Like many people, I discovered HN after reading several of PG's essays. I'd like to hear HNers recommendations for other essayists, especially essayists who aren't the usual tech suspects (PG, Clay Shirky, etc).
For example, a favourite essayist of mine is
John McPhee, a long-time New Yorker staff writer. McPhee's writings don't seem to be online, but collections of his essays can be found in any good bookstore. I especially enjoyed "A Roomful of Hovings", a superb profile of a former curator of the New York Metropolitan Museum of Art, and "The Curve of Binding Energy", a profile of Ted Taylor, one of the most brilliant designers in the US nuclear weapon program, and also the visionary behind Project Orion (using nuclear power for interplanetary travel). A good place to start is the "John McPhee Reader" (http://www.amazon.com/John-McPhee-Reader/dp/0374517193); I was skeptical when I picked it up on a friend's recommendation, but found that I couldn't put it down.
For example, a favourite essayist of mine is John McPhee, a long-time New Yorker staff writer. McPhee's writings don't seem to be online, but collections of his essays can be found in any good bookstore. I especially enjoyed "A Roomful of Hovings", a superb profile of a former curator of the New York Metropolitan Museum of Art, and "The Curve of Binding Energy", a profile of Ted Taylor, one of the most brilliant designers in the US nuclear weapon program, and also the visionary behind Project Orion (using nuclear power for interplanetary travel). A good place to start is the "John McPhee Reader" (http://www.amazon.com/John-McPhee-Reader/dp/0374517193); I was skeptical when I picked it up on a friend's recommendation, but found that I couldn't put it down.