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William Zinsser
Zinsser, the author of On Writing Well, was a respected American journalist, professor, and nonfiction writer. After growing up in New York City and attending Princeton University, Zinsser was conscripted into the U.S. Army…
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Dr. Brock
Dr. Brock is a surgeon and amateur writer who speaks about the writing profession alongside Zinsser at a local school’s “day devoted to the arts.” His opinions on writing are generally the opposite of Zinsser’s…
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E.B. White
E.B. White was a popular American writer whose “seemingly effortless style” made him a role model for Zinsser. Although he wrote in a wide variety of genres, White is best remembered for his essays…
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Minor Characters
Woody Allen
Woody Allen is a noted American comedian and filmmaker. Zinsser cites Allen’s early magazine pieces as examples of successful comedy writing.
Joan Didion
Joan Didion is an American novelist and nonfiction writer closely associated with California and the literary New Journalism of the 1960s and 1970s.
H.L. Mencken
H.L. Mencken was an American journalist, activist, and scholar best known for his satirical reporting about American politics.
Red Smith
Walter (“Red”) Smith was a prominent 20th-century American sports columnist. Zinsser praises his distinctive, original style.
Tom Wolfe
Tom Wolfe was an influential American journalist best known for pioneering New Journalism, a style of nonfiction writing that mixes literary techniques with conventional reporting.
S.J. Perelman
S.J. Perelman was an influential American humorist best known for his contributions to The New Yorker.
Roger Tory Peterson
Roger Tory Peterson was a prominent American birdwatcher, artist, and environmentalist.
