A Fortieth Anniversary
The Winter 2020 issue of The Threepenny Review is the fortieth anniversary issue. Forty years ago, I heard that Wendy Lesser had founded a literary journal and thought “Isn’t that gutsy!” Today, her continuing success at the helm of The Threepenny Review at a time when print publishing struggles to compete with Twitter and Instagram, is astonishing. I am honored that she included one of my short essays “Sitting Still” (see link below) in this issue, among many more distinguished authors. Wendy is a dream editor: she either likes a piece or she doesn’t, she tells you right away and if she likes it, she edits it carefully, without changing the meaning or the voice. I am sure I am not the only writer to feel relieved when she accepts a piece, partly because I know it won’t be mangled. Her own writing ranges far and wide, with books about music, architecture, reading. Whatever the subject, she brings a thoughtful and original critique in clear prose. I look forward to many more issues of The Threepenny Review.