In 2008, at the age of 44, my guest on today’s program left Yale University, where he taught English, and became a full-time writer. In the years since leaving academia, he’s amassed an impressive body of work — much of it challenging the status quo.
I knew I had to talk to him when I read his recent essay in UnHerd, “Escaping American tribalism,” about his defection from the progressive left.
William Deresiewicz is an essayist and cultural critic, and the author of Excellent Sheep: The Miseducation of the American Elite and the Way to a Meaningful Life. His latest book is out this month. It’s called The End of Solitude: Selected Essays on Culture and Society, and it is a collection of standout pieces from the past few decades. In it, he writes: “To be an individual, the years have taught me, takes a constant effort. These essays are an offering to those who wish to be one, too.”
I’m thrilled to have William Deresiewicz as my guest — today, on Lean Out. Paid subscribers, stay tuned for a transcript tomorrow.
The End of Solitude