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Dear Friends,

As this momentous year comes to a close, I write to you not merely with an appeal for support, but also with a brief chronicle of the intellectual battles Encounter is waging.

In a climate where thoughtful discussion is routinely drowned out by the static of a squabbling, superficial, and partisan media, we have persevered in our efforts to restore the foundations of a politically mature, historically informed debate. Encounter is not simply publishing books; it is also aiming to recapture the intellectual, moral, and political high ground of our culture and to reanimate the complex and liberating lessons that are embedded in our Western inheritance.

Golden Thread Academic

“…The Golden Thread comes as a history, an argument, a treasure hoard. Happy is the student who will have a semester to study this magnificent book. Happy, too, is the general reader who stands, as one on the threshold of the Louvre, preparing to enter the shining galleries that lie ahead.” —The Wall Street Journal

This year saw the launch of our new academic imprint, Golden Thread Academic. Dedicated to restoring serious, rigorous historical inquiry in the classroom, this initiative aims to bring students back into contact with the timeless wisdom of the Western tradition.

The initial response has been remarkable.  The release of The Golden Thread, Volume I: The Ancient World and Christendom by James Hankins was met with extraordinary enthusiasm. Typical was the Wall Street Journal’s review, which described the book as “a monumental work of reclamation and revival.”

Looking ahead, the imprint’s momentum will continue with the forthcoming launch of The Golden Thread, Volume II: The Modern and Contemporary West by Allen C. Guelzo early next year. Moreover, we are hard at work preparing the highly anticipated Revised Edition of Wilfred M. McClay’s Land of Hope: An Invitation to the Great American Story, ensuring this wonderful book remains a definitive choice for future generations of students and educators.

Highlights from Encounter’s Library

Encounter’s publishing program continues to challenge the flaccid clichés of the conventional, i.e., left-wing, consensus, providing critical resources for engaged citizens. Here are just a few highlights from the past year:

• Charles Murray’s Taking Religion Seriously is a moving and intellectually uncompromising autobiographical account charting Murray’s decades-long evolution toward Christianity. Writing with his characteristic wit and rigor, Murray dismantles modern prejudices and unflinchingly examines the formidable case for faith.
• The Making of the American Mind by Matthew Spalding presents the stirring narrative of the patriots who, animated by principle, united to declare independence from the world’s most powerful nation. This essential volume provides a unique, clause-by-clause commentary on the Declaration of Independence, exploring the enduring influence of the Greeks, Romans, the Christian West, and the English constitutional tradition.
• The Jewish Roots of American Liberty, masterfully edited by Wilfred M. McClay and Stuart Halpern, illuminates the bond between the American and Jewish traditions, ranging in topic from the political culture of the American Founding to the distinctly Hebraic vision of figures like Abraham Lincoln.
• Another Sort of Mathematics by J. Jacob Tawney is a much-needed and cheerful reclaiming of the liberal art of mathematics. It invites readers of all backgrounds to encounter math not merely as a subject to master, but as a soul-shaping journey into wonder, beauty, and truth.

These titles, and dozens more, demonstrate Encounter’s unmatched commitment to providing an intellectual counterweight to the prevailing trends in publishing.

The Encounter Books Gala

We recently celebrated Encounter’s work and the community that makes our mission possible at our annual Encounter Books Gala in Washington, DC. It was our pleasure to honor two individuals who exemplify intellectual courage: Amy L. Wax and Charles R. Kesler. Their inspiring willingness to speak inconvenient truths and uphold the highest standards of academic freedom underscores the urgent necessity of our mission.

Please enjoy their remarks and event coverage below:

Encounter Books Gala Highlights

Full Encounter Books Gala

Amy L. Wax Receives the Jeane Kirkpatrick Prize for Academic Freedom

Charles R. Kesler Receives the Encounter Prize for Advancing American Ideals

Your Year-End Gift

Encounter Books stands on the front lines of the intellectual defense of liberty. The launch of Golden Thread Academic and the continued success of our trade publishing program require significant resources—from editorial development and scholarly vetting to major marketing and distribution campaigns.

Your year-end gift is critically important to sustaining this important work. It allows Encounter to:

• Expand the Golden Thread Imprint: Support the production and promotion of The Golden Thread, Volumes I and II, and secure the future of the Revised Edition of Land of Hope.
• Support Courageous Authors: Give a voice to bold scholars like Charles Murray, who often face public pressure for their honest and original research.
• Ensure Wide Promotion and Dissemination: Place these essential books into the hands of readers, policymakers, journalists, students, and libraries across the nation.

Please consider making your tax-deductible gift today. Your donation is an investment in the future of serious scholarship that will shape the next generation of thought leaders in America.

Thank you for being a steadfast partner in this essential mission.

Roger Kimball

President and Publisher
Encounter Books