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April 24, 2019
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John McIntyre

John McIntyre is the editor of Memorable Days: The Selected Letters of James Salter and Robert Phelps.

Dawn of a Literary Friendship placeholder image

Dawn of a Literary Friendship

In 1969 the writer Robert Phelps first wrote to the novelist James Salter. Here are the letters that forged a bond of two decades.

by John McIntyre | Sunday, March 01, 2009
Dirty Books

Dirty Books

A publisher’s lifelong battle against censorship

by John McIntyre | Thursday, March 01, 2012
Smarty Pants Podcast

Newsletter

THIS WEEK’S ARCHIVE PICK

2nd Look

What Is a Dog?

by Chloe Shaw

We admit that unofficial, national fill-in-the-blank days can sometimes feel contrived. (National Pizza with the Works Except Anchovies Day, anyone?) But National Hug Your Dog Day (April 10) is too good not to celebrate, especially if it means we can revisit one of our favorite essays: Chloe Shaw’s “What Is a Dog?” from our Spring 2018 issue. After losing a beloved hound named Booker—described as a “wolf meets horse meets dinosaur meets tongue”—Shaw confronts the joys and inevitable sorrows of loving a pet. “A dog is a second chance. A dog is death and life. A dog is plush red carpet and fresh warm pee.” A dog is worth celebrating, and not only on April 10.