The article provides a detailed overview of the work of one of the key intellectual journals in France “Esprit” (founded in 1932). In the dialogue between a sociologist with editorial experience and the editor-in-chief of the French journal with 20 years of experience, the principles of operation and financing the publication, structure of the editorial office and communication with readers, the practice of searching for authors and mechanisms of coaptation of the editorial group, selection criteria and revision of articles, alliances and tensions in the publishing field, and the relationship of an intellectual journal with a political agenda are revealed. The self-reflective analysis describes the conditions necessary to maintain a public intellectual project on the border between academic disciplines and journalism. Specific attention is paid to the issues of gathering editors’ and authors’ competencies, updating intellectual preferences and intergenerational cooperation, and the possibility of taking into account readers’ expectations.