“Mr. Hunter’s grave” and “Dragger captain” are two examples of memorable writing. Mitchell weaves these stories as a conversation — the orality, the steady build up. It seems his signature to do it that way, as for the other four profiles in the book share similar characteristics. They all were published in TheNewYorker between 1944–1959, a lifetime ago.

These profile articles give voice to common people, and they cover unconventional topics that aren’t in the spotlight — shad fishing in Edgewaters, how dragger boats operate, or the rise and fall of the oyster business in the south shore of Staten Island. It feels refreshing to read them in 2025.

I discovered this book via William Zinnser. “This is a primary textbook of literary non-fiction”, he said, “and writers of any generation should be familiar with it”. I can’t disagree.