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.
The collections was purchased from North Point Press Inc. in 1990-1991.
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.
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.
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 & Giroux in 1993
and remains as an imprint with some older titles still available.
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
[identification of item], North Point Press records (M0833). Dept. of Special Collections
and University Archives, Stanford Libraries, Stanford, California.
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.
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.
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
American literature.
Book industries and trade.
Publishers and publishing.
Manuscripts (literary).
Turnbull, William D.