Magazines are a collaborative effort, and so is this book. Our former colleagues generously responded to our many requests, supplying anecdotes and pictures, jogging our memories, and correcting our recollections.
This book exists in large part because of Victor Navasky, who immediately saw its potential and endorsed it to Columbia University Press. Philip Leventhal, senior editor at CUP, guided us from the proposal process to the final edit. Amanda “Binky” Urban, a friend and colleague at New York magazine, lent her talents as our unofficial agent, adviser, and advocate.
Steve Heller, Hugo Lindgren, Michael Kramer, and Dan Okrent have contributed their editorial expertise as they looked at every page, offering their suggestions and critiques. Chris Bonanos, city editor of New York magazine, graciously supplied us with archival issues and valued information.
Special thanks to Gloria Steinem, who loves magazines, for her thoughts in the foreword.
Most of the black-and-white photographs in the first section were taken by Cosmos Sarchiapone. A studio assistant at Push Pin, Cosmos gave himself the responsibility of documenting the process of making New York magazine. We are grateful to his archive for making these photographs available to us.
Our staff for this book worked beautifully as a team—contributing ideas, tracking down old collaborators, and turning up unexpected, useful information. Thanks to Anne Quito, writer and editor; Natalia Olbinski and Fausta Kingué, designers; Bina Bernard, “In the News” editor; Tina Buckman, picture researcher; and Richard J. Litell, contributing editor. They made the whole endeavor a pleasurable experience.