Perpetual upstart: The Improper Bostonian

“The Proper Bostonian is a very well-defined type. His basic character traits are almost unmistakable. This is undoubtedly because Boston society has always devoted a great deal of attention to his breeding. The Proper Bostonian did not just happen; he was planned.”

—From The Proper Bostonians by Cleveland Amory

While in college, Mark Semonian conceived The Improper Bostonian as a challenge to his city’s stodgy reputation and transformed a daring idea into a cherished, family-owned institution. Following an interlude at the Boston Globe, I rebuilt his nascent, unbound tabloid into a biweekly magazine that punched above its weight. Consistent with its rebellious ethos, every audacious cover embodied the founder’s audacious character.

—Joseph Heroun