The Electric Typewriter

As chosen by Meghan Daum

5 timeless essays selected by LA Times columnist, essayist and author of 3 excellent books, Meghan Daum:

The End of Gay Culture, by Andrew Sullivan, The New Republic, 2005 - Does assimilation mean the death of disitinctive gay culture?

The Devil in Long Island, by Ron Rosenbaum, The New York Times Magazine, 1993 - Between NYC and the upscale weekend retreats of the hamptons lies an island full of dark secrets.

And a few you’ll need to break out your credit card to read:

The Junket by Mike Albo, an Amazon Kindle single, 2011 - “A gimlet-eyed account of the back-biting media scene, a glimpse into the inner workings of the fashion crowd, and a candid portrait of what it takes to survive as a writer in today’s chattering and watchful New York City.”

I Shit My Pants in the South of France, by Jonathan Ames - This one pretty much does what it says on the tin.

My Heroin Christmas, by Terry Castle - An author explores her addiction to honesty in literature over a Christmas spent absorbed in the autobiography of jazz legend Art Pepper.