Faculty: Jay McInerney

-If you tuned in to to the Gossip Girl premiere, you may have recognized Dan Humphrey's mentor as author Jay McInerney, who rose to fame some 24 years ago with his debut novel Bright Lights, Big City. McInerney and American Psycho author Bret Easton Ellis redefined the concept of literary celebrity in the 1980s, as their exploits were well documented in the media and their own work.
-GG aside, McInerney has also been in the news recently in the wake of John Edwards' extamarital affair. The main character in McInerney's novel Story of My Life is based on Rielle Hunter, his ex-girlfriend and Edwards' mistress. Her character, Alison Poole, also has a bit part in B.E.E.'s American Psycho, and ulitimately falls victim to the novel's sadistic protagonist, Patrick Bateman.
-Before he got wrapped up in teen drama and political scandal, McInerney wrote The Good Life, a novel based around the events of September 11th. Like several of his other works, The Good Life received mixed reviews and was criticized for focusing exclusively on the lives of overprivileged New Yorkers. Regardless of the socioeconomic status of his subjects, McInerney's writing has always been earnest and heartfelt, and I will definitely say that Bright Lights, Big City is one of my favorite books. Jay might be getting older, but he obviously has no desire to leave the lights or the city behind.