In her new book, the former curator and independent historian Bonnie Yochelson provides a long-overdue biography of Alice Austen, the first in half a century. Copiously illustrated, Too Good to Get Married, also provides a much-needed study of the photographer’s enormous and pioneering body of work.

Austen grew up in Staten Island during the late 1800s, a Gilded Age socialite devoted to what she called “the larky life” (tennis matches, yacht races, lavish parties). But early on she committed herself to the new art of photography, instead of following the usual path to marriage. Austen also used her camera to satirize gender norms, embracing the rebellious spirit of the “New Woman.” She had romantic affairs with women, too, and at thirty-one met Gertrude Tate, who became her life partner. Rejecting the pursuit of a career over the taint of commerce, she remained an amateur photographer, within the confines of elite society. But she left behind a large, intriguing legacy. Yochelson fills the need for a fresh and deeply researched look at this skillful, witty artist, whose life illuminates the history of American photography and sexuality.

Nick Yablon, Associate Professor of History and American studies at the University of Iowa, joins in conversation.