Originally from cleveland, ohio, she attended rutgers university, in new brunswick, new jersey, and earned a masters in english from the university of vermont. I am mary norris, longtime copy editor for the new yorker. New yorker copy editor mary norris new book is part life story, part grammar guide. The new yorker offers a signature blend of news, culture, and the arts. Not long ago, a young editorial assistant getting her first tour of the new yorker offices paused at my door to be. The comma queen returns with a buoyant book about language, love, and the winedark sea. Norris will give a talk and sign copies of her books on thursday, july 25 at 7. Apr 01, 2019 mary norris is an american author who learned the greek language during her twentyfouryear career at the famous new yorker magazine. Use space bar to pause or play, and up and down arrows to control volume.
Reflections on thirty years of copy editing for the new yorker, and breaking through as a writer with blogs and now a book on commas, semicolons, and all things grammar. Hiram college lindsaycrane center presents between you. Mary norris reflections on thirty years of copy editing for the new yorker, and breaking through as a writer with blogs and now a book on commas, semicolons, and all. Mary norris is the author of greek to me and the new york times bestseller. Lessons on life and language with the new yorkers ultimate grammar editor, mary norris. Mary norris has spent more than three decades in the new yorkers copy department, maintaining its celebrated high standards. Dec 26, 2017 but the book between you and me by new yorker copy editor mary norris subtitle. Jun 15, 2015 mary norris began working at the new yorker in 1978. She has written for the talk of the town and for, on topics. In that time, shes gotten a reputation for sternness and for being a comma maniac, but this is unfounded, she says. Confessions of a comma queen mary norris mary norris has spent more than three decades in the new yorker s copy department, maintaining its celebrated high standards. Mar 08, 2020 on friday, april 17, jhc will welcome bestselling author mary norris, a writer for the new yorker whose most recent book is greek to me, a charming memoir of her passion for all things greek a subject close to our hearts as stewards of the 1838 greek revival peter augustus jay mansion.
In greek to me, she delivers a delightful paean to the art of selfexpression through accounts of her solo adventures in the land of olive trees and ouzo. The new yorker is an american weekly magazine featuring journalism, commentary, criticism, essays, fiction, satire, cartoons, and poetry. Cecelia watsons deceptively playfullooking book is a scholarly treatise on. At the morgan library, in an exhibit of books that had belonged to writers, i found a grammar. Athena appears in book ii of the odyssey as mentor, a friend to whom odysseus entrusted the care of his son when he left ithaca for troy. Reviewer heller mcalpin says the book is delightful, and. Mary norris has spent more than three decades in the new yorker.
Apr 29, 2015 mary norris is a copy editor at the new yorker, where she has worked since 1978. Mary norris, the new yorkers comma queen, talks about. Read my list of her best figurative language, below, and then, more importantly, read her book. The public is warmly invited to attend this free event, at which we will. Mary norris began working at the new yorker in 1978 and was a. As a copy editor at the new yorker, norris became a doyenne of dashes and diaereses, those double dots over adjacent vowels that we i. Comma queen mary norris s thoughts on pesky possessives. The new yorker may earn a portion of sales from products and services that are purchased through links on our site as part of our affiliate partnerships with retailers. Over the years, she has mustered her skills in the service of such storied writers as philip roth, pauline kael and george saunders. Mary norris muses on a lifetime of literary vigilance in. She was on her way home from 25 west fortythird street, new york city. Cecelia watsons deceptively playfullooking book is a scholarly treatise on a.
A language guide and memoir about life at the new yorker. Confessions of a comma queen, that is being released on monday. Its not what i expected to learn when we sat down for this episode of wavemaker conversations. Mary norris, the new yorker comma queen at left bank.
Apr 22, 2017 the new yorker s mary norris has taught me something about the power of imagining your own tombstone. Its a grey building with brown window trimmings, drab except for delicate molding around its main doors and further up the facade. May 07, 2017 though her topic and writing are certainly niche, mary norriss book was a delightful trip for a selfidentified grammar dork. She graduated from rutgers university in 1974 and earned a masters degree in english from the university of vermont. Mary norris began working at the new yorker in 1978. Belfast, me left bank books in downtown belfast is thrilled to welcome for the second time mary norris, the bestselling new york times author and renowned new yorker copy editor to celebrate the release of her new memoir, greek to me. Originally from cleveland, norris has served as a copy editor and proofreader for the new yorker for the past 30 years.
Mar 28, 2020 mary norris began working at the new yorker in 1978 and was a query proofreader at the magazine for twentyfour years. Mary norris has spent more than three decades in the new yorkers copy department, maintaining its celebrated high. Not long ago, she writes, a young editorial assistant getting her first tour of the new yorker offices paused at. Reviewer heller mcalpin says the book is delightful, and norris is a stickler who cant. Mary norris takes on a grammar rule that has become the subject of passionate debate among scholars, journalists, and copy editors. Now she brings her vast experience, good cheer, and finely sharpened pencils to help the rest of us in a boisterous language book as full of life as it is of practical advice. Mary norris settled into her 30year new yorker copyediting post almost by accident and after a picaresque series of occupations ranging from checking feet at a cleveland swimming pool to driving a milk truck. The structure in john mcphees excellent new book, draft no. I already had the book at home, but i was impressed that anything by woolf was considered airport reading. Mar 04, 2015 reflections on thirty years of copy editing for the new yorker, and breaking through as a writer with blogs and now a book on commas, semicolons, and all things grammar. My love affairs with the english language and with that cultural beacon that is the new yorker were pleasantly stoked by this charming little book. Apr 19, 2015 a language guide and memoir about life at the new yorker.
Fiddlesticks is scarlett oharas way of saying fuck this shit. Mary norris began working at the new yorker in 1978 and was a query proofreader at the magazine for twentyfour years. Norris joined the editorial staff at the new yorker in 1978. Mary norris is the comma queen who worked her way up the ladder at the new yorker, the last bastion of clear and correct writing. The figurative language of mary norris publication coach. If either of those topics are in your wheelhouse, i submit that you. She has been a query proofreader at the magazine since 1993. Originally from cleveland, she now lives in new york. Mary norris celebrates new book at left bank books maine. She graduated from rutgers university in 1974 and earned a masters degree in english from the university of vermont career. Heres a link to ryan flanders links on the comics journal. The new yorker is an american magazine of reportage, commentary, criticism, essays, fiction, satire, cartoons, and poetry. The new yorker wikimili, the best wikipedia reader. She recently published her new book greek to me adventures of the comma queen, where she narrates the extraordinary adventure she undertook when she decided to learn the greek language.
I noted the following while taking a quick tour through the fests. Greek to me march 8, 2020 on friday, april 17, jhc will welcome bestselling author mary norris, a writer for the new yorker whose most recent book. It offers a glimpse into the fabled world of the new yorker. Confessions of a comma queen, for a talk and signing at the shop on friday evening, august 12 at 7. Adam gopnik mary norris is a grammar geek with a streak of mischief, and her book is obscenely fun. But selfdescribed comma queen and new yorker editor mary norris has turned that pattern on. Copy editing for the new yorker is like playing shortstop for a major league baseball team every little movement gets picked over by the critics, says mary norris, who has played the position for more than thirty years. Started as a weekly in 1925, the magazine is now published 47 times annually, with five of these issues covering twoweek spans. An interview with mary norris welcome to literary ashland.
Now she brings her vast experience, good cheer, and finely sharpened pencils to help the rest of. April 8, 2015 new yorker copy editor mary norris new book is part life story, part grammar guide. An american author who fell in love with the greek language. Luckily, mary norris, a top level copy editor at the new yorker, has spent her life.