John R. MacArthur (original) (raw)

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American journalist and author

John R. MacArthur
Born John Rick MacArthur (1956-06-04) June 4, 1956 (age 68)New York City, New York, U.S.
Nationality American, French
Education Columbia University (BA)
Occupation(s) Journalist and author
Children 2
Parent(s) J. Roderick MacArthurChristiane L'Étendart
Relatives John D. MacArthur (grandfather), James MacArthur (paternal first cousin once removed)

John Rick MacArthur (born June 4, 1956) is an American journalist and author of books about US politics. He is the president and publisher of Harper's Magazine.

MacArthur is the son of J. Roderick MacArthur and French-born Christiane L’Étendart.[1]and the grandson of billionaire John D. MacArthur. He grew up in Winnetka, Illinois, graduating from North Shore Country Day School in 1974. He graduated from Columbia University with a B.A. in history in 1978. In 2017 he was named a chevalier in the French order of arts and letters. He lives with his wife and two daughters in New York City. He is well known for his skeptical stance of the internet, all things technological and insistence on print publishing.[2]

MacArthur writes a monthly column, in French, for Le Devoir on a wide range of topics from politics to culture and is a regular contributor to the Spectator (U.K.), the Toronto Star, Le Monde Diplomatique and Le Monde.

Though John D. MacArthur disinherited his son J. Roderick MacArthur, the latter served on the board of the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation until his death in 1984. In 1980, John R. MacArthur persuaded the foundation to partner in creating and funding a Harper's Magazine Foundation to acquire and operate the magazine of the same name. This new entity acquired Harper's Magazine (which was then losing nearly 2millionperyearandwasonthevergeofceasingpublication)for2 million per year and was on the verge of ceasing publication) for 2millionperyearandwasonthevergeofceasingpublication)for250,000. He became president and publisher of Harper's Magazine [3] in 1983.

In 1993 he received the _Baltimore Sun'_s H.L. Mencken Writing Award for best editorial/op-ed column for his New York Times exposé of "Nayirah", the Kuwaiti diplomat's daughter who helped fake the Iraqi baby-incubator atrocity.

MacArthur has been a reporter for The Wall Street Journal (1977), the Washington Star (1978), The Bergen Record (1978–1979), Chicago Sun-Times (1979–1982), and an assistant foreign editor at United Press International (1982).

MacArthur serves on the board of The Author's Guild and the Death Penalty Information Center.[4] He received the Philolexian Award for Distinguished Literary Achievement in 2009.

  1. ^ "Rick MacArthur, l'influent ami du livre français". French Morning (in French). June 4, 2015. Retrieved January 17, 2018.
  2. ^ Nolan, Hamilton (August 11, 2014). "The Haughty Old King of Harper's Gets One Thing Right". Gawker. Retrieved September 5, 2021.
  3. ^ Second Front, Second edition, 2004.
  4. ^ "Death Penalty Information Center". Archived from the original on October 20, 2009.