The Oxford American, the quarterly literary magazine based in Little Rock, announced this afternoon that interim editor Eliza Borné will take over as editor-in-chief, the magazine’s third since it was founded in 1992. A Little Rock native, Borné has been an editor at the magazine since 2013, and previously worked at the Nashville publication Bookpage. (She also wrote theater reviews for the Arkansas Times while in high school.)
“This is wonderful news,” says former editor Roger Hodge, who left earlier this year to work as national editor at The Intercept. “Eliza is a brilliant editor and wonderful person — the Oxford American could not have made a better choice. I look forward to reading her magazine for many years.”
“I am incredibly proud of the work we have done under Roger’s leadership for the past three years,” says Borné. “We have published great stories that transcend genre and give our readers new perspectives on the South. With every issue, I am astounded again by the brilliance of our amazing writers, artists, and contributors. I am honored to have the opportunity to lead our talented editorial staff as we continue creating this vital and spirited magazine that I have loved since I was a teenager.”
The magazine has also announced that Little Rock’s Jay Jennings will be joining as senior editor. Jennings is the author of “Carry the Rock: Race, Football and the Soul of an American City,” the editor of “Escape Velocity: A Charles Portis Reader,” and has previously worked for Sports Illustrated, Time Out New York and Artforum.
Borné’s first issue as editor-in-chief will be the magazine’s annual music issue, which this year focuses on Georgia music, and can be pre-ordered now at their website.