A master of the art of the essay, Mary McCarthy's 'On the Contrary' offers a thoughtful and incisive exploration of the issues and ideas that defined mid-century America. Whether reflecting on the challenges of feminism, the contradictions of politics, or the complexities of art and culture, McCarthy brings her trademark wit and erudition to bear on a wide range of topics.This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it.This work is in the "public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work.Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.