New Escapologist is a UK-based lifestyle magazine. It originally ran between 2007 and 2017, returning after a hiatus in 2023. The magazine takes the stance that work has too central a position in western life and that work, consumption and pursuit of social status too often take precedence over happiness, liberty, and unstructured leisure.[1] Simple living, creativity and Epicureanism are offered as solutions to the problems of overwork and overconsumption.

New Escapologist
EditorRobert Wringham
FrequencyBi-annual
Founded2007
CountryUnited Kingdom
LanguageEnglish
WebsiteOfficial website
ISSN1755-5671

History

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New Escapologist was founded in 2007. Speaking at a public event together in 2009,[2] Robert Wringham told Tom Hodgkinson that he started New Escapologist after reading Hodgkinson's book How to be Free alongside a biography of Houdini and Among the Bohemians: experiments in living by Virginia Nicholson.[3]

A pilot issue was printed in 2007, a first canonical issue in 2008, and a launch party was held at the Glasgow CCA in 2009.[4][5]

In 2011, New Escapologist organized a zine fair in support of the student occupation of Heatherington House at the University of Glasgow.[6] The same year saw the launch of a fifth issue at The Arches theatre and nightclub,[7] and a sixth issue at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.[8]

In 2014, around the time of the magazine's tenth issue, a spin-off book written by Wringham was announced. Following a successful crowdfunding campaign,[9] the book was published by Unbound on 28 January 2016[10] followed by a German edition published by Heyne Verlag later that same year.

In 2017, it was announced that the magazine would close after a decade but would continue online as a subscription essay series mediated by Patreon. The first of these essays went live in April 2017. A New Escapologist Substack newsletter also began in December 2022.[11][12]

New Escapologist returned to print in 2023 after a successful Kickstarter campaign.[13][14][15]

Production

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The magazine's distinct typography, according to a colophon printed in the back of each issue,[16] was achieved using Donald Knuth's TeX[17] typesetting system with a layout based on an ancient Ge'ez liturgical text seen at the Matenadaran Manuscripts Museum in Armenia.

The magazine's logo, featured prominently in the masthead of early issues and at the magazine's website is the ISO standard "running man" symbol usually seen on exit signs.[18]

Notable contributors

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References

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  1. ^ Escapology: Another way to look at Findependence MoneySense. 11 October 2013. Retrieved 3 August 2015.
  2. ^ "Great Escape" Photos NewEscapologist.co.uk. 11 October 2009. Retrieved 10 January 2016./
  3. ^ The Great Escape: Tom Hodgkinson (with Neil Scott) Wringham.co.uk. 25 November 2010. Retrieved 10 January 2016.
  4. ^ New Escapologist launch party. Newescapologist.co.uk. 10 July 2009. Retrieved 10 January 2016.
  5. ^ Map of Thoughtland: New Escapologist Thoughtland. 22 September 2010. Retrieved 10 January 2016.
  6. ^ Free Heatherington Zine Fair Zine Wiki. 17 May 2011. Retrieved 10 January 2016.
  7. ^ New Escapologist Magazine Launch: Issue 5 thearches.co.uk. 10 May 2011. Retrieved 10 January 2016.
  8. ^ An Escapologist's Diary. Part 28. NewEscapologist.co.uk. 30 August 2011. Retrieved 10 January 2016.
  9. ^ Escape Everything! Unbound.co.uk. 2 August 2014. Retrieved 10 January 2016.
  10. ^ Escape Everything!: Escape from work. Escape from consumerism. Escape from despair. Amazon.co.uk. Retrieved 10 January 2016.
  11. ^ "New Escapologist : December 2022". 9 December 2022.
  12. ^ "Substacked | New Escapologist".
  13. ^ "New Escapologist : July 2023 (Again)". 26 July 2023.
  14. ^ "The Whippet #174: Extending my physical influence". 26 July 2023.
  15. ^ "Robert Wringham, New Escapologist". 4 September 2023.
  16. ^ Colophon, New Escapologist Issue 1
  17. ^ https://www.ntg.nl/maps/43/14.pdf [bare URL PDF]
  18. ^ New Escapologist Issue 1
  19. ^ Status Anxiety and Bohemia: Alain de Botton. Wringham.co.uk. 8 March 2011. Retrieved 10 January 2016.
  20. ^ New Escapologist HiLobrow. 12 November 2012. Retrieved 10 January 2016.
  21. ^ Notes Towards Becoming a Good Citizen New Escapologist. 16 December 2012. Retrieved 10 January 2016.
  22. ^ Escape to Your Unconscious Glasgow School of Art Institutional Repository. 21 November 2011. Retrieved 10 January 2016.

Further reading

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  • Jacob Lund Fisker (2010) Early Retirement Extreme: A philosophical and practical guide to financial independence, ISBN 978-1453601211
  • Robert Wringham (2016) Escape Everything! ISBN 978-1783521333
  • Robert Wringham (2021) I'm Out: How to Make an Exit (retitled paperback edition) ISBN 9781783529599
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