The Brothers Harper; A unique publishing partnership and its impact upon The cultural life of America from 1817 to 1853

Exman, Eugene

Published by Harper & Row, New York, 1965

About this Item

xvi, 415, [1] pages. Footnotes. Introduction by Allan Nevins. Illustrations. Bibliographical Notes. Notes on Illustrations. Appendices. Index. The worn dust jacket is in a plastic sleeve and is price clipped. Taped 'signed' statement on the outside of the plastic sleeve at the bottom of the spine. Some corners lightly bumped/creased. This copy has an author inscription on the half-title page that reads: "Inscribed to Charles Gulick with every good wish Eugene Exman May 14, 1965". This work details the remarkable story of the Harper brothers who founded the influential American publishing house, Harper & Brothers, known for its diverse and quality literary output, particularly during the 19th century; highlighting their collaborative spirit and significant contributions to the literary landscape through their innovative publishing practices. The firm s legacy continues not only through Harper Collins, but also through Harper s Magazine and Harper s Bazaar. Although neither of the company s most prominent efforts of the nineteenth century survives today, Harper & Brothers stood as a publishing colossus amidst New York City s major industrial entrepreneurs. Eugene Exman (1 July 1900 10 October 1975) was a publisher and head of the religious books department for Harper & Row, where he worked with many prominent authors. Stephen Prothero claimed that Exman helped transform the U.S. religious landscape and was "the undisputed standard-bearer for religion publishing in the United States" who cleared the way for the "spiritual but not religious" identity claimed by more than a quarter of American adults today. This is believed to have been inscribed to Charles Adams Gulick, who had a lifelong research interest in labor policy from his 1924 Columbia Ph.D. dissertation to the international bibliography on labor movements he was associated with. His two-volume work Austria From Habsburg to Hitler (1948), was "the great achievement of his scholarly career" according to the memorial note. By midcentury, the company had already become a testament to the entrepreneurial ingenuity of the brothers James, John, Joseph Wesley, and Fletcher (fig. 2). They produced numerous publications for a vast national readership and utilized the latest technologies both in and outside their New York premises, from the rapid printing press to the new and innovative cast-iron headquarters from which they worked. Indeed, no New York publisher experienced the continual success that Harper & Brothers enjoyed during the second half of the nineteenth century. The firm s legacy continues today not only through Harper Collins, but also through the publication of Harper s Magazine and Harper s Bazaar. Although neither of the company s most prominent efforts of the nineteenth century survives today the Bogardus buildings were demolished in 1925 and Harper s Weekly had ceased publication nine years earlier Harper & Brothers stood as a publishing colossus amidst New York City s major industrial entrepreneurs.

Seller Inventory # 89111

Bibliographic Details

• Title: The Brothers Harper; A unique publishing partnership and its impact upon The cultural life of America from 1817 to 1853
• Publisher: Harper & Row, New York
• Publication Date: 1965
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition: First Edition [stated].
• Condition: Very good
• Dust Jacket Condition: Good
• Signed: Signed by Author(s)