Elk calf, first five minutes on four legs, the shimmy and wobble of her.
The undeniable inarguable adamant lurid smell of a smashed pumpkin.
Two basketball players helping up a fallen teammate, the braided grips.
The infant Vaux’s swift that rocketed out of the fireplace one evening.
The way my son after an argument later brushes my neck with his hand.
Dear Reader,
Can I be direct with you?
War abroad. Socialists on the rise. AI upending human life. Endless uproar online. The modern attention economy doesn’t want readers — it wants users enslaved to the tyranny of the present.
First Things is the antidote: literary excellence, timeless truths, and a fixed point of reference in a culture that has lost its bearings.
But we can’t do it without readers like you.
Our goal: Raise $150,000 by November 1 to sustain First Things in the year ahead.
Your gift anchors readers in the permanent things.
Make your Fall Campaign gift now using the button below.
If you have any questions or would like more information, please contact Giovanni Del Piero, Director of the Editor’s Circle, at gdelpiero@firstthings.com or 212-627-1985.
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