John Ashbery’s latest book of poems is Quick Question. From 1960 to 1965, he was the International HeraldTribune art critic and the ARTnews Paris correspondent. France has named him a Chevalier de l’ordre des Arts et des Lettres and an Officier de la Légion d’honneur. He has received a National Book Foundation Medal for Distinguished Contribution to American Letters, and was awarded a National Humanities Medal by President Obama.