I'm A Romantic; You Have To Be

The 20th Century Saw Far Greater Catastrophes Than September 11th, As Bad As It Was, And They Didn't Render Literature Or Art Or Music Irrelevant. In Fact, I Think That Literature And Art Help Us To Understand - Sometimes They Provide Narratives And Metaphors For Understanding History, For Understanding Recent Catastrophes.

If Being A Spokesman For A Generation Is A Fleeting Occupation, Being A Symbol Of An Era Is Downright Dangerous For Anyone Who Has The Bad Luck To Outlive It.

Most Of The People I Write About Have Been Ambitious Outlanders Who Have Been Attracted To New York From Other Parts Of The World.

We've Been Hearing About The Death Of The Novel Ever Since The Day After Don Quixote Was Published.

Delia's Arms Were Inscribed With A Grid Of Self- Inflicted Wounds, An Intricate Text Of Self-loathing