Story perspectives

New Yorker Celebrates Vintage Art's Timeless Relevance

12/14/2025

Summary

Story summary

The New Yorker reflects on its editorial traditions and retains outdated elements, such as the hyphen in 'teen-ager' and the diaeresis in 'coöperation'.
The piece highlights history through 'Talk spots,' small drawings by cartoonist Otto Soglow from 1926 to 1970.
These vintage illustrations continue to resonate with contemporary stories and support the magazine's identity.
The author recalls selecting Soglow's drawings for current articles, noting their enduring relevance.

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Story summary

The New Yorker reflects on its editorial traditions and retains outdated elements, such as the hyphen in 'teen-ager' and the diaeresis in 'coöperation'.
The piece highlights history through 'Talk spots,' small drawings by cartoonist Otto Soglow from 1926 to 1970.
These vintage illustrations continue to resonate with contemporary stories and support the magazine's identity.
The author recalls selecting Soglow's drawings for current articles, noting their enduring relevance.