Paying Tribute to Richard Lingeman—Longtime Executive Editor and a Quiet Force at The Nation for More Than Three Decades
Richard Lingeman, longtime executive editor of The Nation, died on July 5 at age 95. The article collects tributes from colleagues highlighting his quiet demeanor, meticulous editing, and significant literary contributions. Lingeman was known for tightening prose and improving arguments of writers, and authored acclaimed biographies of Sinclair Lewis and Theodore Dreiser, studies of small-town America and WWII home front, and The Noir Forties. He worked at The Nation from 1977, having previously collaborated with Victor Navasky at Monocle and the New York Times Book Review. Colleagues recall his kindness, patience, and telepathic communication with Navasky. Lingeman described himself as 'a small actor in the currents of history' and adhered to humanism. His work also included editing collections of Gore Vidal and Kurt Vonnegut writings for the magazine.
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