Abstract

Twenty years ago James Gilbert published the first substantial study of the New York intellectuals, Writers and Partisans [1968]). At the time he received a collegial warning that his scholarly efforts would be wasted: the subject was long dead, advised the experts; no one cared about Partisan Review or the New York intellectuals. Today many seem obsessed. New York intellectuals give rise to endless autobiographies, histories, critical analyses, and monographs. Why?

The numerous autobiographies are not difficult to understand. Aging New York intellectuals, looking back over a lifetime of writing and controversies wish to put their cultural estates in order.