Mr. Auchincloss has written primarily about well-educated, decently-behaved professional people very much engaged in their work. And he has done so with considerable moral tact, sharpness of observation and narrative prudence. Reading a novel by Mr. Auchincloss is not like going on a spree, but it is never a waste of time or cause for acute spasms of nausea. There are no heights or depths, but the middle ground has its charms and occasionally its fascinations. (p. 7)

Louis Auchincloss has a fine eye for the social implications of habitat. His descriptions [in "The House of the Prophet"] of the differences and snobberies associated with two summer colonies in Maine—one the preserve of socialites, the other of academics—offer a marvelous combination of satire and shrewd observation. Moreover, he is a master of the quick character sketch, the presentation of temperament and physique in one or two strokes...