SECTION 2: The New Yorker

William Shawn

Followed Ross as editor and lasted a long time - he had been at the New Yorker since the 30s. Probably the subject of more book dedications than anyone else except "mother." He worked really hard all the time

Drawings in the New Yorker

1) Charles Addams: famous artist who drew off-balance pictures. Created the Addam's Family. 2) George Booth: known for portraits of crazy dogs 3) Roz Chast: currently working there as a cartoonist

Four constants in the New Yorker

1) Reporting 2) Fiction 3) Humor 4) Drawings

Rachel Carson

A shy scientist that began writing Silent Spring and launched the environmental movement. Made enormous cultural contributions.

Robert Gottlieb

A very successful book editor who succeeded Shawn and the staff repelled and refused to write for him = so he was out in 1992

Lillian Ross

Created a different type of non-fiction writing e.g Picture (FIRST to follow the creation of a film from its idea to the time it was released) called The Red Badge of Courage.

Tina Brown

Dragged the magazine into a new era by bringing in photography and changing the magazine's rules

Ross' Background

Editor of The Stars and Stripes (he was AWOL, which made it all that much more interesting), worked for the American Legion magazine, original Life magazine. Finally saved up his money, partnered with Raul Fleischman, and founded The New Yorker

Harold Ross

Founder and editor of the New Yorker and wanted there to be absolutely no question as to what was going on so his way of editing was unusual as he either played dumb or would be dumb

Where would Thurber draw?

Had such a weird cartoon style that Ross didn't let him publish it SO he drew on the halls and the restroom walls so they were eventually cut out and exhibited. His drawings were so popular, they were/had to be printed in the magazine

Ross' death

Harold Ross died of the same cancer that killed King George. The first person they could reach to write an obituary was E.B. White, and it was very touching. Thurber never forgave him.

What was Ross the first to do?

Have a department for fact checking because all he cared about was that his magazine was the best in the world

Truman Capote

He started as a mischievous copy boy and ended up writing several masterworks for the magazine. Created one of the greatest works of journalism: In Cold Blood.

James Thurber

Hired just a few years after the magazine was started. He was working for New York Evening Post before and New Yorker kept rejecting his submitted stories until they bought one.

How did the New Yorker progress?

It was slow to change and didn't introduce photography until 1990

Reporting in the New Yorker

John Hersh's story "Hiroshima" first appeared in the New Yorker in 1930 before becoming a book that has never been out of print.

Other reporters of the New Yorker

John McPhee - "Oranges" and "Coming into the Country," Malcolm Gladwell - "Blink"

Fiction in the New Yorker

John O'Hara: New Yorker short story writer with tight writing (say a lot in a little). Other literary fiction writers include J.D Salinger, Anna Beattie, Thomas McGuane.

Raul Fleischman (editorial fascist)

Ross hated Fleischman because he didn't like the need for advertising

E.B. White

Shared an office with James Thurber and they would go over every cartoon, too, and see how they could be improved. Pioneered what was known as the 'casual,' or the casual essay.

Katherine S. White

She married E.B. White and became the unsung hero of the magazine. They moved to Maine, but they continued their career with The New Yorker. More than any other editor except Harold Ross himself, Katharine White gave The New Yorker its shape, and set it on its course

David Remnick

Succeeded Brown when she left to start her own magazine Talk. Was first a writer and is now still the editor today!

Eustace Tilley

The New Yorker's mascot who appeared on the first issue in 1925 and every anniversary issue since the beginning. You can see American culture changing over time, just based on the covers.

Humor in the New Yorker

Woody Allen, Steve Martin, Garrison Keillor...