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North Point Press Records
M0833  
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Collection Details
 
Table of contents What's This?
  • Request items
  • Conditions Governing Access
  • Immediate Source of Acquisition
  • Arrangement
  • Historical Note
  • Preferred Citation
  • Related Materials
  • Scope and Contents
  • Conditions Governing Use
  • List of titles published by North Point

  • Language of Material: English
    Contributing Institution: Department of Special Collections and University Archives
    Title: North Point Press records
    Creator: Ras, Barbara
    Identifier/Call Number: M0833
    Physical Description: 430 Linear Feet 286 Cartons, 29 manuscript boxes, 36 flat boxes
    Physical Description: 0.0008 gigabyte(s) 1 3.5" floppy disk.
    Date (inclusive): 1980-1991

    Conditions Governing Access

    Open for research, with the exception of Restricted personnel files in Series I.
    Note that material must be requested at least 36 hours in advance of intended use.

    Immediate Source of Acquisition

    The collections was purchased from North Point Press Inc. in 1990-1991.

    Arrangement

    The original order and context of the collection has been maintained where possible, with some distinctions made for the general functions of different types of records.
    The collections is arranged into the following series:
    Series I: Business Records (records pertaining to personnel and the history of the business, financial and business relationships and North Points activites in the publishing marketplace.)
    Series II: Published works and proposals. This series contains records directly related to the writing, editing, and production of North Point's publshed output, as well as other proposals and unrealized projects.
    Series III: Audio-visual material. This series consists of audio and video recordings, primarily radio interviews and public appearances by North Point authors.

    Historical Note

    North Point Press was founded in 1978 in Berkeley, CA by publisher William Turnbull and editor in chief Jack Shoemaker. "North Point's aim was to fill the widening gap between the small fine press and large commercial publisher". North Point produced its first books in the fall season of 1980. Their final season was in 1991 and in total they published 321 titles.
    North Point published a variety of literature including novels, short story collections, poetry, essays and criticism, and works of cultural anthropology. Their biggest sellers included Beryl Markham's 1942 memoir of her life in Kenya West with the Night (1983, North Point edition), and Evan S. Connell's Son of the Morning Star (1984), a deep examination of Gen. George Custer and the Battle of Little Bighorn.
    North Point also published reprints of food writing by M.F.K. Fisher, books on Zen (a special interest of Jack Shoemaker's), a variety of books on nature and environmental stewardship, and numerous titles by poet/novelist/farmer Wendell Berry. Other notable authors include Guy Davenport, Anne Lamott, Leslie Scalapino, and Gilbert Sorrentino.
    North Point Press earned a reputation as an accessible publisher of worthy titles but struggled to succeed financially in a difficult market. The publishers tried for several years to find buyer in larger publishing houses before eventually closing down the press in 1991. The name was acquired by long-time distributor Farrar, Straus &amp Giroux in 1993 and remains as an imprint with some older titles still available.
    Principals:
    William Turnbull - Owner and publisher Jack Shoemaker - Editor in chief Emily Heckman - Editorial associate Kathleen Moses - Editor Thomas Christensen - Editor Dominique Gioia - Editor Barbara Ras - Managing editor Jennifer McDonald - Editor, Subsidiary rights manager Lisa M. Ross - Publicity, subsidiary rights director (ca. 1983-1989) Susanna Tadlock - Production Manager, Administrative Director Jeanne Slater - Office manager Sharon Ponsford - Marketing Director

    Preferred Citation

    [identification of item], North Point Press records (M0833). Dept. of Special Collections and University Archives, Stanford Libraries, Stanford, California.

    Related Materials

    M0710 Jack Shoemaker papers, 1992-1994 Stanford Libraries Special Collections https://searchworks.stanford.edu/view/4084094
    Shoemaker's papers from immediately post-North Point Press. May contain projects carried over from NPP and published by Pantheon.

    Scope and Contents

    North Point Press was based in Berkeley, CA and operated as an independent publisher from 1980 until 1991. Founded by William Turnbull and Jack Shoemaker in 1978, North Point Press published a variety of literature including novels, short story collections, poetry, essays and criticism, and works of cultural anthropology. They prided themselves on producing quality books with thoughtful typesetting and art direction and printed on acid-free paper.
    The collection contains the business and financial records of the press as well as voluminous accretions of manuscripts, editorial and production material. Also included are a series of audio and video recordings, mainly documenting radio and public appearances by North Point authors.
    The Business Records series includes historical information about the press, administration information, financial records, sales reports, and business correspondence.
    The Publications series includes manuscripts of published and unpublished works, corrected proofs, editorial files, reviews and rights files.

    Conditions Governing Use

    While Special Collections is the owner of the physical and digital items, permission to examine collection materials is not an authorization to publish. These materials are made available for use in research, teaching, and private study. Any transmission or reproduction beyond that allowed by fair use requires permission from the owners of rights, heir(s) or assigns. See: http://library.stanford.edu/spc/using-collections/permission-publish.

    List of titles published by North Point

    This bibliography compiled by North Point Press editor Tom Christensen, referenced from http://www.rightreading.com/publishing/npp.htm with some corrections referenced from North Point Press catalogs.
    FALL 1980 Davenport, Guy, The Geography of the Imagination Connell, Evan S., Saint Augustine's Pigeon Johnson, Ronald, Ark Berry, Wendell, A Part Meltzer, David, ed., Birth: An Anthology of Ancient Texts, Songs, Prayers and Stories. de Civrieux, Marc (David Guss, trans.), Watunna: An Orinoco Creation Cycle Schafer, Edward H., The Divine Woman Kwock, C.H. and Vincent McHugh, trans., Old Friend from Far Away: 150 Chinese Poems from the Great Dynasties Kinnell, Galway, Black Light Giono, Jean (Katherine Clarke, trans.), Joy of Man's Desiring Linney, Romulus, Jesus Tales Watts, A.E., trans., The Metamorphoses of Ovid
    SPRING 1981 Fisher, M.F.K., A Cordiall Water Berry, Wendell, Recollected Essays, 1965-1980 DiStasi, Lawrence, Mal Occhio Palmer, Michael, Notes for Echo Lake Petrarch, Francis (Nicholas Kilmer, trans.), Songs and Sonnets from Laura's Lifetime Davenport, Guy, Eclogues Giono, Jean (H.Fluchère and G. Myers, trans.), The Song of the World Gaines, Ernest J., Catherine Carmier Cavell, Stanley, The Senses of Walden
    FALL 1981 Berry, Wendell, The Gift of Good Land Bronk, William, Life Supports Connell, Evan S., Mr. Bridge Connell, Evan S., Mrs. Bridge Giono, Jean (Katherine Allen Clarke, trans.) Blue Boy Merwin, W.S., and J. Moussaieff Masson, trans., The Peacock's Egg: Love Poems from Ancient India Nabhan, Gary Paul, The Desert Smells Like Rain: A Naturalist in Papago Indian Country Norman, Howard, Where the Chill Came From: Cree Windigo Tales and Journeys Sorrentino, Gilbert, Crystal Vision
    SPRING 1982 de Selicourt, Aubrey, The World of Herodotus Feld, Ross, Only Shorter Giono, Jean (Jonathan Griffin, trans.), The Horseman on the Roof Goethe, J.W. (w.H. Auden, trans.), Italian Journey McClure, Michael, Scratching the Beat Surface Philippi, Donald L., trans., Songs of Gods, Songs of Humans Salter, James, Light Years Scalapino, Leslie, considering how exaggerated music is Smith, Page, and Charles Daniel, The Chicken Book Stock, Noel S., The Life of Ezra Pound Wilson, William S., Birthplace: Moving into Nearness
    FALL 1982 Aitken, Robert, Taking the Path of Zen Berriault, Gina, The Infinite Passion of Expectation Berry, Wendell, A Place on Earth Berry, Wendell, The Wheel Bronk, William, Life Supports Fisher, M.F.K., Not Now But Now Hazo, Samuel, The Wanton Summer Air Hoagland, Edward, Notes from the Century Before Li He (J.D. Frosdham, trans.), Goddesses Ghosts, and Demons Merwin, W.S., Finding the Islands Metcalf, Paul, Waters of Potowmack Williams, Jonathan, The Magpie's Bagpipe
    SPRING 1983 Adams, Robert M., Decadent Societies Broch, Hermann (J.S. Untermeyer, trans.), The Death of Virgil Buzzati, Dino (Lawrence Venuti, trans.), Restless Nights Evanier, David, The One-Star Jew Giono, Jean (P. Johnson, trans.), The Straw Man Kabir (Linda Hess and S. Singh, trans.), The Bijak of Kabir Joubert, Joseph (Paul Auster, trans.), The Notebooks of Joseph Joubert Markham, Beryl, West with the Night Rorem, Ned, The Paris and New York Diaries Schultheis, Rob, The Hidden West Sorrentino, Gilbert, Blue Pastoral Sund, Robert, Ish River
    FALL 1983 Berry, Wendell, Standing By Words Bronk, William Vectors and Smoothable Curves Dixon, Stephen, Movies Fisher, M.F.K., Among Friends Giono, Jean (H. Fluchere and G. Mvers, trans.), Harvest Kahn, Paul, The Secret History of the Mongols Mallarmé, Stephane (Paul Auster, trans.), A Tomb for Anatole Meltzer, David, ed. Death Montaigne, Michel de (Donald Frame, trans.), Travel Journal Raffel, Burton, trans., The Essential Horace Rorem, Ned, The Later Diaries Snyder, Gary, Axe Handles Tanikawa, Shuntaro (H. Wright, tr.), The Selected Poems
    SPRING 1984 Apollinaire, Guillaume (Ron Padgett, trans.), The Poet Assassinated Bankei, Yotaku (Norman Waddell, trans.), The Unborn: The Life And Teachings of Bankei Berriault, Gina, The Lights of Earth Boyle, Kay, and Robert McAlmon, Being Geniuses Together Brondoli, Michael, Showdown and Other Stories Cavell, Stanley, Themes out of School Chamfort (W.S. Merwin, trans.), Products of the Perfected Civilization Connell, Evan S., Notes from a Bottle Found on the Beach at Carmel Frame, Donald M., Montaigne: A Biography Friedman, Sanford, Totempole Goethe, J.W., Conversations with Eckermann Hammett, Dashiell, The Maltese Falcon Lu Yu (David Gordon, trans.), The Wild Old Man Smith, Page, Dissenting Opinions
    FALL 1984 Aitken, Robert, The Mind of Clover: Essays in Zen Buddhist Ethics Buzzati, Dino, (Lawrence Venuti, trans.), The Siren Connell Evan S., Son of the Morning Star Davenport, Guy, Apples and Pears Fox, Paula, A Servant's Tale Hall, Donald, Fathers Playing Catch with Sons Hopkins, John, The Flight of the Pelican Jackson, Wes, et al., eds., Meeting the Expectations of the Land Leiris, Michel (Richard Howard, trans.), Manhood Palmer, Michael, First Figure Pellegrini, Angelo, The Unprejudiced Palate Rilke, Rainer Maria (Edward Snow, trans.), New Poems (1907) Sorrentino , Gilbert, Something Said
    SPRING 1985 Berry, Wendell, The Collected Poems, 1957-1982 Berry, Wendell, Nathan Coulter Boyle, Kay, Words That Must Somehow Be Said Brazeau, Peter, Parts of a World: Wallace Stevens Remembered Bronk, William, Vectors and Smoothable Curves Crevel, Rene (Kay Boyle, trans.), Babylon Dixon, Stephen, Fall and Rise Dogen (Kazuaki Tanahashi, trans.), Moon in a Dewdrop Grabhorn, Robert, ed., A Commonplace Book of Cookery Guss, David, ed., The Language of the Birds Heynen, Jim, You Know What Is Right Hoagland, Edward, The Courage of Turtles Price, Reynolds, A Palpable God Ross, Nancy Wilson, Westward the Women Toklas, Alice B., What Is Remembered
    FALL 1985 Berriault, Gina, The Son and Conference of Victims Brand, Stewart and Art Kleiner, News That Stayed News: Ten Years of Coevolution Quarterly Broch, Hermann, (E. and W. Muir, trans.), The Sleepwalkers Carpenter, Don, The Class of '49 Connell, Evan S., Points for a Compass Rose Cortázar, Julio (Thomas Christensen, trans.), Around the Day in Eighty Worlds Fisher, M.F.K., Here Let Us Feast Gunn, Thom, The Occasions of Poetry Hoagland, Edward, Walking The Dead Diamond River Lamott, Anne, Joe Jones Niedecker, Lorine, The Granite Pail Salter, James, A Sport and a Pastime Scalapino, Leslie, that they were at the beach Sorrentino, Gilbert, Odd Number
    SPRING 1986 Berriault, Gina, The Descent Berry, Wendell, The Wild Birds Carpenter, Don, The Dispossessed Celan, Paul (K. Washburn and M. Guillemin. trans.), Last Poems Cummins, James, The Whole Truth Davenport, Guy, Thasos and Ohio Dunlop, Lane, ed., A Late Crysanthemum Edelson, Julie, No News Is Good Ekelund, Vilheim (L. Bruce, trans.), The Second Light Liebling, A.J., Between Meals: An Appetite for Paris Mandelstam, Osip (C. Brown, trans.), The Noise of Time Maso, Carole, Ghost Dance Pellegrini, Angelo, American Dream: An Immigrant's Quest Sorrentino, Gilbert, The Sky Changes
    FALL 1986 Berry, Wendell, The Collected Poems, 1957-1982 Brillat-Savarin, Jean Anthelme (M.F.K Fisher, trans.), The Physiology of Taste Crevel, René (David Rattray, trans.), Difficult Death Davenport, Guy, Every Force Evolves a Form Denning, Candace Adventures with Julia Doyle, Sir Arthur Conan, The Hound of the Baskervilles Ford, Hugh, Four Lives in Paris Fox, Paula, The Widow's Children Kotlowitz, Robert, Sea Changes Li Ang (H. Goldblatt and E. Yeung, trans.), The Butcher's Wife Merrill, James, Recitative Pagnol, Marcel (R. Barrise, trans.), My Father's Glory and My Mother's Castle Reid, Alastair, Whereabouts: Notes on Being a Foreigner Shiga Naoya (Lane Dunlop, trans.), The Paper Door and Other Stories Snyder, Gary, Left Out in the Rain
    SPRING 1987 Berry, Wendell, Home Economics Bronk, William, Manifest; And Furthermore Connell, Evan S., The Connoisseur Hall, Donald, The Ideal Bakery Halpern, Daniel, ed., On Nature Hammett, Dashiell, The Maltese Falcon Jackson, Wes, Altars of Unhewn Stone: science and Earth Kawabata, Yasunari (J.M. Holman, trans.), The Old Capital Lamott, Anne, Hard Laughter Macmillan, Ian, Proud Monster 141(1/ Mitchell, Stephen, trans., The Book of Job Rilke, Rainer Maria (E. Snow, trans.), New Poems: The Other Part (1908) Root, Waverley, The Paris Edition, 1927-1934 Rorem, Ned, The Nantvcket Diary Simeti, Mary Taylor, On Persephone's Island: A Sicillian Journal
    FALL 1987 Berry, Wendell, Sabbaths Broch, Hermann (R. Manheim, trans.), The Guiltless Carpenter, Don, A Couple of Comedians Davenport, Guy, The Jules Verne Steam Balloon Hamburger, Philip, Curious World Illich, Ivan and Barry Sanders, ABC: The Alphabetization of the Popular Mind Linney, Romulus, Jesus Tales Markham, Beryl, The Splendid Outcast Markham, Beryl, West with the Night: Gift Edition Nabhan, Gary Paul, The Desert Smells Like Rain Nanao Sakaki, Break the Mirror Salter, James, Dusk and Other Stories Senzaki, Nyogen and Ruth Strout McCandless, Buddhism and Zen Staffel, Megan, She Wanted Something Else
    SPRING 1988 Connell, Evan S. The Diary of a Rapist Denning, Candace, The Women in Her Dreams Fisher, M.F.K., Dubious Honors Halpern, Daniel and Julie Strand, The Good Food Hareven, Shulamith (Hillel Halkin, trans.), The Miracle Hater Juarroz, Roberto (W.S. Merwin, trans.), Vertical Poetry Kawabata, Yasunari (Lane Dunlop and J. Martin Holman, trans.), Palm-of the-Hand Stories Pagnol, Marcel (W. E. Van Heyningen, trans.), Jean de Florette and Manon of the Springs Salter, James, Solo Faces Scalapino, Leslie, way Shigematsu, Soiku, trans., A Zen Harvest Stein, Gertrude, The World Is Round Taylor, Paul, Private Domain Valenzuela, Luisa (H. Carpentier et al., trans.), Open Door Weschler, Lawrence, Shapinsky's Karma, Boggs's Bills: And Other True-Life Tales
    FALL 1988 Berry, Wendell, Remembering Boyle, Kay, Words That Must Somehow Be Said Brooks, Jeffree Sapp, The Art of Accompaniment: Makng Condiments Carpenter, Don, From a Distant Place Connell, Evan S., A Long Desire Doyle, Sir Arthur Conan, The Hound of the Baskrvilles Fisher, M.F.K., Consider the Oyster Fisher, M.F.K., How to Cook a Wolf Goytisolo, Juan (P. Bush, trans.), Forbidden Territory: Memoirs, 1931-1956 Halpern, Daniel, ed., Writers on Artists Kenner, Hugh, Mazes Nabhan, Gary Paul, Enduring Seeds Palmer, Michael, Sun Perl, Jed, Paris Without End Solomon, Barbara Probst, Horse-Trading and Ecstasy Thompson, Sylvia, Feasts and Friends: Recipes from a Lifetime Trakl, Georg (Robert Firmage, trans.), Song of the West: Selected Poms Vandenburgh, Jane, Failure to Zigzag
    SPRING 1989 Berry, Wendell, The Hidden Wound Broch, Hermann (H. F. Broch de Rotherman, trans.), The Spell Canzoneri, Robert, Potboiler: An Amatuer's Affair with La Cuisine Cleary, Thomas, trans., The Book of Ballnce and Harmony Connell, E van S., The White Lantern Feld, Ross, Shapes Mistaken Fisher, M.F.K., Serve It Forth Grennan, Eamon, What Light There Is and 0ther Poems Kenji, Miyazawa (H. Sato, trans.), A Future of Ice Kennedy, Diana, Nothing Fancy: Recipes and Recollections of Soul-Satisfying Food Lamott, Anne, Rosie Leiris, Michel (Lydia Davis, trans.), Brisées: Broken Branches McClure, Michael, Scratching the Beat Surface Manley, Frank, Within the Ribbons Pagis, Dan (S. Mitchell, trans.), Variable Directions Pritchett, V.S. At Home and Abroad Romer, Elizabeth, The Tuscan Year Root, Waverley, The Paris Edition, 1927-1934 Salter, James, Dusk and 0ther Stories Soseki, Muso (W.S. Merwin and S. Shigematsu, trans.), Sun at Midnight
    FALL 1989 Bassui Zenji (A. Braverman, trans.), Mud and Wawater-A Collection of Talks Berry, Wendell, The Wild Birds Berry, Wendell, Traveling at Home Bodhidharma (Red Pine, trans.), The Zen Teachings of Bodhidharma Bronk, William, Death Is the Place Chandler, Raymond, The Big Sleep Cortázar, Julio (Thomas Christensen, trans.), Around the Day in Eighty Worlds Dunlop, Lane, ed., A Late Crysanthemum Fisher, M.F.K., An Alphabet for Gourmets Fisher, M.F.K., The Gastronomical Me Garcia Sanchez, Javier (M. B. Ruster and m. Villa, trans.), Lady of the South Wind Gerstler, Amy, Bitter Angel Kawabata, Yasunari (J. M. Holman, trans.), The Old Capital Kline, David, Great Possessions: An Amish Farmer's Journal Lamott, Anne, All New People Liebling, A.J., The Honest Rainmaker Loftus, Simon, A Pike in the Basement Michaels, Leonard, David Reid, and Raquel Scherr, eds., West of the West: Imagining California Nelson, Richard, The Island Within Rilke, Rainer Maria (E. Snow, trans.), New Poems (1907) Rilke, Rainer Maria (E. Snow, trans.), New Poems: The 0ther part (1908) Schor, Sandra, The Great Letter E Tworkov, Helen, Zen in America Turner, Frederick, Of Chiles, Cacti, and Fighting Cocks: Notes on the American West Watson, Burton, trans., Kanshi: The Poetry of Ishikawa Jozan and Other Edo-Period Poets Zeidner, Lisa, Limited Partnerships
    SPRING 1990 Berry, Wendell, What Are People For? Cleary, Thomas, trans., Transmission of Light: Zen in the Art of Enlightenment Davenport, Guy, Every Force Evolves a Form Davidson, Alan, A Kipper with My Tea: Selected Food Essays Di Giovanni, Norman Thomas, ed., Celeste Goes Dancing and Other Stories: An Argentine Collection Fisher, M.F.K, Dubious Honors Fox, Paula, The God of Nightmares Goytisolo, Juan (P. Bush, trans.), Realms of Strife: Memoirs, 1957-1982 Gray, Patience, Honey from a Weed Hamburger, Philip, Curious World Hareven, Shulamith (Hillel Halkin, trans.), Prophet Kawabata, Yasunari(Lane Dunlop and J. Martin Holman, trans.), Palm-of the-Hand Stories Kenner, Hugh, Historical Fictions Liebling, A.J., Back Where I Came From Maso, Carole, The Art Lover Schott, Max, Ben Shiga Naoya (Lane Dunlop, trans.), The Paper Door and 0ther Stories
    FALL 1990 Aitken, Robert, The Gateless Barrier Berry, Wendell, Remembering Celan, Paul, Last Poems Clark, Robert, Our Sustainable Table Connell, Evan S., Mr. Bridge(movie tie-in edition) Connell Evan S., Mrs. Bridge (movie tie-in edition) Cox, Elizabeth, The Ragged Way People Fall out of Love Davenport, Guy, The Drummer of the Eleventh North Devonshire Fusiliers De Civrieux, Marc, Watunna Dostoevsky, Fyodor, The Brothers Karamazov Finkel, Donald, A Plintered Mirror Halpern, Daniel, Writers on Artists Jordan, William, Divorce among the Gulls Kriegel, Leonard, Falling into Life Liebling, A.J., A Neutral Corner Liebling, A.J., The Telephone Booth Indian Lopez, Barry, Crow and Weasel Mcgee Harold, The Curious Cook Snyder, Gary, Riprap and Cold Mountain Poems Snyder, Gary, The Practice of the Wild Tanizaki, Junichiro, Naomi
    SPRING 1991 Abe, Kobo, The Box Man Berry, Wendell, The Unforeseen Wilderness Bronk, William, Living Instead Connell, Evan S., The Alchymist's Journal Fisher, M F.K., The Boss Dog Ford, Hugh, Four Lives in Paris Hongzhi, Cultivating the Empty Field Kline, David, Great Possessions Nabhan, Gary Paul, Enduring Seeds Reid, Robert., Mountains of the Great Blue Dream Rilke, Rainer Maria, The Book of Images Scalapino, Leslie, the return of painting, the pearl, and orion Tanizaki, Junichiro, The Secret History of the Lord of Musashi and Arrowroot

    Subjects and Indexing Terms

    American literature.
    Book industries and trade.
    Publishers and publishing.
    Literature, Modern 20th century
    Manuscripts (literary).
    Turnbull, William D.