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Joan Didion, Annie Dillard, Marilyn Robinson. Somebody upthread mentioned Camille Paglia. If you include journalism, politics, criticism, and humor in a recog

Joan Didion, Annie Dillard, Marilyn Robinson. Somebody upthread mentioned Camille Paglia. If you include journalism, politics, criticism, and humor in a recognizable voice that reveals the author's personal take on life, there are many more: Oriana Fallaci, Katha Pollitt, even Nora Ephron and Pauline Kael ...

GavinMcG 8y ago
Wonder why none of them made the list.
- jasim 8y ago
  I posted this link to HN; it is just a list of essays the author liked - it is not a top 10 greatest essays of all time list or a curated collection. Just a slice of one person's readings. But I'm enjoying all the other suggestions that are being made in this thread, and great to learn about writings from diverse sources.
- meruru 8y ago
  If there are fewer female essayists the chance of any given one making into any given list is reduced. I'm not saying there are fewer female essayists, but if there is that's a reasonable alternative explanation to the (implied?) default one of "sexism".
  - GoodJokes 8y ago
    This is ludicrous and a deft usage of intellectual dishonesty. There are not fewer female essayists full stop. By even suggesting something that is demonstrably not true you are entering the ranks of hucksters the world over.
- yesenadam 8y ago
  For one thing, I haven't read almost all of them! I haven't read so much 20th-21st C stuff as the all-time classics, ancient and modern. I did start reading Sexual Personae a couple of years ago and really loved it, must get back to that. I discovered Joan Didion last year, but didn't read much before being distracted, must get back to her. Thanks for the reminders. Could you (or jonjacky or someone else) mention some particular essays, from those writers or others, you would rate most highly? Thanks. Then you might help get people reading them. (The ones in my list I consider, not just good, but incredibly good, endlessly re-readable.)

GavinMcG 8y ago

Wonder why none of them made the list.

jasim 8y ago
I posted this link to HN; it is just a list of essays the author liked - it is not a top 10 greatest essays of all time list or a curated collection. Just a slice of one person's readings. But I'm enjoying all the other suggestions that are being made in this thread, and great to learn about writings from diverse sources.
meruru 8y ago
If there are fewer female essayists the chance of any given one making into any given list is reduced. I'm not saying there are fewer female essayists, but if there is that's a reasonable alternative explanation to the (implied?) default one of "sexism".
- GoodJokes 8y ago
  This is ludicrous and a deft usage of intellectual dishonesty. There are not fewer female essayists full stop. By even suggesting something that is demonstrably not true you are entering the ranks of hucksters the world over.
yesenadam 8y ago
For one thing, I haven't read almost all of them! I haven't read so much 20th-21st C stuff as the all-time classics, ancient and modern. I did start reading Sexual Personae a couple of years ago and really loved it, must get back to that. I discovered Joan Didion last year, but didn't read much before being distracted, must get back to her. Thanks for the reminders. Could you (or jonjacky or someone else) mention some particular essays, from those writers or others, you would rate most highly? Thanks. Then you might help get people reading them. (The ones in my list I consider, not just good, but incredibly good, endlessly re-readable.)