n+1 was founded in New York City in 2004 by six young writers and editors who wanted to revive the American tradition of politically engaged literary magazines. At the time, the intellectual scene felt disturbingly fragmented and drained of vitality: political magazines didn’t care about literature, literary magazines didn’t discuss politics, and big ideas had to be buried in tiny book reviews. The founding editors wanted to make a magazine that could encompass all the subjects they cared about—one that didn’t shy away from difficult and ambitious writing, and that saw literature, politics, and culture as aspects of the same project.