In Studying with Miss Bishop, Dana Gioia discusses six people who helped him become a writer and better understand what it meant to dedicate one's life to writing. Four were famous authors - Elizabeth Bishop, John Cheever, James Dickey, and Robert Fitzgerald. Two were unknown - Gioia's Merchant Marine uncle and Ronald Perry, a forgotten poet. Each of the six essays provides a vivid portrait; taken together they tell the story of Gioia's own journey from working-class LA to international literary success. | Studying With Miss Bishop by Dana Gioia, Paperback | Indigo Chapters