The Partisan Review

The Partisan Review was a quarterly literary magazine that played a significant role in shaping American literature and cultural criticism from the 1930s to the 1990s, with notable contributors including Mary McCarthy, Saul Bellow, and Lionel Trilling. The magazine's history is closely tied to the New York Intellectuals, a group of writers and thinkers that included Dwight Macdonald, Hannah Arendt, and Leslie Fiedler. Throughout its run, the magazine engaged with major literary and intellectual figures, such as T.S. Eliot, James Joyce, and Jean-Paul Sartre. The Partisan Review's influence extended beyond the literary world, with its writers and ideas shaping the broader American culture, including the work of The New Yorker, The Nation, and Commentary.

● History

The Partisan Review's history is marked by its engagement with major literary and intellectual movements, including Modernism, Marxism, and Existentialism. The magazine's early years were shaped by the Great Depression and the Spanish Civil War, with contributors like John Dos Passos and Ernest Hemingway writing about the conflict. The magazine also engaged with the Cold War, with writers like George Orwell and Arthur Koestler contributing to its pages. The Partisan Review's history is also closely tied to the New School for Social Research, where many of its contributors taught, including Theodor Adorno and Max Horkheimer. Other notable institutions that influenced the magazine's history include Columbia University, Harvard University, and the University of Chicago.

● Founding_and_Early_Years

The Partisan Review was founded in 1934 by William Phillips and Philip Rahv, two young writers who were part of the New York Intellectuals. The magazine's early years were marked by its association with the American Communist Party and the John Reed Clubs, with contributors like Granville Hicks and Michael Gold writing about Marxism and Socialism. However, the magazine soon broke with the Communist Party and became a leading voice of Anti-Stalinism, with contributors like Sidney Hook and Dwight Macdonald writing about the dangers of Totalitarianism. The magazine's early years also saw the emergence of notable writers like Delmore Schwartz and Saul Bellow, who would go on to become major figures in American literature. Other influential writers who contributed to the magazine during this period include Ralph Ellison, Richard Wright, and James Baldwin.

● Editorial_Positions_and_Controversies

The Partisan Review was known for its editorial positions on major literary and intellectual issues, including the Role of the Intellectual and the Responsibility of the Writer. The magazine's editors, William Phillips and Philip Rahv, were instrumental in shaping the magazine's editorial positions, which often reflected their own interests in Psychoanalysis and Cultural Criticism. The magazine was also known for its controversies, including its criticism of Stalinism and its support for Zionism. The magazine's writers and editors were often at odds with other intellectual figures, including Theodor Adorno and Max Horkheimer, who were associated with the Frankfurt School. Other notable intellectuals who engaged with the magazine include Jean-Paul Sartre, Martin Heidegger, and Simone de Beauvoir.

● Notable_Contributors

The Partisan Review had a long list of notable contributors, including Mary McCarthy, Saul Bellow, and Lionel Trilling. Other notable contributors included Dwight Macdonald, Hannah Arendt, and Leslie Fiedler, who were all part of the New York Intellectuals. The magazine also published the work of major literary figures, including T.S. Eliot, James Joyce, and Jean-Paul Sartre. The magazine's contributors were often associated with major literary and intellectual movements, including Modernism, Marxism, and Existentialism. Other notable contributors include Allen Ginsberg, Jack Kerouac, and William S. Burroughs, who were associated with the Beat Generation. The magazine also published the work of notable critics, including Harold Bloom and Susan Sontag.

● Influence_and_Legacy

The Partisan Review had a significant influence on American literature and cultural criticism, with its writers and ideas shaping the broader American culture. The magazine's influence can be seen in the work of later literary magazines, including The New Yorker and Commentary. The magazine's writers and editors also played a significant role in shaping the New York Intellectuals, a group of writers and thinkers that included Dwight Macdonald, Hannah Arendt, and Leslie Fiedler. The Partisan Review's legacy can also be seen in the work of later writers and intellectuals, including Susan Sontag and Harold Bloom. The magazine's influence extends beyond the literary world, with its ideas and writers shaping the broader American culture, including the work of The Nation and Dissent.

● Closure_and_Heritage

The Partisan Review ceased publication in 2003, after a run of nearly 70 years. The magazine's closure was marked by a sense of loss among its readers and contributors, who saw the magazine as a vital part of American literary culture. The magazine's heritage can be seen in the work of later literary magazines and intellectual journals, including n+1 and The New York Review of Books. The Partisan Review's archives are now housed at the Boston University library, where they remain an important resource for scholars and researchers. The magazine's legacy continues to be felt in the world of American literature and cultural criticism, with its writers and ideas remaining a vital part of the American intellectual tradition. Other institutions that have been influenced by the magazine's heritage include Columbia University, Harvard University, and the University of Chicago.