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''The New York Review of Books'' (or ''NYREV'' or ''NYRB'') is a semi-monthly magazine with articles on literature, culture, economics, science and current affairs. Published in New York City, it is inspired by the idea that the discussion of important books is an indispensable literary activity. ''
Esquire Esquire (, ; abbreviated Esq.) is usually a courtesy title. In the United Kingdom, ''esquire'' historically was a title of respect accorded to men of higher social rank, particularly members of the landed gentry above the rank of gentlema ...
'' called it "the premier literary-intellectual magazine in the English language." In 1970, writer Tom Wolfe described it as "the chief theoretical organ of Radical Chic". The ''Review'' publishes long-form reviews and essays, often by well-known writers, original poetry, and has letters and personals advertising sections that had attracted critical comment. In 1979 the magazine founded the ''
London Review of Books The ''London Review of Books'' (''LRB'') is a British literary magazine published twice monthly that features articles and essays on fiction and non-fiction subjects, which are usually structured as book reviews. History The ''London Review of ...
'', which soon became independent. In 1990 it founded an Italian edition, ''la Rivista dei Libri'', published until 2010. The ''Review'' has a book publishing division, established in 1999, called New York Review Books, which publishes reprints of classics, as well as collections and children's books. Since 2010, the journal has hosted a blog written by its contributors. The ''Review'' celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2013. A Martin Scorsese film called ''
The 50 Year Argument ''The 50 Year Argument'' is a documentary film by Martin Scorsese and co-directed by David Tedeschi about the history and influence of the ''New York Review of Books'', which marked its 50th anniversary in 2013. The documentary premiered in Jun ...
'' documents the history and influence of the paper over its first half century.
Robert B. Silvers Robert Benjamin Silvers (December 31, 1929 – March 20, 2017) was an American editor who served as editor of ''The New York Review of Books'' from 1963 to 2017. Raised on Long Island, New York, Silvers graduated from the University of Chicago ...
and
Barbara Epstein Barbara Epstein ( Zimmerman; August 30, 1928 – June 16, 2006) was a literary editor and founding co-editor of ''The New York Review of Books''. Life and work Epstein, née Zimmerman, was born in Boston, Massachusetts, to a Jewish family, and g ...
edited the paper together from its founding in 1963 until Epstein's death in 2006. From then until his death in 2017, Silvers was the sole editor.
Ian Buruma Ian Buruma (born December 28, 1951) is a Dutch writer and editor who lives and works in the United States. In 2017, he became editor of ''The New York Review of Books'', but left the position in September 2018. Much of his writing has focused on ...
became editor in September 2017 and left the post in September 2018. Gabriel Winslow-Yost and Emily Greenhouse became co-editors in February 2019; in February 2021 Greenhouse was made editor.


History and description


Early years

''The New York Review'' was founded by
Robert B. Silvers Robert Benjamin Silvers (December 31, 1929 – March 20, 2017) was an American editor who served as editor of ''The New York Review of Books'' from 1963 to 2017. Raised on Long Island, New York, Silvers graduated from the University of Chicago ...
and
Barbara Epstein Barbara Epstein ( Zimmerman; August 30, 1928 – June 16, 2006) was a literary editor and founding co-editor of ''The New York Review of Books''. Life and work Epstein, née Zimmerman, was born in Boston, Massachusetts, to a Jewish family, and g ...
, together with publisher
A. Whitney Ellsworth Arthur Whitney Ellsworth (May 31, 1936, Manhattan – June 18, 2011, Salisbury, Connecticut) was an American editor and publisher best known as the first publisher of ''The New York Review of Books''. In 1957, Ellsworth was President of ''The Harv ...
and writer Elizabeth Hardwick. They were backed and encouraged by Epstein's husband, Jason Epstein, a vice president at Random House and editor of
Vintage Books Vintage Books is a trade paperback publishing imprint of Penguin Random House originally established by Alfred A. Knopf in 1954. The company was purchased by Random House in April 1960, and a British division was set up in 1990. After Random Hous ...
, and Hardwick's husband, poet
Robert Lowell Robert Traill Spence Lowell IV (; March 1, 1917 – September 12, 1977) was an American poet. He was born into a Boston Brahmin family that could trace its origins back to the ''Mayflower''. His family, past and present, were important subjects i ...
. In 1959 Hardwick had published an essay, "The Decline of Book Reviewing", in '' Harper's'',Hardwick, Elizabeth
"The Decline of Book Reviewing"
''
Harpers Harpers may refer to: * Harpers, popular misnomer for ''Harper's Magazine'', American monthly magazine * ''Harper's Bazaar'', monthly American fashion magazine * ''Harpers Wine & Spirit'', formerly ''Harpers Magazine'' (since 1878), British trade ...
'', October 1959, accessed March 16, 2013
where Silvers was then an editor, in a special issue that he edited called "Writing in America". Gevisser, Mark. "Robert Silvers on the Paris and New York ''Reviews''", '' The Paris Review'', March 20, 2012Fassler, Joe
"A 50-Year Protest for Good Writing"
'' The Atlantic'', October 1, 2014
Her essay was an indictment of American book reviews of the time, "light, little article that she decried as "lobotomized", passionless praise and denounced as "blandly, respectfully denying whatever vivacious interest there might be in books or in literary matters generally." The group was inspired to found a new magazine to publish thoughtful, probing, lively reviews featuring what Hardwick called "the unusual, the difficult, the lengthy, the intransigent, and above all, the ''interesting''".Cooke, Rachel
"Robert Silvers interview: 'Someone told me Martin Scorsese might be interested in making a film about us. And he was'"
'' The Observer'', '' The Guardian'', 7 June 2014
During the
1962–63 New York City newspaper strike Year 196 ( CXCVI) was a leap year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Dexter and Messalla (or, less frequently, year 949 ''Ab urbe condita ...
, when '' The New York Times'' and several other newspapers suspended publication, Hardwick, Lowell and the Epsteins seized the chance to establish the sort of vigorous book review that Hardwick had imagined.Jason Epstein recounts the story of the initial meeting of the Epsteins, Hardwick and Lowell i
"A Strike and a Start: Founding The New York Review"
''NYR Blog'', ''The New York Review of Books'', March 16, 2013
Jason Epstein knew that book publishers would advertise their books in the new publication, since they had no other outlet for promoting new books. The group turned to the Epsteins' friend Silvers, who had been an editor at '' The Paris Review'' and was still at ''Harper's'',Brown, Andrew
"The writer's editor"
''The Guardian'', January 24, 2004
to edit the publication, and Silvers asked Barbara Epstein to co-edit with him. She was known as the editor at Doubleday of Anne Frank's ''
Diary of a Young Girl ''The Diary of a Young Girl'', also known as ''The Diary of Anne Frank'', is a book of the writings from the Dutch-language diary kept by Anne Frank while she was in hiding for two years with her family during the Nazi occupation of the Nether ...
'', among other books, and then worked at Dutton, McGraw-Hill and '' The Partisan Review''.McGrath, Charles
"Barbara Epstein, Editor and Literary Arbiter, Dies at 77"
''The New York Times'', June 17, 2006, accessed March 21, 2012
Silvers and Epstein sent books to "the writers we knew and admired most. ... We asked for three thousand words in three weeks in order to show what a book review should be, and practically everyone came through. No one mentioned money." The first issue of the ''Review'' was published on February 1, 1963, and sold out its printing of 100,000 copies.Schudel, Matt.

''The Washington Post'', June 19, 2006, p. B05
It prompted nearly 1,000 letters to the editors asking for the ''Review'' to continue. '' The New Yorker'' called it "surely the best first issue of any magazine ever." ''
Salon Salon may refer to: Common meanings * Beauty salon, a venue for cosmetic treatments * French term for a drawing room, an architectural space in a home * Salon (gathering), a meeting for learning or enjoyment Arts and entertainment * Salon (P ...
'' later commented that the list of contributors in the first issue "represented a '
shock and awe Shock and awe (technically known as rapid dominance) is a military strategy based on the use of overwhelming power and spectacular displays of force to paralyze the enemy's perception of the battlefield and destroy their will to fight. Though ...
' demonstration of the intellectual firepower available for deployment in mid-century America, and, almost equally impressive, of the art of editorial networking and jawboning. This was the party everyone who was anyone wanted to attend, the Black and White Ball of the critical elite."Howard, Gerald
"Out of a newspaper strike dawned a new age in American letters"
''Salon'', February 1, 2013
The ''Review'' "announced the arrival of a particular sensibility ... the engaged, literary, post-war progressive intellectual, who was concerned with civil rights and feminism as well as fiction and poetry and theater.Haglund, David, Aisha Harris, and Alexandra Heimbach
"Was This the Best First Issue of Any Magazine Ever?"
''Slate'' magazine, February 1, 2013
The first issue projected "a confidence in the unquestioned rightness of the liberal consensus, in the centrality of literature and its power to convey meaning, in the solubility of our problems through the application of intelligence and good will, and in the coherence and clear hierarchy of the intellectual world". After the success of the first issue, the editors assembled a second issue to demonstrate that "the ''Review'' was not a one-shot affair". The founders then collected investments from a circle of friends and acquaintances, and Ellsworth joined as publisher. The ''Review'' began regular biweekly publication in November 1963."The New York Review of Books Announces its 50th Anniversary"
''Book Business'' magazine, January 31, 2013
Silvers said of the editors' philosophy, that "there was no subject we couldn't deal with. And if there was no book
n a subject N, or n, is the fourteenth letter in the Latin alphabet, used in the modern English alphabet, the alphabets of other western European languages and others worldwide. Its name in English is ''en'' (pronounced ), plural ''ens''. History ...
we would deal with it anyway. We tried hard to avoid books that were simply competent rehearsals of familiar subjects, and we hoped to find books that would establish something fresh, something original." In particular, "We felt you had to have a political analysis of the nature of power in America – who had it, who was affected". The editors also shared an "intense admiration for wonderful writers".Benson, Heidi
"New York Review of Books' Robert Silvers"
''San Francisco Chronicle'', November 9, 2008
But, Silvers noted, it is a mystery whether "reviews have a calculable political and social impact" or will even gain attention: "You mustn't think too much about influence – if you find something interesting yourself, that should be enough." Well-known writers were willing to contribute articles for the initial issues of the ''Review'' without pay because it offered them a chance to write a new kind of book review. As
Mark Gevisser Mark Gevisser (born 1964) is a South African author and journalist. His latest book is ''The Pink Line: Journeys Across the World's Queer Frontiers'' (2020). Previous books include ''A Legacy of Liberation: Thabo Mbeki and the Future of the Sou ...
explained: "The essays ... made the book review form not just a report on the book and a judgment of the book, but an essay in itself. And that, I think, startled everyone – that a book review could be exciting in that way, could be provocative in that way." Early issues included articles by such writers as Hardwick, Lowell, Jason Epstein,
Hannah Arendt Hannah Arendt (, , ; 14 October 1906 – 4 December 1975) was a political philosopher, author, and Holocaust survivor. She is widely considered to be one of the most influential political theorists of the 20th century. Arendt was born ...
, W. H. Auden, Saul Bellow,
John Berryman John Allyn McAlpin Berryman (born John Allyn Smith, Jr.; October 25, 1914 – January 7, 1972) was an American poet and scholar. He was a major figure in American poetry in the second half of the 20th century and is considered a key figure in th ...
, Truman Capote, Paul Goodman, Lillian Hellman, Irving Howe, Alfred Kazin,
Anthony Lewis Anthony Lewis (March 27, 1927 – March 25, 2013) was an American public intellectual and journalist. He was twice winner of the Pulitzer Prize, and was a columnist for ''The New York Times''. He is credited with creating the field of legal jour ...
,
Dwight Macdonald Dwight Macdonald (March 24, 1906 – December 19, 1982) was an American writer, editor, film critic, social critic, literary critic, philosopher, and activist. Macdonald was a member of the New York Intellectuals and editor of their leftist maga ...
,
Norman Mailer Nachem Malech Mailer (January 31, 1923 – November 10, 2007), known by his pen name Norman Kingsley Mailer, was an American novelist, journalist, essayist, playwright, activist, filmmaker and actor. In a career spanning over six decades, Mailer ...
, Mary McCarthy,
Norman Podhoretz Norman Podhoretz (; born January 16, 1930) is an American magazine editor, writer, and conservative political commentator, who identifies his views as " paleo-neoconservative".
,
Philip Rahv Philip, also Phillip, is a male given name, derived from the Greek (''Philippos'', lit. "horse-loving" or "fond of horses"), from a compound of (''philos'', "dear", "loved", "loving") and (''hippos'', "horse"). Prominent Philips who popularize ...
, Adrienne Rich,
Susan Sontag Susan Sontag (; January 16, 1933 – December 28, 2004) was an American writer, philosopher, and political activist. She mostly wrote essays, but also published novels; she published her first major work, the essay "Notes on 'Camp'", in 1964. Her ...
, William Styron, Gore Vidal, Robert Penn Warren and Edmund Wilson. The ''Review'' pointedly published interviews with European political dissidents, including
Alexander Solzhenitsyn Aleksandr Isayevich Solzhenitsyn. (11 December 1918 – 3 August 2008) was a Russian novelist. One of the most famous Soviet dissidents, Solzhenitsyn was an outspoken critic of communism and helped to raise global awareness of political repress ...
, Andrei Sakharov and Václav Havel.


Since 1979

During the year-long lockout at '' The Times'' in London in 1979, the ''Review'' founded a daughter publication, the ''
London Review of Books The ''London Review of Books'' (''LRB'') is a British literary magazine published twice monthly that features articles and essays on fiction and non-fiction subjects, which are usually structured as book reviews. History The ''London Review of ...
''. For the first six months this journal appeared as an insert in the ''New York Review of Books'', but it became an independent publication in 1980. In 1990 the ''Review'' founded an Italian edition, ''la Rivista dei Libri.'' It was published for two decades until May 2010. For over 40 years, Silvers and Epstein edited the ''Review'' together. In 1984, Silvers, Epstein and their partners sold the ''Review'' to publisher
Rea S. Hederman REA or Rea may refer to: Places * Rea, Lombardy, in Italy * Rea, Missouri, United States * River Rea, a river in Birmingham, England * River Rea, Shropshire, a river in Shropshire, England * Rea, Hungarian name of Reea village in Totești Commune ...
, who still owns the paper,McLure, Jason and Ilenia Caia
"Fired by family, Hederman made ''New York Review'' second act"
''Global Journalist'', January 11, 2016
but the two continued as its editors. In 2006, Epstein died of cancer at the age of 77. In awarding to Epstein and Silvers its 2006 Literarian Award for Outstanding Service to the American Literary Community, the National Book Foundation stated: "With ''The New York Review of Books'', Robert Silvers and Barbara Epstein raised book reviewing to an art and made the discussion of books a lively, provocative and intellectual activity.""Robert Silvers and Barbara Epstein to Be Honored"
Press release from The National Book Foundation (2006)
After Epstein's death, Silvers was the sole editor until his own death in 2017. Asked about who might succeed him as editor, Silvers told ''The New York Times'', "I can think of several people who would be marvelous editors. Some of them work here, some used to work here, and some are just people we know. I think they would put out a terrific paper, but it would be different." In 2008, the ''Review'' celebrated its 45th anniversary with a panel discussion at the
New York Public Library The New York Public Library (NYPL) is a public library system in New York City. With nearly 53 million items and 92 locations, the New York Public Library is the second largest public library in the United States (behind the Library of Congress ...
, moderated by Silvers, discussing "What Happens Now" in the United States after the
2008 election This electoral calendar 2008 lists the national/federal direct elections held in 2008 in the de jure and de facto sovereign states and their dependent territories. Referendums are included, even though they are not elections. By-elections are no ...
of Barack Obama as president. Panelists included ''Review'' contributors such as Didion, Wills, novelist and literary critic
Darryl Pinckney Darryl Pinckney (born 1953 in Indianapolis, Indiana) is an American novelist, playwright, and essayist. Early life Pinckney grew up in a middle-class African-American family in Indianapolis, Indiana, where he attended local public schools. He wa ...
, political commentator Michael Tomasky, and Columbia University professor and contributor
Andrew Delbanco Andrew H. Delbanco (born 1952) is the Alexander Hamilton Professor of American Studies at Columbia University and the president of thTeagle Foundation He is the author of many books, including ''The War Before the War: Fugitive Slaves and the Str ...
. The 45th anniversary edition of the ''Review'' (November 20, 2008) began with a posthumous piece by Edmund Wilson, who wrote for the paper's first issue in 1963. In 2008, the paper moved its headquarters from
Midtown Manhattan Midtown Manhattan is the central portion of the New York City borough of Manhattan and serves as the city's primary central business district. Midtown is home to some of the city's most prominent buildings, including the Empire State Buildin ...
to 435 Hudson Street located in the West Village.Neyfakh, Leon
"What's New at The New York Review of Books?"
''The New York Observer'', December 13, 2007
In 2010, it launched a blog section of its website that ''The New York Times'' called "lively and opinionated", and it hosts podcasts. Asked in 2013 how social media might affect the subject matter of the ''Review'', Silvers commented:
"I might imagine witty, aphoristic, almost
Oscar Wilde Oscar Fingal O'Flahertie Wills Wilde (16 October 185430 November 1900) was an Irish poet and playwright. After writing in different forms throughout the 1880s, he became one of the most popular playwrights in London in the early 1890s. He is ...
an nthology ofremarks, drawn from the millions and millions of tweets. Or from comments that follow on blogs. ... Facebook is a medium in which privacy is, or at least is thought to be, in some way crucial. ... And so there seems a resistance to intrusive criticism. We seem at the edge of a vast, expanding ocean of words ... growing without any critical perspective whatever being brought to bear on it. To me, as an editor, that seems an enormous absence." Danner, Mark
"In Conversation: Robert Silvers"
''New York'', April 7, 2013
''The Review'' began a year-long celebration of its 50th anniversary with a presentation by Silvers and several contributors at The Town Hall in New York City in February 2013. Other events included a program at the New York Public Library in April, called "Literary Journalism: A Discussion", focusing on the editorial process at the ''Review'' and a reception in November at the
Frick Collection The Frick Collection is an art museum in New York City. Its permanent collection (normally at the Henry Clay Frick House, currently at the 945 Madison Avenue#2021–present: Frick Madison, Frick Madison) features Old Master paintings and Europe ...
. During the year, Martin Scorsese filmed a documentary about the history and influence of the ''Review'', and the debates that it has spawned, titled ''
The 50 Year Argument ''The 50 Year Argument'' is a documentary film by Martin Scorsese and co-directed by David Tedeschi about the history and influence of the ''New York Review of Books'', which marked its 50th anniversary in 2013. The documentary premiered in Jun ...
'', which premiered in June 2014 at the
Sheffield Doc/Fest Sheffield DocFest (formerly styled Sheffield Doc/Fest), short for Sheffield International Documentary Festival (SIDF), is an international documentary festival and Marketplace held annually in Sheffield, England. The Festival includes film sc ...
in England. It was later seen at various film festivals, on BBC television and on
HBO Home Box Office (HBO) is an American premium television network, which is the flagship property of namesake parent subsidiary Home Box Office, Inc., itself a unit owned by Warner Bros. Discovery. The overall Home Box Office business unit is ba ...
in the US. Asked how he maintained his "level of meticulousness and determination" after 50 years, Silvers said that the ''Review'' "was and is a unique opportunity ... to do what one wants on anything in the world. Now, that is given to hardly any editor, anywhere, anytime. There are no strictures, no limits. Nobody saying you can't do something. No subject, no theme, no idea that can’t be addressed in-depth. ... Whatever work is involved is minor compared to the opportunity." A special 50th anniversary issue was dated November 7, 2013. Silvers said:
An independent, critical voice on politics, literature, science, and the arts seems as much needed today as it was when Barbara Epstein and I put out the first edition of the ''New York Review'' fifty years ago – perhaps even more so. Electronic forms of communication grow rapidly in every field of life but many of their effects on culture remain obscure and in need of new kinds of critical scrutiny. That will be a central concern of the ''Review'' for the years to come.
Ian Buruma Ian Buruma (born December 28, 1951) is a Dutch writer and editor who lives and works in the United States. In 2017, he became editor of ''The New York Review of Books'', but left the position in September 2018. Much of his writing has focused on ...
, who had been a regular contributor to the ''Review'' since 1985, became editor in September 2017. He left the position in September 2018 after backlash over publishing an essay by
Jian Ghomeshi Jian Ghomeshi (born June 9, 1967) is a British-born Persian-Canadian broadcaster, writer, musician, producer and former CBC personality. From 1990 to 2000, he was a vocalist and drummer in the Thornhill-based folk-pop band Moxy Früvous. In ...
, who has been accused by 20 women of sexual assault, and defending the publication in an interview with ''
Slate Slate is a fine-grained, foliated, homogeneous metamorphic rock derived from an original shale-type sedimentary rock composed of clay or volcanic ash through low-grade regional metamorphism. It is the finest grained foliated metamorphic rock. ...
'' magazine. The ''Review'' stated that it did not follow its "usual editorial practices", as the essay "was shown to only one male editor during the editing process", and that Buruma's statement to ''Slate'' about the staff of the ''Review'' "did not accurately represent their views". Gabriel Winslow-Yost (formerly a senior editor at the ''Review'') and Emily Greenhouse (formerly the managing editor of ''The New Yorker'' and earlier an editorial assistant at the ''Review'') were named co-editors in February 2019;
Daniel Mendelsohn Daniel Mendelsohn (born 1960), is an American author, essayist, critic, columnist, and translator. Best known for his internationally best-selling and award-winning Holocaust family memoir The Lost: A Search for Six of Six Million, he is curre ...
, a longtime ''Review'' contributor, was named to the new position of "editor at large". In February 2021, Greenhouse was made editor of the ''Review'', while Winslow-Yost became a senior editor.


Description

The ''Review'' has been described as a "kind of magazine ... in which the most interesting and qualified minds of our time would discuss current books and issues in depth ... a literary and critical journal based on the assumption that the discussion of important books was itself an indispensable literary activity." Each issue includes a broad range of subject matter, including "articles on art, science, politics and literature."McGrath, Charles
"Editor Not Ready to Write an Ending"
''The New York Times'', March 16, 2012
Early on, the editors decided that the ''Review'' would "be interested in everything ... no subject would be excluded. Someone is writing a piece about Nascar racing for us; another is working on Veronese." The ''Review'' has focused, however, on political topics; as Silvers commented in 2004: "The pieces we have published by such writers as Brian Urquhart, Thomas Powers,
Mark Danner Mark David Danner (born November 10, 1958) is an American writer, journalist, and educator. He is a former staff writer for ''The New Yorker'' and frequent contributor to ''The New York Review of Books''. Danner specializes in U.S. foreign affa ...
and
Ronald Dworkin Ronald Myles Dworkin (; December 11, 1931 – February 14, 2013) was an American philosopher, jurist, and scholar of United States constitutional law. At the time of his death, he was Frank Henry Sommer Professor of Law and Philosophy at New Yo ...
have been reactions to a genuine crisis concerning American destructiveness, American relations with its allies, American protections of its traditions of liberties. ... The aura of patriotic defiance cultivated by the
ush Uqturpan County, United States National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency or Uchturpan County ( transliterated from ; ), also Wushi County (), is a county in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region under the administration of Aksu Prefecture and shar ...
Administration, in a fearful atmosphere, had the effect of muffling dissent." Silvers told ''The New York Times'': "The great political issues of power and its abuses have always been natural questions for us." '' The Nation'' gave its view of the political focus of the ''New York Review of Books'' in 2004:
The Review took a vocal role in contesting the Vietnam War. ... Around 1970, a sturdy liberalism began to supplant left-wing radicalism at the paper. As Philip Nobile observed in ... 1974 ... the ''Review'' returned to its roots and became "a literary magazine on the British nineteenth-century model, which would mix politics and literature in a tough but gentlemanly fashion." ... The publication has always been erudite and authoritative – and because of its analytical rigor and seriousness, frequently essential – but it hasn't always been lively, pungent and readable. ... But the election of
George W. Bush George Walker Bush (born July 6, 1946) is an American politician who served as the 43rd president of the United States from 2001 to 2009. A member of the Republican Party, Bush family, and son of the 41st president George H. W. Bush, he ...
, combined with the furies of
9/11 The September 11 attacks, commonly known as 9/11, were four coordinated suicide terrorist attacks carried out by al-Qaeda against the United States on Tuesday, September 11, 2001. That morning, nineteen terrorists hijacked four commercial ...
, jolted the editors. Since 2001, the Review's temperature has risen and its political outlook has sharpened. ... Prominent riters forthe Review ... charged into battle not only against the White House but against the lethargic press corps and the "liberal hawk" intellectuals. ... In stark contrast to ''The New Yorker'' ... or ''The New York Times Magazine'' ..., the ''Review'' opposed the Iraq War in a voice that was remarkably consistent and unified.
Over the years, the ''Review'' has featured reviews and articles by such international writers and intellectuals, in addition to those already noted, as Timothy Garton Ash,
Margaret Atwood Margaret Eleanor Atwood (born November 18, 1939) is a Canadian poet, novelist, literary critic, essayist, teacher, environmental activist, and inventor. Since 1961, she has published 18 books of poetry, 18 novels, 11 books of non-fiction, nin ...
, Russell Baker, Saul Bellow,
Isaiah Berlin Sir Isaiah Berlin (6 June 1909 – 5 November 1997) was a Russian-British social and political theorist, philosopher, and historian of ideas. Although he became increasingly averse to writing for publication, his improvised lectures and talks ...
, Harold Bloom,
Joseph Brodsky Iosif Aleksandrovich Brodsky (; russian: link=no, Иосиф Александрович Бродский ; 24 May 1940 – 28 January 1996) was a Russian and American poet and essayist. Born in Leningrad (now Saint Petersburg), USSR in 1940, ...
, Ian Buruma, Noam Chomsky, J. M. Coetzee,
Frederick Crews Frederick Campbell Crews (born 20 February 1933) is an American essayist and literary critic. Professor emeritus of English at the University of California, Berkeley, Crews is the author of numerous books, including ''The Tragedy of Manners: M ...
,
Ronald Dworkin Ronald Myles Dworkin (; December 11, 1931 – February 14, 2013) was an American philosopher, jurist, and scholar of United States constitutional law. At the time of his death, he was Frank Henry Sommer Professor of Law and Philosophy at New Yo ...
, John Kenneth Galbraith,
Masha Gessen Masha Gessen (born 13 January 1967) is a Russian-American journalist, author, translator and activist who has been an outspoken critic of the president of Russia, Vladimir Putin, and the former president of the United States, Donald Trump. Gess ...
,
Nadine Gordimer Nadine Gordimer (20 November 192313 July 2014) was a South African writer and political activist. She received the 1991 Nobel Prize in Literature, Nobel Prize in Literature in 1991, recognized as a writer "who through her magnificent epic writin ...
,
Stephen Jay Gould Stephen Jay Gould (; September 10, 1941 – May 20, 2002) was an American paleontologist, evolutionary biologist, and historian of science. He was one of the most influential and widely read authors of popular science of his generation. Gould sp ...
, Christopher Hitchens, Tim Judah,
Murray Kempton James Murray Kempton (December 16, 1917 – May 5, 1997) was an American journalist and social and political commentator. He won a National Book Award in 1974 (category, "Contemporary Affairs") for ''The Briar Patch: The People of the State of ...
, Paul Krugman, Richard Lewontin,
Perry Link Eugene Perry Link, Jr. (; born 1944) is Chancellorial Chair Professor for Innovative Teaching Comparative Literature and Foreign Languages in College of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences at the University of California, Riverside and Emeritu ...
,
Alison Lurie Alison Stewart Lurie (September 3, 1926December 3, 2020) was an American novelist and academic. She won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction for her 1984 novel '' Foreign Affairs''. Although better known as a novelist, she wrote many non-fiction boo ...
, Peter Medawar,
Daniel Mendelsohn Daniel Mendelsohn (born 1960), is an American author, essayist, critic, columnist, and translator. Best known for his internationally best-selling and award-winning Holocaust family memoir The Lost: A Search for Six of Six Million, he is curre ...
, Bill Moyers, Vladimir Nabokov, Ralph Nader, V. S. Naipaul,
Peter G. Peterson Peter George Peterson (June 5, 1926 – March 20, 2018) was an American investment banker who served as United States Secretary of Commerce from February 29, 1972, to February 1, 1973, under the Richard Nixon administration. Before serving as Sec ...
, Samantha Power, Nathaniel Rich, Felix Rohatyn, Jean-Paul Sartre,
John Searle John Rogers Searle (; born July 31, 1932) is an American philosopher widely noted for contributions to the philosophy of language, philosophy of mind, and social philosophy. He began teaching at UC Berkeley in 1959, and was Willis S. and Mario ...
, Zadie Smith, Timothy Snyder, George Soros,
I. F. Stone Isidor Feinstein "I. F." Stone (December 24, 1907 – June 18, 1989) was an American investigative journalist, writer, and author. Known for his politically progressive views, Stone is best remembered for ''I. F. Stone's Weekly'' (1953–1971), ...
,
Desmond Tutu Desmond Mpilo Tutu (7 October 193126 December 2021) was a South African Anglican bishop and theologian, known for his work as an anti-apartheid and human rights activist. He was Bishop of Johannesburg from 1985 to 1986 and then Archbishop ...
,
John Updike John Hoyer Updike (March 18, 1932 – January 27, 2009) was an American novelist, poet, short-story writer, art critic, and literary critic. One of only four writers to win the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction more than once (the others being Booth ...
,
Derek Walcott Sir Derek Alton Walcott (23 January 1930 – 17 March 2017) was a Saint Lucian poet and playwright. He received the 1992 Nobel Prize in Literature. His works include the Homeric epic poem ''Omeros'' (1990), which many critics view "as Walcot ...
, Steven Weinberg,
Garry Wills Garry Wills (born May 22, 1934) is an American author, journalist, political philosopher, and historian, specializing in American history, politics, and religion, especially the history of the Catholic Church. He won a Pulitzer Prize for Genera ...
and Tony Judt. According to the National Book Foundation: "From Mary McCarthy and Edmund Wilson to Gore Vidal and Joan Didion, ''The New York Review of Books'' has consistently employed the liveliest minds in America to think about, write about, and debate books and the issues they raise." The ''Review'' also devotes space in most issues to poetry, and has featured the work of such poets as
Robert Lowell Robert Traill Spence Lowell IV (; March 1, 1917 – September 12, 1977) was an American poet. He was born into a Boston Brahmin family that could trace its origins back to the ''Mayflower''. His family, past and present, were important subjects i ...
,
John Berryman John Allyn McAlpin Berryman (born John Allyn Smith, Jr.; October 25, 1914 – January 7, 1972) was an American poet and scholar. He was a major figure in American poetry in the second half of the 20th century and is considered a key figure in th ...
, Ted Hughes,
John Ashbery John Lawrence Ashbery (July 28, 1927 – September 3, 2017) was an American poet and art critic. Ashbery is considered the most influential American poet of his time. Oxford University literary critic John Bayley wrote that Ashbery "sounded, in ...
, Richard Wilbur, Seamus Heaney, Octavio Paz, and Czeslaw Milosz. For writers, the "depth
f the articles F, or f, is the sixth letter in the Latin alphabet, used in the modern English alphabet, the alphabets of other western European languages and others worldwide. Its name in English is ''ef'' (pronounced ), and the plural is ''efs''. Hist ...
and the quality of the people writing for it, has made a ''Review'' byline a résumé definer. If one wishes to be thought of as a certain type of writer – of heft, style and a certain gravitas – a ''Review'' byline is pretty much the gold standard."Tucker, Neely
"''The New York Review of Books turns 50''"
''The Washington Post'', November 6, 2013
In editing a piece, Silvers said that he asked himself "if
he point in any sentence could He or HE may refer to: Language * He (pronoun), an English pronoun * He (kana), the romanization of the Japanese kana へ * He (letter), the fifth letter of many Semitic alphabets * He (Cyrillic), a letter of the Cyrillic script called ''He'' ...
be clearer, while also respecting the writer’s voice and tone. You have to listen carefully to the tone of the writer’s prose and try to adapt to it, but only up to a point.
o change was made without the writers' permission. O, or o, is the fifteenth letter and the fourth vowel letter in the Latin alphabet, used in the modern English alphabet, the alphabets of other western European languages and others worldwide. Its name in English is ''o'' (pronounced ), plu ...
... Writers deserve the final word about their prose." In addition to domestic matters, the ''Review'' covers issues of international concern. In the 1980s, a British commentator noted: "In the 1960s
he ''Review'' He or HE may refer to: Language * He (pronoun), an English pronoun * He (kana), the romanization of the Japanese kana へ * He (letter), the fifth letter of many Semitic alphabets * He (Cyrillic), a letter of the Cyrillic script called ''He'' ...
opposed American involvement in Vietnam; more recently it has taken a line mildly Keynesian in economics, pro-Israeli but Anti-Zionist, sceptical of
Reagan Ronald Wilson Reagan ( ; February 6, 1911June 5, 2004) was an American politician, actor, and union leader who served as the 40th president of the United States from 1981 to 1989. He also served as the 33rd governor of California from 1967 ...
's Latin-American policy". The British newspaper '' The Independent'' has described the ''Review'' as "the only mainstream American publication to speak out consistently against the war in Iraq." On Middle East coverage, Silvers said, "any serious criticism of Israeli policy will be seen by some as heresy, a form of betrayal. ... ch of what we've published has come from some of the most respected and brilliant Israeli writers ...
Amos Elon Amos Elon ( he, עמוס אילון, July 4, 1926 – May 25, 2009) was an Israeli journalist and author. Biography Heinrich Sternbach (later Amos Elon) was born in Vienna. He immigrated to Mandate Palestine in 1933. He studied law and history in ...
,
Avishai Margalit Avishai Margalit ( he, אבישי מרגלית, born 1939) is an Israeli professor emeritus in philosophy at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. From 2006 to 2011, he served as the George F. Kennan Professor at the Institute for Advanced Study in ...
,
David Grossman David Grossman ( he, דויד גרוסמן; born January 25, 1954) is an Israeli author. His books have been translated into more than 30 languages. In 2018, he was awarded the Israel Prize for literature. Biography David Grossman was born i ...
, David Shulman, among them. What emerges from them is a sense that occupying land and people year after year can only lead to a sad and bad result." Caricaturist David Levine illustrated ''The New York Review of Books'' from 1963 to 2007, giving the paper a distinctive visual image. Levine died in 2009.
John Updike John Hoyer Updike (March 18, 1932 – January 27, 2009) was an American novelist, poet, short-story writer, art critic, and literary critic. One of only four writers to win the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction more than once (the others being Booth ...
, whom Levine drew many times, wrote: "Besides offering us the delight of recognition, his drawings comfort us, in an exacerbated and potentially desperate age, with the sense of a watching presence, an eye informed by an intelligence that has not panicked, a comic art ready to encapsulate the latest apparitions of publicity as well as those historical devils who haunt our unease." Levine contributed more than 3,800 pen-and-ink caricatures of famous writers, artists and politicians for the publication."David Levine Gallery,"
''New York Review of Books'', accessed April 15, 2009
Silvers said: "David combined acute political commentary with a certain kind of joke about the person. He was immensely sensitive to the smallest details – people’s shoulders, their feet, their elbows. He was able to find character in these details." '' The New York Times'' described Levine's illustrations as "macro-headed, somberly expressive, astringently probing and hardly ever flattering caricatures of intellectuals and athletes, politicians and potentates" that were "replete with exaggeratedly bad haircuts, 5 o'clock shadows, ill-conceived mustaches and other grooming foibles ... to make the famous seem peculiar-looking in order to take them down a peg". In later years, illustrators for the ''Review'' included James Ferguson of '' Financial Times''. '' The Washington Post'' described the "lively literary disputes" conducted in the 'letters to the editor' column of the ''Review'' as "the closest thing the intellectual world has to bare-knuckle boxing". In addition to reviews, interviews and articles, the paper features extensive advertising from publishers promoting newly published books. It also includes a popular "personals" section that "share a cultivated writing style" with its articles.Mohan, Jake
"''New York Review of Books'' Podcast Gets Political (Like It or Not)"
October 22, 2008
One lonely heart, author
Jane Juska Jane Juska (March 7, 1933 – October 24, 2017) was an American author and retired schoolteacher whose first book, ''A Round-Heeled Woman: My Late-Life Adventures in Sex and Romance'' (2003), documented her search for sex at 67 years of age by put ...
, documented the 63 replies to her personal ad in the ''Review'' with a 2003 memoir, ''A Round-Heeled Woman'', that was adapted as a play. In ''The Washington Post'', Matt Schudel called the personal ads "sometimes laughably highbrow" and recalled that they were "spoofed by Woody Allen in the movie '' Annie Hall''". Several of the magazine's editorial assistants have become prominent in journalism, academia and literature, including
Jean Strouse Jean Strouse (born 1945) is an American biographer, cultural administrator, and critic. She is best known for her biographies of diarist Alice James and financier J. Pierpont Morgan. Strouse was an editorial assistant at ''The New York Review of ...
, Deborah Eisenberg,
Mark Danner Mark David Danner (born November 10, 1958) is an American writer, journalist, and educator. He is a former staff writer for ''The New Yorker'' and frequent contributor to ''The New York Review of Books''. Danner specializes in U.S. foreign affa ...
and
A. O. Scott Anthony Oliver Scott (born July 10, 1966) is an American journalist and cultural critic. He has been chief film critic for ''The New York Times'' since 2004, a title he shares with Manohla Dargis. Early life Scott was born on July 10, 1966 in ...
. Another former intern and a contributor to the ''Review'', author Claire Messud, said: "They’re incredibly generous about taking the time to go through things. So much of usiness todayis about people doing things quickly, with haste. One of the first things to go out the window is a type of graciousness. ... There’s a whole sort of rhythm and tone of how they deal with people. I’m sure it was always rare. But it feels incredibly precious now." The ''Review'' has published, since 2009, the ''NYR Daily'', which focuses on the news.


Critical reaction

''The Washington Post'' calls the ''Review'' "a journal of ideas that has helped define intellectual discourse in the English-speaking world for the past four decades. ... By publishing long, thoughtful articles on politics, books and culture,
he editors He or HE may refer to: Language * He (pronoun), an English pronoun * He (kana), the romanization of the Japanese kana へ * He (letter), the fifth letter of many Semitic alphabets * He (Cyrillic), a letter of the Cyrillic script called ''He'' in ...
defied trends toward glibness, superficiality and the cult of celebrity". The '' Chicago Tribune'' praised the paper as "one of the few venues in American life that takes ideas seriously. And it pays readers the ultimate compliment of assuming that we do too." ''
Esquire Esquire (, ; abbreviated Esq.) is usually a courtesy title. In the United Kingdom, ''esquire'' historically was a title of respect accorded to men of higher social rank, particularly members of the landed gentry above the rank of gentlema ...
'' termed it "the premier literary-intellectual magazine in the English language." Similarly, in a 2006 ''
New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States New York may also refer to: Film and television * '' ...
'' magazine feature,
James Atlas James Robert Atlas (March 22, 1949 – September 4, 2019) was a writer, especially of biographies, as well as a publisher. He was the president of Atlas & Company and founding editor of the Penguin Lives Series. Early life and education Atlas wa ...
stated: "It's an eclectic but impressive mix
f articles F, or f, is the sixth letter in the Latin alphabet, used in the modern English alphabet, the alphabets of other western European languages and others worldwide. Its name in English is ''ef'' (pronounced ), and the plural is ''efs''. Hist ...
that has made ''The New York Review of Books'' the premier journal of the American intellectual elite".
Atlas, James James Robert Atlas (March 22, 1949 – September 4, 2019) was a writer, especially of biographies, as well as a publisher. He was the president of Atlas & Company and founding editor of the Penguin Lives Series. Early life and education Atlas wa ...
.
"The Ma and Pa of the Intelligentsia"
''New York'', September 18, 2006
'' The Atlantic'' commented in 2011 that the ''Review'' is written with "a freshness of perspective", and "much of it shapes our most sophisticated public discourse." In celebrating the 35th birthday of the ''Review'' in 1998, '' The New York Times'' commented, "The N.Y.R. gives off rogue intimations of being fun to put out. It hasn't lost its sneaky nip of mischief". In 2008, Britain's '' The Guardian'' deemed the ''Review'' "scholarly without being pedantic, scrupulous without being dry". The same newspaper wrote in 2004:
The ... issues of the ''Review'' to date provide a history of the cultural life of the east coast since 1963. It manages to be ... serious with a fierce democratic edge. ... It is one of the last places in the English-speaking world that will publish long essays ... and possibly the very last to combine academic rigour – even the letters to the editor are footnoted – with great clarity of language.
In ''New York'' magazine, in February 2011, Oliver Sacks stated that the ''Review'' is "one of the great institutions of intellectual life here or anywhere." In 2012, ''The New York Times'' described the ''Review'' as "elegant, well mannered, immensely learned, a little formal at times, obsessive about clarity and factual correctness and passionately interested in human rights and the way governments violate them." Throughout its history, the ''Review'' has been known generally as a left-liberal journal, what Tom Wolfe called "the chief theoretical organ of Radical Chic".Wolfe, Tom
"Radical Chic: That Party at Lenny's"
''New York'', June 8, 1970, accessed April 20, 2009
A 1997 ''New York Times'' article, however, accused the paper of having become "establishmentarian". The paper has, perhaps, had its most effective voice in wartime. According to a 2004 feature in '' The Nation'',
One suspects they yearn for the day when they can return to their normal publishing routine – that gentlemanly
pastiche A pastiche is a work of visual art, literature, theatre, music, or architecture that imitates the style or character of the work of one or more other artists. Unlike parody, pastiche pays homage to the work it imitates, rather than mocking it ...
of philosophy, art, classical music, photography, German and Russian history, East European politics, literary fiction – unencumbered by political duties of a confrontational or oppositional nature. That day has not yet arrived. If and when it does, let it be said that the editors met the challenges of the post-9/11 era in a way that most other leading American publications did not, and that ''The New York Review of Books'' ... was there when we needed it most.
Sometimes accused of insularity, the ''Review'' has been called "The New York Review of Each Other's Books". Philip Nobile expressed a mordant criticism along these lines in his book ''Intellectual Skywriting: Literary Politics and the New York Review of Books''. ''The Guardian'' characterized such accusations as "sour grapes".
Phillip Lopate Phillip Lopate (born 1943) is an American film critic, essayist, fiction writer, poet, and teacher. He is the younger brother of radio host Leonard Lopate. Early life Phillip Lopate was born in Brooklyn, New York. He graduated with a BA degr ...
commented, in 2017, that Silvers "regarded his contributors as worthy authors, and so why punish them by neglecting their latest work?". Lopate, Philip
"Robert Silvers: ''In memoriam''"
'' The American Scholar'', March 31, 2017
In 2008, the ''San Francisco Chronicle'' wrote, "the pages of the 45th anniversary issue, in fact, reveal the actuality of
he paper's He or HE may refer to: Language * He (pronoun), an English pronoun * He (kana), the romanization of the Japanese kana へ * He (letter), the fifth letter of many Semitic alphabets * He (Cyrillic), a letter of the Cyrillic script called ''He'' ...
willfully panoramic view". ''The Washington Post'' called the 2013 50th Anniversary issue "gaudy with intellectual firepower. Four Nobel Laureates have bylines. US Supreme Court Justice
Stephen Breyer Stephen Gerald Breyer ( ; born August 15, 1938) is a retired American lawyer and jurist who served as an associate justice of the U.S. Supreme Court from 1994 until his retirement in 2022. He was nominated by President Bill Clinton, and repl ...
muses on reading Proust. There's the transcript of a long-lost lecture by T. S. Eliot." In 2014, Rachel Cooke wrote in '' The Observer'' of a recent issue: "The offer of such an embarrassment of riches is wholly amazing in a world where print journalism increasingly operates in the most threadbare of circumstances". ''
America The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...
'' magazine echoed Zoë Heller's words about the ''Review'': "I like it because it educates me." Lopate adds that the ''Review'' "was and is the standard bearer for American intellectual life: a unique repository of thoughtful discourse, unrepentantly highbrow, in a culture increasingly given to dumbing down." Timothy Noah of '' Politico'' called it "the country’s best and most influential literary journal. ... It's hard to imagine that Hardwick ... would complain today that book reviewing is too polite."


Book-publishing arm

The book-publishing arm of the ''Review'' is New York Review Books. Established in 1999, it has several imprints: New York Review Books, NYRB Classics, The New York Review Children's Collection, New York Review Comics, NYRB Poets, NYRB Lit and the Calligrams. NYRB Collections publishes collections of articles from frequent ''Review'' contributors. The Classics imprint reissues books that have gone out of print in the US, as well as translations of classic books. It has been called "a marvellous literary imprint ... that has put hundreds of wonderful books back on our shelves."


The Robert B. Silvers Foundation

The Robert B. Silvers Foundation is a charitable trust established in 2017 by a bequest of the late Robert Silvers, a founding editor of ''The New York Review of Books''. Its annual activities include the Silvers Grants for Work in Progress, given in support of long-form non-fiction projects within the fields cultivated by Silvers as editor of the ''Review'', and the Silvers-Dudley Prizes, awarded for notable achievements in journalism, criticism, and cultural commentary.


Archives

The
New York Public Library The New York Public Library (NYPL) is a public library system in New York City. With nearly 53 million items and 92 locations, the New York Public Library is the second largest public library in the United States (behind the Library of Congress ...
purchased the NYRB archives in 2015.Gajanan, Mahita
"''New York Review of Books'' archive acquired by New York Public Library"
''The Guardian'', November 17, 2015


See also

*'' The New York Times Book Review'' *
Media in New York City New York City has been called the media capital of the world. The media of New York City are internationally influential and include some of the most important newspapers, largest publishing houses, biggest record companies, and most prolific te ...
*'' Granta''


References


External links

* *Neyfakh, Leon
"Mr. Silvers, Will You Peek at My Books?"
''
New York Observer New is an adjective referring to something recently made, discovered, or created. New or NEW may refer to: Music * New, singer of K-pop group The Boyz Albums and EPs * ''New'' (album), by Paul McCartney, 2013 * ''New'' (EP), by Regurgitator, ...
'', February 6, 2008.
2011 NPR interview of Silvers about the ''Review''
*Danner, Mark
"Editing the ''New York Review of Books'': A Conversation with Robert B. Silvers"
April 28, 1999. {{DEFAULTSORT:New York Review Of Books, The 1963 establishments in New York City Biweekly magazines published in the United States Book review magazines Literary magazines published in the United States Magazines established in 1963 Magazines published in New York City