Dissent Magazine

Ever wonder where those sharp essays and debates about politics and culture actually get printed? Dissent Magazine has been publishing left-leaning commentary since the 1950s, and its office sits on the 31st floor of 120 Wall Street—right where the skyscrapers start to thin and the Financial District’s old stone facades give way to glass. The address puts it steps from the East River, so if you’re walking along the waterfront, you’re basically in the neighborhood already. Publishers don’t usually feel like places you can just drop by, but this one keeps a phone line open for anyone who wants to talk about submissions, subscriptions, or the latest issue. If you’re curious about what goes into putting out a quarterly journal, their map will get you to the right floor. Directions are here, and the number to call is (212) 316-3120. They’re not a bookstore, so don’t expect shelves of titles, but the conversations that start in those pages often spill out into the city itself.