Philip Galanes

Philip Galanes (born October 4, 1962) ^{[not verified in body]} is an American writer with two novels, Father's Day in 2004 and Emma's Table in 2008, a contributor to The New York Times since the mid-1980s, and the weekly contributor of the "Social Q's" column to their Sunday Styles section since June 2008. He has also worked, based on his legal training, as a lawyer and company executive.^[1]

Philip Galanes
Born	(1962-10-04) October 4, 1962 (age 62)[not verified in body] New York City, U.S.[not verified in body]
Occupation	writer novelist lawyer executive
Language	English
Genre	Essays, nonfiction

Early life and education

Philip Galanes was born on October 4, 1962, in New York City.^{[citation needed]} He grew up in the readership area of the Brattleboro Reformer, from which he read to his family the "Dear Abby" family-advice column six days a week in his self-appointed roles as the "family fixer".^{[2][3][independent source needed]}

Galanes received B.A. and J.D. degrees from Yale College and Yale Law School, respectively.^{[when?][citation needed]}

Career

Prior to 2001, Galanes was employed as COO by the children's media company, Golden Books Family Entertainment.^[1] Immediately following that, he had developed "a budding business advising collectors on the acquisition of Modernist furniture, rugs, fabrics and lighting".^[1][4] In 2008 he is described as being "a corporate and entertainment lawyer in private practice".^[5] He has worked at the law firms of Paul Weiss Rifkind Wharton and Garrison,^[when?] and Debevoise and Plimpton.^{[when?][citation needed]}

Galanes has published two novels, Father's Day in 2004, described by Belinda Goldsmith of Reuters as being "about a man whose father committed suicide" as Galanes' father had,^[5][6] and Emma's Table: A Novel, described by Galanes to an interviewer in its publication year of 2008 as "a comedy of manners that centers around a celebrity decorator and merchandising mogul reminiscent of Martha Stewart".^[5][7] His name appears in the writer compilations, Contemporary Authors (2005) and Contemporary Authors New Revision Series (2010).^{[8][9][verification needed]}

In late 1984 through March 1985, Galanes contributed at least four articles to The New York Times, including two reviews of fiction and other pieces.^{[10][better source needed]} As of May 2023, Galanes continued as The New York Times writer of the modern-day advice column "Social Q's", which appears weekly in the Sunday Styles section,^{[citation needed]} a role he has filled since June 2008.^{[10][better source needed][11][better source needed]} As characterized by radio interviewer Terry Gross, the essays "offe[r] advice on how to handle difficult social situations at work and at home, as well as how to deal with new etiquette questions relating to texting, email and social media".^[2] The column came about when a Times editor who had read one of Galanes's novels proposed he try the new medium.^{[2][3][independent source needed]}

A selection of Galanes's essays from the column have been published in book form.^{[12][13][full citation needed]} Galanes also monitors the "Social Q's" group on Facebook, where members discuss current topics.^{[citation needed]}

Media appearances

Galanes has appeared on television in connection with his column; he has been interviewed on The Gayle King Show,^{[citation needed]} The Ellen DeGeneres Show,^{[citation needed]} and Plum TV.^{[citation needed]} He has also appeared on Today with Hoda Kotb and Kathie Lee Gifford.^{[citation needed]} Galanes has also been on a number of NPR programs.^{[citation needed]}

Personal life

Galanes' father died of a self-inflicted gunshot when Galanes was 23, a fact that Galanes kept secret for a decade while substituting fictional causes of his father's death.^[14] Galanes has said that writing Father's Day was a step in his coming to terms with his father's death.^[2]

As of 2004, Galanes' partner was Michael Haverland, then an assistant professor at the Yale School of Architecture, and they shared a dwelling in East Hampton, New York.^[1]