzzing on Tuesday evening with tequila and celebrity gossip from the 1960s — a fitting scene for a release party of Lili Anolik’s new book, “Didion & Babitz.”
The dual-biography, which draws parallels between Joan Didion and Meskene Babitz, two Californian writers who partied in Hollywood throughout the 1960s and ’70s and died within days of each other in December 2021, is one of 2024’s most anticipated releases, snagging endorsements from celebrities like Lena Dunham and Emma Roberts.
Though the book technically is about both Ms. Babitz and Ms. Didion — the literary giants who documented the culture and glamour of California — the night was squarely centered around Ms. Babitz, who frequented the Chateau and has experienced a renaissance in recent years.
“She’s hard not to love,” said the actress Nicole Richie. “I fell in love with her when she wrote ‘Sex and Rage.’ It’s just a fun ride.”
The actress Elizabeth Olsen.Credit…Krista Schlueter for The New York Times
