In a 1939 essay, the critic Philip Rahv argued that there have been two main types in American literature: the solemn and semi-clerical, which he associates with Henry James, and the exuberant, ...

“Most of us have a Joan Didion origin story, the article or book, or photograph or quote that first made us want to know more about this quiet oracle,” Evelyn McDonell begins. She mentions one of an ...

She wrote in her third novel, A Book of Common Prayer, published in1977: “The consciousness of the human organism is carried in its grammar.” It has always been her style, her grammar, coupled with ...

The estate of the late Pulitzer Prize-winning author Joan Didion is coming to auction at Stair Galleries in Hudson, New York. The California-born writer and critic, who first came to prominence for ...

With Joan Didion's diaries recently in publication, the spotlight has never been more closely focused on the writer's inner life. A picture is worth a thousand words, and photos of Joan's New York ...

"Hearst Magazines and Yahoo may earn commission or revenue on some items through the links below." What I am about to recount will likely rile up a few Angelenos, but I’m afraid that I’m simply ...

Suggested reading from critics and editors at The New York Times. Readers can decide when “Notes to John,” which shows the writer grappling with guilt and vulnerability, is published next week. By ...

Sunshine, palm trees, and traffic — Los Angeles is the set for America’s dream of itself as flirty and fun. That Hollywood’s sensibility has been felt on the page as well as the silver screen is owed ...

Every item on this page was chosen by a Town & Country editor. We may earn commission on some of the items you choose to buy. What I am about to recount will likely rile up a few Angelenos, but I’m ...