Nelson Doubleday

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Nelson Doubleday (born June 16, 1889 in Brooklyn , New York City , † January 11, 1949 in Oyster Bay , Long Island , New York ) was an American publisher .

He was the son of Doubleday publisher's founder Frank Nelson Doubleday and Neltje Blanchan, brother of writer Russell Doubleday and father of Nelson Doubleday, Jr.

At the request of young Nelson, Rudyard Kipling wrote his Just So Stories for Little Children, which were published in 1902 by Doubleday. For his part in the creation of the book, he negotiated with his father as the publisher of the book for himself a penny per copy sold, whereby he was to receive this royalty for life.

In 1912 he founded his own publishing house, Nelson Doubleday, Inc., with which he initially sold one month old magazines at half price. In 1918 he joined his father's company as a junior partner. The company survived the Great Depression by selling previously acquired British publishers and all magazines owned by the publisher.

In 1916 he married Martha J. Nicholson, which marriage was divorced in 1931. In 1932 he married Ellen McCarter Violett, who brought two children into the marriage and with whom he would have two children, Sargent and Nelson Doubleday Jr.

Doubleday, who claimed "I sell books, I do not read them" ( "I sell books, I do not read" ), promoted its products partly aggressive, founded a variety of book clubs , which varies with high and priced designed book editions were supplied. In 1947 Doubleday sold over 30 million books through its 26 book clubs and other distribution channels such as department stores, published Daphne du Maurier , Edna Ferber , classics, guides, and was thus the largest North American publisher.

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Princeton University Library: Biography of Frank N. Doubleday and Nelson Doubleday ( Memento of the original from June 23, 2007 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link has been inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / diglib.princeton.edu
  2. ^ W. Somerset Maugham and Beaufort County, SC
personal data
SURNAME Doubleday, Nelson
BRIEF DESCRIPTION American publisher
DATE OF BIRTH June 16, 1889
PLACE OF BIRTH Brooklyn , New York City
DATE OF DEATH January 11, 1949
Place of death Oyster Bay , Long Island