I'd have to include Silvia Beach, founder of Shakespeare and Company bookstore in Paris in 1919, publisher of "Ulysses" and so many other iconic English-language books of the 20th century.
Charles Dickens was also an object lesson in self-publishing, having taken an enormous risk by paying for A Christmas Carol when his usual publishers said he had had a couple of flops and wasn't worth taking a chance on. He is a beacon for self-publishers everywhere. His gamble paid off rather handsomely for generations of others who published that Carol.
First revision i'd make to the list: take out mergenthaler, whose contribution was neither specifically English nor directly about book publishing. Two candidates to replace him: Grove Press founder Barney Rossett, and Richard Bonnycastle, founder of Harlequin.
Further reflections… 2 of my profs at RMC did major works in Canadian publishing: George Parker, “A History of Canadian Publishing” (McClelland & Stewart, 1969 — that house another good entry); and Walter Avis, “The Gage Dictionary of Canadian English”, first on the subject.
what an imposing list, congrats on making the effort! I can’t improve upon it, other than if you are looking for *Canadian content*, you might consider Larry Stephenson as founder of Chapters.
I’m wondering about JM Dent and the Everyman editions which predated Penguin paperbacks and were models of design, following the Aldine format. And of course there was Aldus Manutius. But I like your list, although I might have included bookseller Blackwells and editor Diana Athill. Learned a lot. Thanks.
I'd have to include Silvia Beach, founder of Shakespeare and Company bookstore in Paris in 1919, publisher of "Ulysses" and so many other iconic English-language books of the 20th century.
Who wouldn't love to be written up beginning "Dismissed in his time as a meddler, an interloper, and a leech..."!
Charles Dickens was also an object lesson in self-publishing, having taken an enormous risk by paying for A Christmas Carol when his usual publishers said he had had a couple of flops and wasn't worth taking a chance on. He is a beacon for self-publishers everywhere. His gamble paid off rather handsomely for generations of others who published that Carol.
First revision i'd make to the list: take out mergenthaler, whose contribution was neither specifically English nor directly about book publishing. Two candidates to replace him: Grove Press founder Barney Rossett, and Richard Bonnycastle, founder of Harlequin.
i think someone should do a canadian list. won't be me, unless i can exclude the living - great way to lose friends and make enemies.
Further reflections… 2 of my profs at RMC did major works in Canadian publishing: George Parker, “A History of Canadian Publishing” (McClelland & Stewart, 1969 — that house another good entry); and Walter Avis, “The Gage Dictionary of Canadian English”, first on the subject.
what an imposing list, congrats on making the effort! I can’t improve upon it, other than if you are looking for *Canadian content*, you might consider Larry Stephenson as founder of Chapters.
Loved the list. The idea of it particularly. Made fascinating reading.
I’m wondering about JM Dent and the Everyman editions which predated Penguin paperbacks and were models of design, following the Aldine format. And of course there was Aldus Manutius. But I like your list, although I might have included bookseller Blackwells and editor Diana Athill. Learned a lot. Thanks.
All excellent choices.