The Press: FELKER:'BULLY... BOOR... GENIUS'

The quintessential, slightly hoarse upper-class Manhattan honk, Tom Wolfe once theorized in New York magazine, can only be produced by the proper Eastern boarding schools, too many cigarettes over too many years and a great deal of whisky and gin. New York's founding editor Clay Schuette Felker, 51, attended a public high school in Webster Groves, Mo., has never smoked and rarely drinks anything stronger than cambric tea. His accent remains stubbornly and glottally Midwestern nasal. He flunks the honk test.

Nonetheless, Felker's weekly Almanac de Gotham lays down standards of aspiration, acceptance...

Want the full story?

Subscribe Now

Subscribe
Subscribe

Learn more about the benefits of being a TIME subscriber

If you are already a subscriber sign up — registration is free!