To her, an editor’s life was one of constantly renewed fulfillment.
July 27, 2014 7:38 AM   Subscribe

More than any other editor except Harold Ross himself, Katharine White gave The New Yorker its shape, and set it on its course. -- William Shawn. Almost 20 years ago - and almost 20 years after her death - the New Yorker profiled its legendary editor in Lady with a Pencil.

See Also:
The Fountain and Shrine of the New Yorker - an appreciation that provides a better look at her post-New Yorker life.

EB White remembers his wife to the New York Times.
posted by julen (5 comments total) 12 users marked this as a favorite
 
I think you mean William Shawn not Wallace...
posted by neat graffitist at 8:29 AM on July 27, 2014 [3 favorites]


Great post.

White's son Roger Angell (who was just inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame) also has a bunch of essays and writing that have been unlocked by the New Yorker.
posted by KokuRyu at 8:45 AM on July 27, 2014 [1 favorite]


I think you mean William Shawn not Wallace...

Inconceivable!
posted by Cold Lurkey at 9:07 AM on July 27, 2014 [4 favorites]


D'oh! I did mean William Shawn. Well, shoot.

I came across her via an aside in a piece on Harold Ross, and was increasingly fascinated the more I read about her. I was particularly delighted to find this example of her editing online - her typed notes for Elizabth Bishop (#26 in this list - click on the image) on the story Gwendolyn. Her children's book reviews and gardening columns are all behind the paywall at the New Yorker - I'm going to have to clear some time so I can temporarily subscribe and read the reviews in one fell swoop. Her gardening columns were collected into a book, at least.
posted by julen at 12:06 PM on July 27, 2014


Mod note: Fixed misattribution, carry on.
posted by restless_nomad (staff) at 5:50 PM on July 27, 2014


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