📖 Overview
Joan Acocella is an American journalist, dance and arts critic, and staff writer for The New Yorker magazine since 1995. She is particularly known for her extensive writing on dance, literature, and cultural criticism.
Acocella authored several influential books including "Mark Morris" (1993), a biography of the celebrated choreographer, and "Twenty-Eight Artists and Two Saints" (2007), a collection of essays on artists and writers. Her 1999 work "Willa Cather and the Politics of Criticism" sparked significant discussion in literary circles about the relationship between authors' lives and their critical reception.
As a dance critic, Acocella has written extensively about ballet and modern dance, covering major companies and choreographers for publications including The New York Review of Books and The New York Times. Her work frequently examines the intersection of art, culture, and society, with particular attention to how artists navigate creative and personal challenges.
Throughout her career, Acocella has received multiple honors for her criticism, including Guggenheim and Rockefeller fellowships. Her writing style combines deep knowledge of artistic traditions with clear, precise analysis that illuminates both technical and cultural aspects of performance and creative work.
👀 Reviews
Readers note Joan Acocella's clear, incisive writing style in her cultural criticism and biographical works. Book buyers comment frequently on her ability to analyze dance, literature, and performance without academic jargon.
Readers appreciate:
- Detailed research and historical context in "Willa Cather: The Life"
- Accessible explanations of dance techniques in "Mark Morris"
- Sharp humor in her New Yorker articles
Common criticisms:
- Can be overly focused on biographical details vs artistic analysis
- Some find her tone too authoritative
- Occasional repetition of ideas across essays
Ratings:
Goodreads:
"Twenty-Eight Artists and Two Saints" - 4.0/5 (314 ratings)
"Creating Hysteria" - 3.9/5 (289 ratings)
"Mark Morris" - 3.8/5 (41 ratings)
Amazon:
"Willa Cather: The Life" - 4.4/5 (16 reviews)
"Twenty-Eight Artists and Two Saints" - 4.3/5 (22 reviews)
📚 Books by Joan Acocella
Twenty-Eight Artists and Two Saints(2007)
Collection of essays examining the lives and works of various artists and writers, including Dorothy Parker, Mikhail Baryshnikov, and Mary Magdalene.
Mark Morris(1993) A biography of choreographer Mark Morris, covering his career from 1980 to the early 1990s, focusing on his creative process and major works.
Creating Hysteria: Women and Multiple Personality Disorder(1999) An examination of the multiple personality disorder epidemic in the United States during the 1980s and early 1990s, analyzing its cultural and medical contexts.
Willa Cather and the Politics of Criticism(2000) Analysis of how critics and scholars have interpreted Willa Cather's work over time, particularly focusing on various political and ideological readings.
Mission to America@ (2006) Novel about a young missionary from a small Montana-based religious sect who travels across America to find potential wives for his community.
Mark Morris(1993) A biography of choreographer Mark Morris, covering his career from 1980 to the early 1990s, focusing on his creative process and major works.
Creating Hysteria: Women and Multiple Personality Disorder(1999) An examination of the multiple personality disorder epidemic in the United States during the 1980s and early 1990s, analyzing its cultural and medical contexts.
Willa Cather and the Politics of Criticism(2000) Analysis of how critics and scholars have interpreted Willa Cather's work over time, particularly focusing on various political and ideological readings.
Mission to America@ (2006) Novel about a young missionary from a small Montana-based religious sect who travels across America to find potential wives for his community.