''Putnam's Monthly Magazine of American Literature, Science and Art'' was a monthly periodical published by

G. P. Putnam's Sons G. P. Putnam's Sons is an American book publisher based in New York City, New York. Since 1996, it has been an imprint of the Penguin Group. History The company began as Wiley & Putnam with the 1838 partnership between George Palmer Putnam and J ...

featuring American literature and articles on science, art, and politics.

Series

The magazine had three incarnations. Ten semiannual volumes of six issues were published from 1853 to 1857 (vols. 1–10) and six from 1868 to 1870 (vols. 1–6, second series). Cornell University Library numbers them consecutively, vols. 1–16. The 1906–1910 version restarts numbering at Volume 1.

1853–1857

First, it was edited by

Charles Frederick Briggs Charles Frederick Briggs (December 30, 1804 – June 20, 1877), also called C. F. Briggs, was an American journalist, author and editor, born in Nantucket, Massachusetts. He was also known under the pseudonym "Harry Franco", having written ''The A ...

from January 1853 to September 1857 (whereupon it merged with '' Emerson's United States Magazine''); It was founded by

George Palmer Putnam George Palmer Putnam (February 7, 1814 – December 20, 1872) was an American publisher and author. He founded the firm G. P. Putnam's Sons and ''Putnam's Magazine''. He was an advocate of international copyright reform, secretary for many years ...

, who intended it to be a vehicle for publishing the best of new American writing; a circular that Putnam sent to prospective authors (including

Herman Melville Herman Melville (Name change, born Melvill; August 1, 1819 – September 28, 1891) was an American people, American novelist, short story writer, and poet of the American Renaissance (literature), American Renaissance period. Among his bes ...

) announced that the magazine would be 'as essentially an organ of American thought as possible'. Putnam saw an opportunity to create a magazine that would compete with the successful ''Harper's New Monthly Magazine'', which drew much of its content from British periodicals. As publishing only American writing would distinguish ''Putnam's'' from ''Harper's'' and give the former unique status in the marketplace, Ezra Greenspan has argued that the magazine's literary nationalism was ‘a shrewd mixture of ideological altruism and publishing acumen’.

Frederick Law Olmsted Frederick Law Olmsted (April 26, 1822August 28, 1903) was an American landscape architect, journalist, social critic, and public administrator. He is considered to be the father of landscape architecture in the USA. Olmsted was famous for co- ...

served as its editor in its final two years.

1868–1870

Edited by C. F. Briggs,

Edmund Clarence Stedman Edmund Clarence Stedman (October 8, 1833January 18, 1908) was an American poet, critic, essayist, banker, and scientist. Early life Edmund Clarence Stedman was born in Hartford, Connecticut, on October 8, 1833; his father, Major Edmund Burke ...

and

Parke Godwin Parke Godwin (January 28, 1929 – June 19, 2013) was an American writer. He won the World Fantasy Award for Best Novella in 1982 for his story "The Fire When It Comes". He was a native of New York City, where he was born in 1929. He was the g ...

from January 1868 to November 1870, whereupon it merged with ''

Scribner's Monthly ''Scribner's Monthly: An Illustrated Magazine for the People'' was an illustrated American literary periodical published from 1870 until 1881. Following a change in ownership in 1881 of the company that had produced it, the magazine was relaunch ...

''.

1906–1910

The 1853 ''Putnam's Magazine'' was revived as ''Putnam's Monthly'' and merged with ''The Critic'', which started publication in 1881 (or 1884?), and had been issued by Putnam's since 1898. The name of the merged publication was ''Putnam's Monthly and the Critic''.Harvard College Library Catalog

/ref> It was edited by Jeannette Leonard Gilder, Jeannette Gilder and Joseph Gilder from October 1906 to April 1910, when it merged with the ''

Atlantic Monthly ''The Atlantic'' is an American magazine and multi-platform publisher. It features articles in the fields of politics, foreign affairs, business and the economy, culture and the arts, technology, and science. It was founded in 1857 in Boston, ...

''.

References

External links

*
''Putnam’s Magazine''
at Cornell University Library "Making of America", vols. 1–16 (1853–1870) – originally vols. 1–10 and vols. 1–6, second series
''Putnam's Magazine''
at HathiTrust Digital Library, vols. 1–7 (1906–1910)
''The Critic''
at The Online Books Page The Atlantic (magazine) Monthly magazines published in the United States Cultural magazines published in the United States Defunct literary magazines published in the United States Magazines established in 1853 Magazines disestablished in 1910 Magazines disestablished in 1857 Magazines established in 1868 Magazines disestablished in 1870 Magazines established in 1906 Magazines published in New York City 1853 establishments in New York (state) {{US-lit-mag-stub