In addition to being the son of famous New Yorker editor William Shawn and brother of thedistinguished playwright and actor Wallace Shawn, Allen Shawn is agoraphobic—he is afraid ofboth public spaces and isolation. Wish I Could Be There gracefully captures both of theseextraordinary realities, blending memoir and scientific inquiry in an utterly engrossing quest tounderstand the mysteries of the human mind. Droll, probing, and honest, Shawn explores themany ways we all become who we are, whether through upbringing, genes, or our own choices,creating "an eloquent meditation upon the mysteries of personality and family"* and the struggleto face one's demons.