'The Muse' by Jonathan Galassi: A love letter to all who write, publish, and especially read books! New York in the sixties: Money was not just paper, books had substance, and bookstores were oases. Publisher Homer Stern resides in a shabby office, searching for treasures among all the manuscripts. He particularly envies his rival Sterling Wainwright, whose most important author, the poet Ida Perkins, he also admires immensely. With bold verses and an exquisite lifestyle, she keeps readers on the edge of their seats: and that cannot be bought. One person is especially fascinated by Ida Perkins: Paul Dukach, an editor at Homer Stern. He knows her work inside and out, yet her essence remains a mystery to him. In contrast, his own life is overshadowed by the great authors of the publishing house: their vanities and breakdowns, their romantic entanglements.