In addition to short stories and plays, Elkin wrote essays and reviews in college but did not publish much nonfiction work until later in his career when his reputation as one of America’s most innovative novelists was firmly established. Starting in the late 1970s, Elkin’s personal essays could be found in mainstream, regional and niche magazines, such as Harper’s, Esquire, Chicago, California and Arts & Antiques. More straight-forwardly autobiographical and topically focused than his fiction, while still retaining his trademark caustic humor, Elkin’s essays were more accessible but also at times more controversial, if his take on a relatable subject did not jibe with that of a sensitive reader’s opinion.