Daphne Merkin is the author of sev­er­al books, includ­ing the essay col­lec­tion The Fame Lunch­es and the mem­oir This Close to Hap­py. She is a for­mer staff writer for The New York­er, and she is wide­ly pub­lished in The New York Times, Book­fo­rum, Trav­el + Leisure, W, Vogue, Elle, and oth­er pub­li­ca­tions. She has taught writ­ing at the 92nd Street Y, Colum­bia Uni­ver­si­ty, Mary­mount Col­lege, and Hunter Col­lege. She lives in New York City.