What is Presser?

Presser is a new monthly online magazine that features essays and commentary on issues of cultural and societal import. Although we are politically nonpartisan, we have a clear bias toward liberalism, secularism, and humanism — or, put another way, those Enlightenment values that stand against superstition, intolerance, and bigotry and for freedom of thought, expression, and conscience. More broadly, we believe in an honest and open search for what’s true — a process that demands the testing of arguments and the challenging of ideas. Only with pressure can something be adequately assessed if not completely transformed into something of use or value — like, for example, the way a classical olive press turned raw fruit into what Homer referred to as “liquid gold.” Given this universal truth about how reliable knowledge about the world is produced, we seek to publish essays that press against even the most popular beliefs and assumptions — and welcome being pressed on our own.

Why Presser?

We recognize there are an ever-growing number of media platforms that compete for your time and attention, from long-established outlets and new independent sites to opinion blogs and niche newsletters, but we still think we have something of value to offer readers and writers. In particular, we see an acute need for a nonpartisan liberal-minded magazine that publishes a range of international voices but is also based in the United States. Given the quickly changing and always challenging publishing landscape, we also see a chronic need for a publishing company that allows time and space for ideas and arguments to be developed and scaled — from the shortest of articles to fully formed books. Although the essays Presser publishes can and should be read on their own, our broader aim is two-fold: (1) to offer a place where new and established writers can hone their ideas and arguments, receive needed feedback, and cultivate awareness about their work before or as they develop a book project and (2) to provide a place where important ideas and arguments from already published or forthcoming books can be adapted as essays or shared as excerpts for the purpose of reaching a broader audience.

Who owns Presser?

Presser is a magazine developed and owned by Pitchstone, an independent trade book publisher.