George Plimpton

American writer and editor

Also known as: George Ames Plimpton

Written by

The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Last updated

June 17, 2026

Quick Summary

George Plimpton was an American writer and editor, best known as the founding editor of The Paris Review. He served as editor from 1953 to 2003, during which time the literary quarterly became renowned for publishing both established and emerging authors, including Philip Roth and Jack Kerouac.1

Plimpton also gained recognition for his unique approach to sports journalism. He wrote several books detailing his personal experiences participating in professional sports, such as football and hockey, to offer readers an insider's perspective. His first book of this kind, Paper Lion, published in 1966, described his time at an NFL training camp.2

Summary created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

2 Britannica Sources

Ask Britannica AI about this topic

Britannica doesn't have a full article on this topic, so we've curated a list of our relevant coverage.

Sirhan Sirhan
…apprehended at the scene—tackled by George Plimpton, Rosey Grier, and others—and he reportedly said, “I did it for my country.” The attack took place on the one-year anniversary of the start of the Six-Day War.
Read More
…apprehended at the scene—tackled by George Plimpton, Rosey Grier, and others—and he reportedly said, “I did it for my country.” The attack took place on the one-year anniversary of the start of the Six-Day War.
Read More

The Paris Review
Humes, and George Plimpton, with Plimpton also serving as the first editor. It is an English-language review modeled on the independent literary magazines (also known as “little magazines”) published in Paris in the 1920s. Although established in Paris, it moved to New York City in the 1970s.
Read More
Humes, and George Plimpton, with Plimpton also serving as the first editor. It is an English-language review modeled on the independent literary magazines (also known as “little magazines”) published in Paris in the 1920s. Although established in Paris, it moved to New York City in the 1970s.
Read More

Detroit Lions
From Alex Karras to Barry Sanders
…perhaps best remembered for writer George Plimpton’s short tenure with the team as the “last-string” quarterback during the 1963 preseason, an experience recounted in his book Paper Lion (1966) and later in a movie of the same name. Detroit qualified for only one playoff appearance in the 24 years between…
Read More
…perhaps best remembered for writer George Plimpton’s short tenure with the team as the “last-string” quarterback during the 1963 preseason, an experience recounted in his book Paper Lion (1966) and later in a movie of the same name. Detroit qualified for only one playoff appearance in the 24 years between…
Read More

sports journalism
Sports Books
The late nonfiction author George Plimpton took his view of professional sports a step further with a series of books about his limited participation in a professional sport, such as football, hockey, boxing, and golf, to give readers an insider’s view of the highest levels of the sport. His…
Read More
The late nonfiction author George Plimpton took his view of professional sports a step further with a series of books about his limited participation in a professional sport, such as football, hockey, boxing, and golf, to give readers an insider’s view of the highest levels of the sport. His…
Read More