(born 1933) Susan Sontag is an American essayist, novelist, and film-maker known for her insightful analyses of contemporary culture. Born in New York City, her diverse accomplishments include a prolific literary career, a performance in Woody Allen’s Zelig (1983) and an uncompromising dedication to humanitarian concerns. She has written many highly original essay collections, short stories and novels, and has also written and directed films. Her essay collections include Against Interpretation (1966), About Photography (1977), Illness as Metaphor (1978) and Under the Sign of Saturn (1980).

Her novels include The Volcano Lover: A Romance (1992).