A World in Time

Remembering a timeless leader

“History is our inheritance. He who cannot draw on three thousand years is living hand to mouth.” — Goethe

Almost exactly two years ago, I set aside space to mourn the loss of one of my heroes, David McCullough (“A Larger Way of Looking at Leadership”).

While mortality is something I’ve touched on here (“On the Shortness of Life”) — specifically as it relates to a leader’s legacy — it’s not something I dwell on.

However, the passing of another hero of mine means flirting with the idea of a morbid biennial tradition. Alas, it could not be avoided.

Lewis H. Lapham passed away on July 23 at the age of 89. He was editor of Harper’s Magazine for nearly three decades, first from 1976–1981 and then 1983–2006, at which time he assumed the title Editor Emeritus. In 2008, he founded Lapham’s Quarterly, which he edited until his death.

The name Lewis H. Lapham may not be immediately famili…