Daniel Mendelsohn on Mary Renault

Two weeks ago, you learned Daniel Mendelsohn at twelve began "to understand what I was and what I wanted; and I knew that I wasn't alone" after finding the young gay lovers in Mary Renault's Fire from Heaven and The Persian Boy. Daniel's recollections are very moving at first but the story of his subsequent correspondence with the novelist is so personal, some readers may find the full essay extends beyond their captivation.

As journalism morphs toward tv, even The New Yorker's nonfiction now requires video chats. Luckily, he's a natural, at home in Chelsea. For more, get his NBCC nominated Waiting for the Barbarians [Kindle].