At the time of its publication Madame Bovary was attacked by a chorus of critical voices for its painfully realistic depiction of bourgeois life. After its serialized appearance  in La Revue de Paris in 1856, the novel was taken to … Continued

Marianne Moore’s exacting descriptions of the natural world feature prominently in her poetry. While a student at Bryn Mawr Collecte she worked extensively in the laboratory; “The Jellyfish,” one of her first published poems, was written in response to close … Continued

I hear you were seen running through Portugal in used B.V.D.’s chewing ground glass and collecting material for a story about boule players; that you were publicity man for Lindbergh; that you have finished a novel a hundred thousand words long consisting entirely of the word “balls” used in new groupings; that you have been naturalized a Spaniard, dress always in a wine-skin with “zipper” vent…

“You cut that story,” I yelled, “and I’ll never write another story for your or anybody else. You can get that Godamned sixth-rate Salinger to write your Godamned short stories but don’t expect anything more out of me…”

Henry James and Edith Wharton began writing to each other in 1900. Their correspondence marks one of the great literary friendships of the twentieth century. James took an interest in Wharton after the critics unanimously declared the two authors to … Continued

I actually felt envious at not having written it myself. You are an artist and an intelligent man. You have an admirable ability to feel…

I even admire coquetry and greediness, but only when one confesses them frankly.