A. Whitney Ellsworth, New York Review of Books' First Publisher -- RIP

A. Whitney Ellsworth, who helped launch The New York Review of Books in the early 1960s, passed away recently in Connecticut.

Ellsworth's prep school and Ivy League background made him a prime candidate for the gentleman's publishing world that existed at the time. What made him different was his dissatisfaction with The Atlantic Monthly, where he was, in the words of Ellsworth's obit in The New York Times, "a frustrated young editor." His desire to create a better literary mousetrap led him, in conjunction with Jason Epstein, Barbara Epstein, Bob Silvers, Robert Lowell, and Elizabeth Hardwick to create The New York Review of Books.

Whatever the Review's flaws are, there is no doubt that it has produced some of the English-speaking world's finest essays and nonfiction pieces. In that sense, the Review became a worthy counterpoint to The New Yorker of the William Shawn era. Ellsworth's role at the Review was crucial, in that he became its publisher. That meant he found the funding to launch the publication and, more importantly, created the structure by which it financially maintained itself. For those who insist government subsidies are the only way a media enterprise of intellectual taste and distinction can survive, the Review is a case study in editorial leadership and modest fiscal success.

Ellsworth, who had wanted to be a Review editor, found his true niche as a publisher. He also was primarily responsible for establishing Amnesty International USA as a financially viable NGO. He accomplished this through his organizational savvy, business acumen, and drive to succeed. Amnesty International USA owes its existence to Ellsworth.

One appealing aspect of Ellsworth's character was how he mastered challenges. Even though he knew very wealthy, socially prominent people, Ellsworth didn't treat them, and himself, as a collection of human checkbooks. Ellsworth had editorial ambitions, but he was self-effacing enough to realize them through his business management skills. The admirable manner in which he cared about political and social issues is a model to understand and emulate.

We need more men and women with A. Whitney Ellsworth's sense of character, ambition, and commitment. And we need them now.