Joseph Quincy Mitchell (July 27, 1908 – May 24, 1996) was an American writer best known for his works of creative nonfiction he published in *The New Yorker.* His work primarily consists of character studies, where he used detailed portraits of people and events to highlight the commonplace of the world, especially in and around New York City. His book *Up in the Old Hotel* collects the best of his writing for *The New Yorker.* His last book was his empathetic account of the Greenwich Village street character and self-proclaimed historian Joe Gould, published as *Joe Gould's Secret* (1964).