Thomas Mallon's 6 favorite books from the 80's and early 90's

The author recommends works by James Merrill, Calvin Trillin, and more

Thomas Mallon
Thomas Mallon is the author of The Very Heart of It
(Image credit: Larry D. Moore)

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Thomas Mallon's new book, The Very Heart of It, is a collection of diary entries that chart his arrival in AIDS-plagued New York City and the beginning of his career as a critic, essayist, and novelist. Below, he names six favorite books from the same 1983–94 period.

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