About Town: The New Yorker and the World It Made

About Town traces the history and cultural impact of The New Yorker magazine from its founding in 1925 through the end of the 20th century. The book draws on extensive archival research and interviews to chronicle the publication's evolution under different editors and through changing times in American society. The narrative follows key figures who shaped the magazine's identity, including founder Harold Ross, writers like E.B. White and James Thurber, and the artists behind its iconic cartoons and covers. Ben Yagoda examines The New Yorker's role in developing new forms of journalism and establishing standards for American prose style. The book documents the magazine's coverage of major historical events, its innovations in long-form reporting, and its influence on American humor and cultural criticism. The behind-the-scenes stories reveal the processes and personalities that created The New Yorker's distinctive voice and character. At its core, About Town is an examination of how a single publication both reflected and helped shape twentieth-century American intellectual and cultural life. The story raises questions about the relationship between commerce and art, and the role of print media in forming national identity.

Readers appreciate Yagoda's detailed research and behind-the-scenes look at The New Yorker's history, culture, and editorial processes. Multiple reviews note the book's strength in profiling key figures like Harold Ross, William Shawn, and influential writers who shaped the magazine. Readers liked: - Rich archive material and first-hand accounts - Coverage of both editorial and business aspects - Clear explanations of the magazine's style evolution - Balanced treatment of successes and controversies Common criticisms: - Sometimes gets bogged down in granular details - Second half feels less focused than first - Limited coverage of more recent decades - Some find the chronological structure repetitive Ratings: Goodreads: 3.9/5 (157 ratings) Amazon: 4.1/5 (31 ratings) One reader called it "meticulous almost to a fault," while another praised it as "the definitive history of America's most prestigious magazine." Several reviewers noted it works best for those already familiar with The New Yorker's content and reputation.

Cast of Characters: Wolcott Gibbs, E.B. White, James Thurber and the Golden Age of The New Yorker by Thomas Vinciguerra Chronicles the writers and personalities who shaped The New Yorker's distinctive voice during its formative years.

Here at The New Yorker by Brendan Gill Presents an insider's account of the magazine's operations, culture, and staff from 1936 to 1975.

Gone: The Last Days of The New Yorker by Renata Adler Documents the transformation of The New Yorker from its traditional roots through the Tina Brown era of the 1990s.

Literary Life: A Second Memoir by Larry McMurtry Examines the interconnected worlds of New York publishing, literary magazines, and American intellectual life in the mid-twentieth century.

Genius in Disguise: Harold Ross of The New Yorker by Thomas Kunkel Details how The New Yorker's founding editor created and shaped the magazine's editorial vision and standards from 1925 to 1951.

🗞️ The New Yorker's signature mascot, Eustace Tilley (the dandy looking through a monocle), was created for the magazine's first cover in 1925 and was meant to be a one-time illustration, but became so popular it appeared on every anniversary issue. 📝 Author Ben Yagoda gained unprecedented access to The New Yorker's archives, including over 2,500 rejection letters sent to writers, allowing him to document both published and unpublished history of the magazine. 🌟 The magazine's founding editor Harold Ross insisted that every factual statement in The New Yorker be verified, establishing the publication's first fact-checking department—a practice that was revolutionary for its time. ✍️ E.B. White, known for "Charlotte's Web," helped establish The New Yorker's distinctive writing style through his work as both a writer and editor, contributing to the magazine's famous style guide. 💰 When Raoul Fleischmann agreed to finance The New Yorker in 1925, the magazine was given a budget of $25,000 (equivalent to about $400,000 today) and was expected to fail within months—instead, it became one of America's most influential publications.