John McPhee revisits story ideas he had but never pursued
“Tabula Rasa” is an insightful book by a master of literary non-fiction
To ferret out the best talent, ask practitioners in that field. Attend the doctors’ doctor, seek counsel from the lawyer other lawyers retain. So it goes with journalism. John McPhee, aged 92, is a writer’s writer. A father of literary non-fiction, he has tackled subjects as varied as fishing and oranges in his 32 books and 60 years writing articles for the New Yorker. His book on geology, “Annals of the Former World”, won the Pulitzer prize for non-fiction in 1999. (He has been a finalist for the prize four times.)
This article appeared in the Culture section of the print edition under the headline “Chronicle of stories not told”
Culture August 12th 2023
- Interest in George Orwell and his dystopian fiction is high
- In Japan “Oppenheimer” is causing consternation
- How Provençal rosé became the summer tipple par excellence
- John McPhee revisits story ideas he had but never pursued
- Hip-hop’s future will be less American and more global
- An infamous murderer and the truth about true crime
From the August 12th 2023 edition
Discover stories from this section and more in the list of contents
Explore the editionMore from Culture
Want to spend time with a different American president?
Five presidential biographies to distract you from the news
Los Angeles has lost some of its trailblazing architecture
How will it rebuild?
What firms are for
The framework for thinking about business and capitalism is hopelessly outdated, argues a new book
Greg Gutfeld, America’s most popular late-night host, rules the airwaves
The left gave him his perch
Astrology is booming, thanks to technology and younger enthusiasts
Gen Z is full of stargazing users
Why matcha, made from green tea, is the drink of the moment
Is it really a healthy alternative to coffee? Not the way Gen Z orders it