New York Almanack

History, Natural History & the Arts

Publishing

New Book Focuses on Western New York’s Aries Press

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the aries pressA small private press located in a Western New York village has left behind a rich legacy in printing history.

Typographer, printer and print historian Richard Kegler uncovers an almost lost history of the Aries Press in his new book, The Aries Press of Eden, New York, (RIT Press, 2016.)

Spencer Kellogg Jr., a businessman and book designer, founded Aries Press during the 1920s with a vision to produce high-quality book designs. Kellogg hired talented workers with a passion for printing, including a craftsman connected to the nearby Roycroft campus. He also commissioned type designer Frederic Goudy to create a typeface for Aries Press. While the press was only open for four years, it produced many fine standard-setting examples of printing. [Read more…] about New Book Focuses on Western New York’s Aries Press

75-Year-Old History Book Finally Published

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The Historians LogoThis week “The Historians” podcast features an interview with Dave Northrup, editor of the late Hugh Donlon’s book The Mohawk Valley (Mountain Air Books); Donlon wrote the book during the 1930s when he was a reporter and columnist for the Amsterdam Evening Recorder. You can listen here.

“The Historians” podcast is also heard each Monday at 11:30 am and Wednesday at 11 am on RISE, WMHT’s radio service for the blind and print disabled in New York’s Capital Region and Hudson Valley.

“The Historians” podcast is recorded at Dave Greene’s Eastline Studio. You can support this podcast by making a contribution to “The Historians” GoFundMe page: http://www.gofundme.com/TheHistorians

Arcadia Publishing Acquires The History Press

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History Press Arcadia Publishing MergerArcadia Publishing has announced the acquisition of The History Press Inc., a wholly owned US based subsidiary of UK based The History Press Ltd, in a private sale. The deal creates the largest publisher of local and regional books in the U.S. with a combined total of more than 12,000 titles available for sale.

“Arcadia is committed to maintaining the creative aspects of both businesses and will keep existing brands entirely separate,” the company said in a statement issued to the press. [Read more…] about Arcadia Publishing Acquires The History Press

Lawrence Gooley: Advice for Aspiring History Authors

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RegionalBookImageNYHMany self-publishers offer plenty of encouragement to both capable and less-than-capable writers, and for good reason. Their business plan is not unlike the NYS Lottery’s “Hey, you never know” program: highly successful by playing your emotions against overwhelming odds. I’m not saying the lottery isn’t fun, but here’s a heads-up: they do know. Both the lottery people and publishers know that nearly everyone who pays into their systems will receive no return other than a few anxious moments.

To begin with, e-book publishers would rather we didn’t know that the great majority of e-titles sell only a few copies—usually to the writer’s family and friends. Several years ago, self-publisher Lulu’s average book sold 1.8 copies. Obviously, sales statistics provided by such companies are skewed by the occasional breakout title that sells hundreds or maybe thousands of copies. Most of them don’t. [Read more…] about Lawrence Gooley: Advice for Aspiring History Authors

Lawrence Gooley: Advice for Aspiring History Authors

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Dance Macabre dans l'Imprimerie by Mathias Huss, Lyon 1499For any readers or writers out there who have considered writing some type of history book, here’s some important information that comes from a piece I published elsewhere a year ago (and is presented here with a few modifications). It remains pertinent to the current state of publishing; applies to any region, city, or town where a “targetable” market exists; and begins with a question.

Would you rather have a book on the New York Times Best-Seller List, or a top seller in the Adirondack region? If you’re an aspiring author, I know, I know … stupid question. But humor me, and before you answer, let me further define the question in this fashion: your book appearing on the New York Times list was produced, marketed, and sold by one of the world’s largest publishing companies. Your regional book, on the other hand, was self-published, which means it was funded, marketed, and sold by you. [Read more…] about Lawrence Gooley: Advice for Aspiring History Authors

John Hay and John Nicolay:
Gatekeepers of Lincoln’s Legacy

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9781101638071_p0_v4_s260x420Lincoln’s Boys: John Hay, John Nicolay, and the War for Lincoln’s Image (Viking, 2014) by Joshua Zeitz is an intimate look into Abraham Lincoln’s White House through the lives of two men. But more than that, it tells the story of the aftermath of Lincoln’s assassination, and how we have to come receive the idea of who Lincoln was that we have today.

Zeitz argues that Lincoln’s official secretaries, John Hay and John Nicolay, enjoyed more access, witnessed more history, and knew Lincoln better than anyone outside of the president’s immediate family, in short, they were Lincoln’s closest confidantes. They read poetry and attended the theater with the President, commiserated with him over Union army setbacks, and plotted electoral strategy in the darkest and loneliest days of the war. They were present at every seminal event, from the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation to Lincoln’s delivery of the Gettysburg Address. After his death, they took control of his papers, his biography, and his image. Hay and Nicolay were the gatekeepers of the Lincoln’s legacy. [Read more…] about John Hay and John Nicolay:
Gatekeepers of Lincoln’s Legacy

New Netherland Article Prize Offered

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New-France_2_6_Map-of-New-Belgium-or-New-NetherlandThe New Netherland Institute will offer an annual $1000 prize for the best published article relating to the Dutch colonial experience in the Atlantic world, with a special sensitivity to New Netherland or its legacy.

A committee of scholars will consider entries in the fields of history, archaeology, literature, language, geography, biography, and the arts. Entries must be based upon original research. Articles must be written in English and be published for the first time in 2013.  Chapters from a monograph, works of fiction, and encyclopedia entries will not be considered.  Only one submission per author will be accepted. Both academic and independent scholars are invited to participate. [Read more…] about New Netherland Article Prize Offered

Dixon Ryan Fox Manuscript Prize Seeks Submissions

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nysha_logo_press-release3The New York State Historical Association publications department has begun a call for submissions for the 2014 Dixon Ryan Fox Prize.

The Dixon Ryan Fox Manuscript Prize is awarded annually to the author of the best unpublished, book-length monograph dealing with some aspect of the history of New York State. Manuscripts may deal with any aspect of New York State history. [Read more…] about Dixon Ryan Fox Manuscript Prize Seeks Submissions

Professional Quandaries:
Changing Academic Publishing Models

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Photo of library academic journals by Anna Creech used under a Creative Commons licenseIt was the best of times; it was the worst of times. On the one hand with the internet (especially blogs like this one) and MOOCs (free online courses known as Massive Open Online Courses), it’s possible to disseminate more historical information to more people than ever before. On the other hand, it is becoming harder and harder to make a living doing it.

A recent post on a list serve for the Society of Historians for the Early American Republic (SHEAR) initiated this train of thought in my mind. Below is the post by Vivian Conger, Ithaca College, reprinted by permission. [Read more…] about Professional Quandaries:
Changing Academic Publishing Models