''Social Studies'' is a 1981 collection of comedic essays by American writer

Fran Lebowitz Frances Ann Lebowitz (; born October 27, 1950) is an American author, public speaker, and actor. She is known for her sardonic social commentary on American life as filtered through her New York City sensibilities and her association with many p ...

. To mark publication of ''Social Studies'', Fran Lebowitz wa
interviewed
in September 1981 by filmmaker

John Waters John Samuel Waters Jr. (born April 22, 1946) is an American filmmaker, actor, writer, and artist. He rose to fame in the early 1970s for his transgressive cult films, including '' Multiple Maniacs'' (1970), '' Pink Flamingos'' (1972) and '' Fe ...

about the collection, her stance on modern urbanity, and the life of a writer, published in the magazine ''

Interview An interview is a structured conversation where one participant asks questions, and the other provides answers.Merriam Webster DictionaryInterview Dictionary definition, Retrieved February 16, 2016 In common parlance, the word "interview" re ...

''. The long-form, wide-ranging, and humorous exchange was republished online in March 2023. ''Social Studies'' later was re-released in a 1994 compilation entitled '' The Fran Lebowitz Reader'' along with Lebowitz's 1978 essay collection ''

Metropolitan Life MetLife, Inc. is the holding corporation for the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company (MLIC), better known as MetLife, and its affiliates. MetLife is among the largest global providers of insurance, annuities, and employee benefit programs, w ...

''. In her signature fashion, Lebowitz records her wry observations, tastes, preferences, and aesthetic values within the essays of this second collection of her stories and opinion pieces. One of the essays in ''Social Studies'', for example, “Pointers for Pets”, recommends 19th-century American cabinetmaker

Duncan Phyfe Duncan Phyfe (1768 – 16 August 1854) was one of nineteenth-century America's leading cabinetmakers. Rather than create a new furniture style, he interpreted fashionable European trends in a manner so distinguished and particular that he beca ...

’s artistry, remarking: “Georgian silver and Duncan Phyfe sofas make wonderful companions, as do all alcoholic beverages and out-of-season fruits.” (p.55)

References

1981 non-fiction books English-language books Comedy books American essay collections Jewish comedy and humor Books about New York City Random House books Books by Fran Lebowitz {{comedy-book-stub