Come Back in September

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Critic and writer Darryl Pinckney reflects on his friendship and mentorship with Elizabeth Hardwick and Barbara Epstein, which introduced him to the New York literary scene. Arriving in New York City in the early 1970s, Pinckney enrolled in Hardwick's writing class at Barnard and was later welcomed into her home as a friend and mentee. This connection brought him close to Hardwick and Epstein, a co-founder of The New York Review of Books, placing him at the center of a vibrant literary community. He mingled with influential writers like Susan Sontag, Robert Lowell, and Mary McCarthy, while navigating the cultural revolutions of the time, including the New Wave in film and music, and the art of figures like Jean-Michel Basquiat and Nan Goldin. He also engaged with the feminist movement and the black arts movement, reflecting on the complexities of identity and history. In his memoir, Pinckney captures this transformative and tumultuous era in American literature, highlighting Hardwick's role as a guiding force and source of inspiration. Through his memories, we witness Pinckney's growth as a young man and an intellectual, ultimately shaping his identity as a significant voice in contemporary thought.