Personal Essay
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by Maria Popova “The things that are most lasting and edifying are the things that lodge in the brain most deeply, which means they are emotional, enjoyable, and fun.” Ah, the timeless power and joy of a great essay: Joan Didion on self-respect ; David Foster Wallace on the nature of fun ; Susan Sontag on courage and resistance ; George Orwell on why writers write .
What makes a great essay?
Crafting the Personal Essay: An Interview with Dinty W. Moore
Crafting the Personal Essay: An Interview with Dinty W. Moore
Michel de Montaigne
Michel Eyquem de Montaigne ( French: [miʃɛl ekɛm də mɔ̃tɛɲ] ; February 28, 1533 – September 13, 1592) was one of the most influential writers of the French Renaissance , known for popularising the essay as a literary genre, and commonly thought of as the father of modern skepticism. He became famous for his effortless ability to merge serious intellectual exercises with casual anecdotes [ 2 ] and autobiography—and his massive volume Essais (translated literally as "Attempts" or "Trials") contains, to this day, some of the most widely influential essays ever written.Donald Murray (writer)
Donald Morrison Murray (1924 – December 30, 2006) was a Pulitzer prize -winning journalist and long-time teacher (eventually Professor Emeritus of English at the University of New Hampshire ). [ 1 ] He wrote for many journals, authored several books on the art of writing and teaching, and served as writing coach for several national newspapers. After writing multiple editorials about changes in American military policy for the Boston Herald , he won the 1954 Pulitzer Prize for Editorial Writing. [ 2 ] For twenty years, he wrote the Boston Globe's "Over 60" column, eventually renamed "Now And Then". [ 1 ] He taught at the University of New Hampshire for twenty-six years. [ 3 ]