Rejection Note for Paradise Regained

Loved that first book”it’s got no equal”

but, Johnny, we don’t love your sequel.

If you would only take a chance

on self-help or a gay romance,

we’d let you keep your last advance.

Phony conspiracies would do

if you could find a hook or two”

like someone famous who won’t sue.

Marketing knows you’ll see the light,

and thinks Da Vinci is just right.

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.

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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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