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An anthology of never-before-published short essays by America's literary greats. Each October at the PEN Gala, well-known authors take the stage of the Folger Shakespeare Library's Theatre to ponder the meaning of such universal mysteries as &quote;obsession,&quote; &quote;illusion,&quote; &quote;first love,&quote; and more. Each author is given only three minutes or less to speak. The results have been unpredictable--clever, confessional, inspiring, hilarious, profound, and all of them entertaining. These essays have been transcribed for the first time, and comprise this unique anthology. Among the authors are: Russell Banks, T. Coraghessan Boyle, Annie Dillard, Gail Godwin, Allan Gurganus, Jane Hamilton, Alice Hoffman, Susan Isaacs, Charles Johnson, William Kennedy, Chang-rae Lee, Larry McMurtry, Sue Miller, Joyce Carol Oates, George Plimpton, Francine Prose, Maurice Sendak, Anita Shreve, Jane Smiley, William Styron, Deborah Tannen, John Edgar Wideman.