World Literature Today

The predecessor of "World Literature Today" was "Foreign Books" founded by Roy Temple House (1878-1963), a visionary scholar at the University of Oklahoma, in 1927. In a letter to the President of the University of Oklahoma, William Bennett Bizzell, Dr. House outlined his vision for founding Foreign Books and requested a start-up budget of $150 for the first two installments. He wrote with unique humility, '... I know our little magazine will play an important role in all aspects. I think many of us strongly feel that the University of Oklahoma must begin to contribute to the academic and cultural activities of the country' (October 21, 1926). In the following 22 years, Professor House carefully cultivated this fledgling magazine. In 1948, his colleagues nominated him for the Nobel Peace Prize in recognition of his contributions as an ambassador for international cooperation and goodwill.

Dr. House designed the magazine's logo as a ship fully loaded with boats, with the words Lux a Peregrine written on it - "Radiance from Abroad" or (our chosen interpretation) "Light of Discovery". Although the magazine has always served as a harbor for ships (foreign books) from abroad, it also serves as a lighthouse reflecting the light it receives, which is an important component of our mission. Books Abroad started with a seedling on January 32, 1927, and by the end of its 50th anniversary (autumn 1976), it had grown to 256 pages. In January 1977, the magazine was renamed "Today's World Literature", reflecting its truly international coverage and reputation.

WLT has been continuously published for 97 years, making it one of the longest running literary journals in the United States. Other journals founded in the early 20th century include The South Atlantic Quarterly (1902), Poetry (1912), and The New Yorker (1925). We are always committed to serving students, scholars, and ordinary readers around the world. For many years, our masthead has been printed with Goethe's words: "Once these journals are accepted by a wider readership, they will most effectively contribute to the world literature we hope for. However, there is no doubt that the ideas of all countries are consistent. Our goal is simple, which is to let them understand and appreciate each other, even if they may not love each other, at least they can tolerate each other." Goethe's words were first published in 1828 and remain at the core of our mission, even in a world that is increasingly globalized in the 21st century, but still full of national, linguistic, and political differences.