Victor Navasky has died at the age of 90.
Few people had greater influence over my career or the careers of countless other progressive journalists than Victor. To me, he was a kindly father figure — even though he was only 15 years my senior — plus a mentor, a friend, a supporter, and a fellow conspirator.
He conspired with me and many, many others to value what truly matters in life — not just careers and ideas and politics and the affairs of state — but children, families, friendships, humor and our common decency as fellow human beings in a messed-up world.
Victor was editor and publisher of The Nation for a long time. In the 1980s he invited me onto the magazine’s editorial board, where I stayed for 30 years.
Victor always seemed curious about everyone and everything. Once when he was visiting the Bay Area and arrived at a reception at the home of a mutual friend, Victor spied a copy of a home-made “magazine” with an article written by my oldest daughter, Laila, then aged 11.
The article in question was an interview with the legendary left-wing muckraker Jessica Mitford. Victor asked if I could get him a copy and before long, Laila’s interview had been reprinted in The Nation.
He told me that made her the youngest author in the history of the magazine, which has been around since 1865. Years later, Victor would often recount his conversation with Laila when he purchased her interview. Apparently, she tried to convince him that the voting age should be lowered so that kids as young as her could vote for president.
He got a kick out of that. “Write us an article,” he urged her.
In Manhattan, Victor and I usually met for breakfast at one of his favorite places around Gramercy Park. Out here we went to places like the Fog City Diner or the Faculty Club at U-C, Berkeley. I sent a stream of writers, stories and ideas his way and he introduced me to, well, the whole world of east coast progressivism.
We’d talk business, politics. but also at length about our families and our shared dreams for our children. He was a devoted husband and father.
To me, Victor was the consummate New York gentleman as well as a wise old owl. There was always this certain twinkle in his eye.
As for the editorial board, he never talked much in meetings; he’d just introduce a guest or two, and then sit back to enjoy our debates.
Over the years, he introduced me to an amazing array of authors, editors and intellectuals. When I was out with him in New York, it often seemed that he knew just about everybody in town.
Much more importantly, they all knew him back, and as far as I could tell, just about everybody who knew Victor loved Victor.
I know I did.
He may be gone but his twinkle remains.
LINKS:
What Tanks Will Ukraine Get, and Why Does It Want Them? (Bloomberg)
Will Ukraine Wind Up Making Territorial Concessions to Russia? (FA)
Laid Off in Your Living Room: The Chaos of Remote Job Cuts (NYT)
North Carolina doctor sues over abortion pill access, in test case of federal power (ABC)
Classified records pose conundrum stretching back to Carter (AP)
House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) on Tuesday said would refuse to seat Democratic Reps. Eric Swalwell and Adam Schiff of California on the House Intelligence Committee — pure political payback for Democrats removing extremist Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) and Rep. Paul Gosar (R-Ariz.) from committees in 2021. McCarthy claims the move is not political. [HuffPost]
Republican Rep. Spartz opposes McCarthy effort to boot Democrats from committees (NBC)
George Santos news – live: McCarthy admits congressman could be removed as GOP senator dubs him ‘bunny boiler’ (Independent)
Archives weighs asking past presidents, VPs to look for classified items (WP)
Leaders are meant to keep state secrets. Just not at home. (AP)
Manchin Proposes ‘Easiest’ Social Security Fix In Response to Debt Ceiling — Would Biden Agree? (Yahoo)
The Obscure New York Law That Could Dismantle Trump’s Empire (Daily Beast)
Pope says homosexuality not a crime (AP)
A recession might be coming. Here's what it could look like (NPR)
Google, last week, joined a list of tech companies announcing layoffs as part of a strategy to prepare for an across-the-board decline in economic activity that could squeeze corporate profits. But recent data suggests that a recession may now be less likely. It could be that the layoffs are driven more by herd mentality and excessive pandemic hiring than economic conditions. [HuffPost]
Google job cuts hit 1,800 employees in California, including 27 massage therapists (CNBC)
Some Google employees found they were laid off only when their badge didn't let them into the office: "Inhuman" (BoingBoing)
AmazonSmile's end is alarming, say nonprofits that benefited (AP)
Calif. shootings shared an oddity: Both suspects were senior citizens (WP)
‘Tragedy Upon Tragedy’: January Brings Dozens of Mass Shootings So Far (NYT)
A leader in gun control efforts, California confronts its limits (WP)
Many dead as Afghanistan experiences coldest winter in years (BBC)
How China became the world’s leading exporter of combat drones (Al Jazeera)
Africa must fight against a slide towards strongman authoritarianismthat has resulted in a series of military coups and a clampdown on civil society in many countries, Sudanese-British billionaire Mo Ibrahim said. Ibrahim's foundation launched its Index of African Governance, which warned that advances in human development and economic opportunities were undermined by worsening security and widespread democratic backsliding. (Reuters)
How ancient seeds from the Fertile Crescent could help save us from climate change (NPR)
600 square miles of ice just broke off from Antarctica (CNN)
Potential Hidden Cause of Dementia Discovered (Neuroscience News)
‘No miracles needed’: Prof Mark Jacobson on how wind, sun and water can power the world (Guardian)
A freelance writer says ChatGPT wrote a $600 article in just 30 seconds (Business Insider)
The number of journalist deaths worldwide rose nearly 50% in 2022 from previous year (NPR)
Trump missed an entire day of his golf club's senior championship tournament but claimed victory anyway (Yahoo)
An ant’s sense of smell is so strong, it can sniff out cancer (WP)
Victor Navasky, journalist and historian, dies at 90 (Politico)
Employee Offering Suggestion At Meeting Slowly Grows Quieter And Quieter Until Eventually Squeaking ‘I Don’t Know’ (The Onion)
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