David Lehman

David Lehman, a contributing editor of the Scholar, is a poet, critic, and the general editor of The Best American Poetry annual anthology and author of the book One Hundred Autobiographies. He currently writes our Talking Pictures column.

Above the River of Your Longing

Two new prompts

By David Lehman | Thursday January 16, 2025

“What a Strange Path”

Three new prompts

By David Lehman | Monday December 16, 2024

“I Have Had My Vision”

Three prompts

By David Lehman | Friday November 22, 2024

In Reprise: Next Line, Please

A new poetry prompt for players new and old

By David Lehman | Friday October 25, 2024

Tunneling to Freedom

In The Great Escape (1963), the true story of a harrowing breakout from a German POW camp

By David Lehman | Thursday June 6, 2024

Homage to the Uncanny

Dead of Night (1945), a masterpiece of horror

By David Lehman | Thursday February 29, 2024

How Well Do You Know Your Hitchcock?

A multiple-choice test for the maestro’s fans

By David Lehman | Friday January 19, 2024

“Mr. Lucky” Didn’t Know Who He Was

How Cary Grant’s magical film career paralleled a lifelong identity crisis

By David Lehman | Thursday September 28, 2023

Brilliant Carnage

Sam Peckinpah’s slow-motion bullet ballet

By David Lehman | Thursday February 23, 2023

What Hath Gable Got?

“Rhett Butler” romances Claudette Colbert in Frank Capra’s comic masterpiece It Happened One Night

By David Lehman | Monday November 28, 2022
Chalk outline of a body

Starting With the End

By David Lehman | Tuesday July 16, 2019
Two rings

The Marriage Equation

By David Lehman | Tuesday July 9, 2019
A picture of a statue of a man standing on a globe

Patricians and Peasants

By David Lehman | Tuesday July 2, 2019
Two birds on a wire

Updike on Couples

By David Lehman | Tuesday June 25, 2019
Person walking down stairs, black and white photo

Nine-Line Stanzas

By David Lehman | Tuesday June 18, 2019
Black and white "walk" sign

Impromptu

By David Lehman | Tuesday June 11, 2019

A Sonnet Is Ample Space

By David Lehman | Tuesday June 4, 2019

How to Be a Big-League Critic

By David Lehman | Monday June 3, 2019
Close-up, macro shot of a bloody knife
Red mailbox

● NEWSLETTER

Please enter a valid email address
That address is already in use
The security code entered was incorrect
Thanks for signing up