He published the works of some of the greatest American writers and hired the then unknown illustrator Norman Rockwell to create cover artwork.

[2] He was convinced by one of his father's parishioners, Philip D. Armour, to leave Yale and work in the meatpacking business[3] in Chicago from 1887 to 1895.

[5] He became editor-in-chief[6] and published the works of some of the greatest American writers including Willa Cather, Stephen Crane, Theodore Dreiser, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Ring Lardner, Sinclair Lewis, Jack London and Frank Norris.

[7] In 1916, Lorimer hired the then unknown illustrator Norman Rockwell to create cover artwork for The Saturday Evening Post.

The fictional series was a huge success and the Saturday Evening Post received over 5,000 letters in response.

[8] The success of the publication lead to a sequel titled Old Gorgon Graham: More Letters From a Self-Made Merchant to His Son published in 1903.