Simeon Strunsky

Born in Vitebsk in the Russian Empire on July 23, 1879, he came to New York as a child and later graduated from Columbia University in 1900. He began his career in reference publishing with the New International Encyclopedia before moving into journalism.

He wrote for the New York Evening Post from 1906, serving first as an editorial writer and later as literary editor. In 1924 he joined The New York Times, where his unsigned "Topics of the Times" pieces became a familiar part of the paper for many years.

Alongside newspaper work, he published essays, criticism, and books, and he was known for a style that mixed intelligence, humor, and a light touch. He died on February 5, 1948, leaving behind a body of writing closely tied to the public life and conversation of his era.