Lapham’s Quarterly is proud to announce the formation of a newly assembled editorial collective—a distinguished roster of writers and editors–committed to preserving and building upon Lapham’s vision. Together, they will oversee new digital content, special features from the archives, and the revival of the magazine’s acclaimed podcast The World in Time. 

The editorial team is led by writer and longtime Lapham’s Quarterly contributor Donovan Hohn, who will serve as Acting Editor, and Francine Prose, who will serve as Editor-at-Large, both of whom previously served as co-editors with Lapham and both of whom are members of the Quarterly’s Editorial Board. The rest of the team consists of editorial veterans of Lapham’s Quarterly from the past seventeen years and two members of the Editorial Board who worked on Lapham’s editorial staff at Harper’s Magazine.

This summer the podcast will be releasing weekly episodes that revisit many of the 57 issues Lapham’s Quarterly published between 2008 and 2023. Alongside the podcast, the editors will be publishing new readings on the Quarterly’s website—new essays by past contributors, excerpts from books featured on the podcast, and a new, online edition of the Quarterly’s centerpiece section, Voices in Time. 

After a year and a half of deep internal restructuring, Lapham’s Quarterly—the beloved journal of history and ideas founded by Lewis H. Lapham in 2007—is proud to be re-emerging with this renewed editorial team and a revitalized mission.Their collective charge is clear: to ensure that when the magazine arrives at Bard it is a part of a vibrant continuation of Lapham’s intellectual legacy.

In the wake of Lapham’s death last summer at the age of 89, the magazine faced profound questions about its future without its eponymous leader. Yet even in his final months, Lewis remained determined that the Quarterly find a lasting institutional home—a goal now on the horizon with the planned transition of the magazine and its archives to Bard College and the Hannah Arendt Center for Politics and Humanities.

“Bringing the Quarterly back from hiatus is not just an editorial project—it’s an act of cultural stewardship,” said Hohn. “Our aim is to safeguard the spirit of Lewis’ work and deliver something Bard can build on for years to come.”

In an era when independent literary magazines too often vanish quietly, the Quarterly’s resurgence is a rare second chance—a reminder of the enduring appetite for literature, ideas, and historical perspective in public life. The coming months will see the return of exclusive online features, editorial commentary, and new podcast episodes, with print issues expected to follow in early 2026.

For a full vision of what’s ahead—and to meet the team helming the next iteration of Lapham’s Quarterly—read the editorial letter from acting editor Donovan Hohn here. 

For further information or media inquiries, please contact: 

Paul Morris
Publisher, Executive Director, 
Lapham’s Quarterly, American Agora Foundation
paul@laphamsquarterly.org, 347.413.4889