"One of contemporary America's leading critics and scholars offers a provocative reassessment of the lives and work of eight influential twentieth- century American writers: Lionel Trilling Dwight Macdonald W.H. Auden William Maxwell Saul Bellow Alfred Kazin Norman Mailer Frank O'Hara Drawing on newly published letters and diaries, Edward Mendelson explores the responses of these writers, very public figures all, to major historical events--among...

"In 2012, Vanessa Potter, a married advertising film producer with two young children, was stricken by Neuromyelitis Optica Spectrum Disorder (NMOSD), a rare illness that resulted in sudden blindness and paralysis. She was hospitalized for two weeks. Over the next five months at home, she regained mobility but recovering her sight was more problematic. At first what she saw was monochromatic. As color reappeared, she encountered synesthesia (experiencing...

The saga of the aristocratic Bellamy family and their loyal and lively servants. Real-life events from 1903-1930 are incorporated into the stories of the Bellamy household.