Daphne Merkin
Encyclopedia
Daphne Miriam Merkin is a literary critic, essayist and novelist. Merkin is a graduate of Barnard College
. She also attended Columbia University
's graduate program in English literature.
She began her career as a book critic for Commentary
magazine, The New Republic
, and The New Leader
, where she wrote a book column and later, a movie column. In 1986, she became an editor with the publishing house of Harcourt Brace Jovanovich. In 1997, after Tina Brown
became editor of The New Yorker
, Merkin became a film critic for the magazine. She also wrote extensively on books and became known for her frank and lyrical forays into autobiography; her personal essays tackled subjects ranging from her battle with depression
, to her predilection for spanking
, to the unacknowledged complexities of growing up rich on Park Avenue. In 2005, she joined The New York Times Magazine
as a contributing writer. She is the author of a novel, Enchantment (1984) as well as a collection of essays, Dreaming of Hitler (1997).
Her father was the wealthy philanthropist Hermann Merkin
. Her brother is J. Ezra Merkin
, a hedge fund manager and philanthropist who was embroiled in the Bernard Madoff
scandal.
Merkin teaches writing at the 92nd Street Y
. She married and divorced Michael Brod, and lives on the Upper East Side of Manhattan
with her daughter, Zoe.
She also is a contributing editor to Tablet Magazine.
Barnard College
Barnard College is a private women's liberal arts college and a member of the Seven Sisters. Founded in 1889, Barnard has been affiliated with Columbia University since 1900. The campus stretches along Broadway between 116th and 120th Streets in the Morningside Heights neighborhood in the borough...
. She also attended Columbia University
Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
's graduate program in English literature.
She began her career as a book critic for Commentary
Commentary (magazine)
Commentary is a monthly American magazine on politics, Judaism, social and cultural issues. It was founded by the American Jewish Committee in 1945. By 1960 its editor was Norman Podhoretz, a liberal at the time who moved sharply to the right in the 1970s and 1980s becoming a strong voice for the...
magazine, The New Republic
The New Republic
The magazine has also published two articles concerning income inequality, largely criticizing conservative economists for their attempts to deny the existence or negative effect increasing income inequality is having on the United States...
, and The New Leader
The New Leader
The New Leader was a political and cultural magazine begun in 1924 by a group of figures associated with the Socialist Party of America, including Eugene V. Debs and Norman Thomas, and published in New York by the American Labor Conference on International Affairs. Its orientation is liberal and...
, where she wrote a book column and later, a movie column. In 1986, she became an editor with the publishing house of Harcourt Brace Jovanovich. In 1997, after Tina Brown
Tina Brown
Tina Brown, Lady Evans, CBE , is a journalist, magazine editor, columnist, talk-show host and author of The Diana Chronicles, a biography of Diana, Princess of Wales. Born a British citizen, she took United States citizenship in 2005 after emigrating in 1984 to edit Vanity Fair...
became editor of The New Yorker
The New Yorker
The New Yorker is an American magazine of reportage, commentary, criticism, essays, fiction, satire, cartoons and poetry published by Condé Nast...
, Merkin became a film critic for the magazine. She also wrote extensively on books and became known for her frank and lyrical forays into autobiography; her personal essays tackled subjects ranging from her battle with depression
Depression (mood)
Depression is a state of low mood and aversion to activity that can affect a person's thoughts, behaviour, feelings and physical well-being. Depressed people may feel sad, anxious, empty, hopeless, helpless, worthless, guilty, irritable, or restless...
, to her predilection for spanking
Erotic spanking
Erotic spanking is the act of spanking another person for the sexual arousal or gratification of either or both parties...
, to the unacknowledged complexities of growing up rich on Park Avenue. In 2005, she joined The New York Times Magazine
The New York Times Magazine
The New York Times Magazine is a Sunday magazine supplement included with the Sunday edition of The New York Times. It is host to feature articles longer than those typically in the newspaper and has attracted many notable contributors...
as a contributing writer. She is the author of a novel, Enchantment (1984) as well as a collection of essays, Dreaming of Hitler (1997).
Her father was the wealthy philanthropist Hermann Merkin
Hermann Merkin
Hermann Merkin was a Jewish-American businessman and philanthropist.-Biography:...
. Her brother is J. Ezra Merkin
J. Ezra Merkin
Jacob Ezra Merkin is a former money manager and financier. He was a close business associate of Bernard Madoff, and is alleged to have played a significant part in the Madoff fraud. He served as the Non-executive Chairman of GMAC until his resignation on January 9, 2009, at the insistence of the...
, a hedge fund manager and philanthropist who was embroiled in the Bernard Madoff
Bernard Madoff
Bernard Lawrence "Bernie" Madoff is a former American businessman, stockbroker, investment advisor, and financier. He is the former non-executive chairman of the NASDAQ stock market, and the admitted operator of a Ponzi scheme that is considered to be the largest financial fraud in U.S...
scandal.
Merkin teaches writing at the 92nd Street Y
92nd Street Y
92nd Street Y is a multifaceted cultural institution and community center located on the Upper East Side of Manhattan in New York City, United States, at the corner of E. 92nd Street and Lexington Avenue. Its full name is 92nd Street Young Men's and Young Women's Hebrew Association...
. She married and divorced Michael Brod, and lives on the Upper East Side of Manhattan
Manhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
with her daughter, Zoe.
She also is a contributing editor to Tablet Magazine.
External links
- Private Drama by Merkin at Tablet Magazine
- Merkin, Daphne. "The Suburbanization of Mike Tyson," New York Times Magazine, March 15, 2010
- "Getting Candid With Daphne Merkin," West Side Spirit, May 20, 2010