T. S. Eliot (1888-1965)

Ralph Ellison (1914-1994)

His novel Invisible Man and his collected essays are both highly recommended. The essay "An Extravagance of Laughter" is a good start. My favorite writers are often those who can be hilarious and serious at once—and are sometimes funniest when most serious. Gogol, O'Connor, Sterne, Nabokov, Joyce, and Ellison all share this gift. I was lucky enough to meet Mr. Ellison the year before he died.

Ever...