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Max Perkins: Editor of Genius
Winner of the National Book Award
and a National Bestseller...
MAX PERKINS: Editor of Genius by A. Scott Berg took the literary world by storm upon its publication in 1978, garnering rave reviews and winning the National Book Award. A meticulously-researched and engaging portrait of the man who introduced the public to the greatest writers of this century, Berg's biography stands as one of the finest books on the publishing industry ever written. Unavailable for the last few years, MAX PERKINS is now being re-released (on the fiftieth anniversary of the great editor's death.
The driving force behind such literary superstars as F. Scott Fitzgerald, Ernest Hemingway, and Thomas Wolfe, Max Evarts Perkins was the most admired book editor in the world. From the first major novel he edited (Fitzgerald's This Side of Paradise) to the last (James Jones's bestselling From Here to Eternity), Perkins revolutionized American literature. Perkins was tirelessly committed to nurturing talent no matter how young or unproven the writer.
Filled with colorful anecdotes about everything from Perkins's struggles to convince the old guard at Scribners to publish his visionary (and often controversial) authors to his falling out with one of his most brilliant discoveries, Thomas Wolfe, MAX PERKINS reveals with insight and humor the professional and personal life of one of the most legendary figures in the history of American publishing. Given unprecedented access to the correspondence between Perkins and his writers, Berg has fashioned a compellingly thorough biography that is as entertaining as it is informative.
A vivid portrait of one man's life and a revealing behind-the-scenes look at the creation of literature, A. Scott Berg's MAX PERKINS: Editor of Genius is a masterful achievement in scholarship and writing.
and a National Bestseller...
MAX PERKINS: Editor of Genius by A. Scott Berg took the literary world by storm upon its publication in 1978, garnering rave reviews and winning the National Book Award. A meticulously-researched and engaging portrait of the man who introduced the public to the greatest writers of this century, Berg's biography stands as one of the finest books on the publishing industry ever written. Unavailable for the last few years, MAX PERKINS is now being re-released (on the fiftieth anniversary of the great editor's death.
The driving force behind such literary superstars as F. Scott Fitzgerald, Ernest Hemingway, and Thomas Wolfe, Max Evarts Perkins was the most admired book editor in the world. From the first major novel he edited (Fitzgerald's This Side of Paradise) to the last (James Jones's bestselling From Here to Eternity), Perkins revolutionized American literature. Perkins was tirelessly committed to nurturing talent no matter how young or unproven the writer.
Filled with colorful anecdotes about everything from Perkins's struggles to convince the old guard at Scribners to publish his visionary (and often controversial) authors to his falling out with one of his most brilliant discoveries, Thomas Wolfe, MAX PERKINS reveals with insight and humor the professional and personal life of one of the most legendary figures in the history of American publishing. Given unprecedented access to the correspondence between Perkins and his writers, Berg has fashioned a compellingly thorough biography that is as entertaining as it is informative.
A vivid portrait of one man's life and a revealing behind-the-scenes look at the creation of literature, A. Scott Berg's MAX PERKINS: Editor of Genius is a masterful achievement in scholarship and writing.
512 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1978
286 people are currently reading
3711 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 360 reviews
September 3, 2016
I read this about twelve years ago when I was enamoured with Scott and Zelda and harboured ambitions myself of becoming an editor. Max Perkins discovered Scott Fitzgerald, Hemingway and Tom Wolfe, among others and was their editor and friend. This is a fabulous biography of a truly admirable man and editor and a wonderful period in American letters (lots of great anecdotes about Fitzgerald, Hemingway and Wolfe). Last night I watched the film Genius about Perkins' relationship with Thomas Wolfe and loved it. So pleased Max Perkins has been honoured on the big screen. And surprised just how good Jude Law was as Tom Wolfe…
September 4, 2024
The lost art of developmental editing.
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"Perkins told one of his daughters, “The greatest feeling is to go to bed tired.” Bedtime had always been Perkins’s favorite time of day, those few minutes just before falling asleep when he could “steer his dreams.” In those final moments of wakefulness Maxwell Perkins recurringly transported himself back to Russia in 1812— the scene of his favorite book, War and Peace. Night after night his mind filled with visions of Napoleon’s army retreating from Moscow in the frost and early winter snow. On mornings in Vermont after Tolstoi’s characters had paraded before him, he insisted that his dreams were more vivid and that he slept more soundly in Windsor, his summer retreat, than anywhere else."
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I had forgotten that there was no developmental editing at Scribner's until Max Perkins arrived in the early 20th century. A lot of the job at that time was simply proof-reading galleys for typos and missing commas.
Perkins was the pioneer of developmental editing--i.e. he went beyond grammar & punctuation correction and assisted authors in shaping their work. This was not co-authoring, but showing the writer where he or she could improve their work (including cuts) and sharing ideas for the writers to act on.
Unfortunately the era of developmental editing is over. I see it all the time in contemporary fiction and non-fiction---passages and tangents that should be cut and other problems that defend the books from being read.
As my long-time friend and coauthor likes to observe-----Max Perkins is dead.
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Excellent Lit Hub excerpt about Perkins....
https://lithub.com/on-max-perkins-one...
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P.S.
My son and his wife decided to name their newborn son, Maxwell; thus Maxwell Perkins!
====
"Perkins told one of his daughters, “The greatest feeling is to go to bed tired.” Bedtime had always been Perkins’s favorite time of day, those few minutes just before falling asleep when he could “steer his dreams.” In those final moments of wakefulness Maxwell Perkins recurringly transported himself back to Russia in 1812— the scene of his favorite book, War and Peace. Night after night his mind filled with visions of Napoleon’s army retreating from Moscow in the frost and early winter snow. On mornings in Vermont after Tolstoi’s characters had paraded before him, he insisted that his dreams were more vivid and that he slept more soundly in Windsor, his summer retreat, than anywhere else."
=======
I had forgotten that there was no developmental editing at Scribner's until Max Perkins arrived in the early 20th century. A lot of the job at that time was simply proof-reading galleys for typos and missing commas.
Perkins was the pioneer of developmental editing--i.e. he went beyond grammar & punctuation correction and assisted authors in shaping their work. This was not co-authoring, but showing the writer where he or she could improve their work (including cuts) and sharing ideas for the writers to act on.
Unfortunately the era of developmental editing is over. I see it all the time in contemporary fiction and non-fiction---passages and tangents that should be cut and other problems that defend the books from being read.
As my long-time friend and coauthor likes to observe-----Max Perkins is dead.
======
Excellent Lit Hub excerpt about Perkins....
https://lithub.com/on-max-perkins-one...
=======
P.S.
My son and his wife decided to name their newborn son, Maxwell; thus Maxwell Perkins!
March 5, 2009
I am definitely one of those people who can't not finish a book, no matter how distasteful I find it to be, if it is work of fiction. Nonfiction, on the other hand, I tend to find really fascinating but less engaging and I usually end up getting distracted by a new novel while attempting to read history, biography, philosophy or theory. A. Scott Berg's biography of Max Perkins, though, is such an insightful, lyrical, and just plain fun work that I found myself as deeply engrossed as I would be in any juicy new novel. Berg's fluid prose is a joy to read, as are his thoughtful interviews and the artfully excerpted correspondences littered throughout. His account of the life of Max Perkins, the soft-spoken self-effacing visionary who edited the likes of Fitzgerald, Hemingway, and Thomas Wolfe is so vibrant and full of fun literary gossip that it is damn near impossible to put down. It is a great read for young fools like myself who made the ill-informed decision to enter the thankless world of publishing after college, as it serves as a reminder that there are (or at least, were) brilliant editors out there who strive to nurture talent and bring exciting new voices to the public. Perkins's devotion to his authors -- often at the expensive of his wallet (see: Fitzgerald), his pride (see: Hemingway), and even his mental health (see: Tom Wolfe) -- is touching and inspiring. I also highly recommend this bio to anyone else in publishing who has been laid off in the recent purges at the big houses and is bemoaning the impending death knell of print culture, as reading about Scribner's and their financial woes during the Great Depression -- and how they pulled out of it -- gives one a (probably false, but hey?) sense of hope.
May 15, 2018
Писането и леко хаотичната подредба на събитията на места са за 4 звезди.
Но тематиката, ах, тематиката свири виртуозно по най-тънките струнки на душата ми.
Така че 5 звезди от мен, обективността да върви по дяволите!
Но тематиката, ах, тематиката свири виртуозно по най-тънките струнки на душата ми.
Така че 5 звезди от мен, обективността да върви по дяволите!
November 28, 2025
Max Perkins: Editor of Genius was a magnificent biography written by A. Scott Berg, surprisingly the first major study of this legendary figure. Maxwell Evarts Perkins was unknown to the general public, but to people in the world of books he was a major figure, a kind of hero. For he was the consummate editor. As a young man he had discovered great new talents—such as F. Scott Fitzgerald, Ernest Hemingway, and Thomas Wolfe—and had staked his career on them revolutionizing American literature. But Maxwell Perkins remained a mystery, a backstage presence who served these authors not only as an editor but also as critic, career manager, money-lender, psychoanalyst, father-confessor and friend. This outstanding biography was the winner of National Book Award. It is a delightful biography rich in literary anecdotes as Berg brings Perkins and his writers to life. With access to the most intimate and detailed files from the publishers, he has drawn together an intense book that Max Perkins would have been proud to edit and publish. This is the exploration of Max Perkins life not only in professional but personal domains. It tells not only of his stormy marriage and its eccentricities, but also of his intense intimate relationships with the literary lights of the twentieth century. Max Perkins always kept his well-worn copy of War and Peace with him and frequently gifted family, friends and clients with a gift-wrapped copy telling each that Leo Tolstoy had written the perfect novel.
In addition to my favorite authors, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Ernest Hemingway, and Thomas Wolfe, there were many other writers such as Erskine Caldwell, Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings guided toward The Yearling. And then there is another of my favorite writers from that era, Taylor Caldwell. Max Perkins: Editor of Genius is one of the finest books about the publishing industry with its hallmark the author’s passion for the subject matter and his access to primary sources. A figure prominent in the book is Malcom Cowley, a supporter of F. Scott Fitzgerald. The time of Maxwell Perkins was a very different time of great publishers like Charles Scribner’s Sons. As reported by The Guardian, . . . “If F. Scott Fitzgerald, Ernest Hemingway, and Thomas Wolfe were the greatest novelists of their time, then Max Perkins—editorial director at Scribner, friend, personal banker and more to all three—was surely the greatest editor.”
In addition to my favorite authors, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Ernest Hemingway, and Thomas Wolfe, there were many other writers such as Erskine Caldwell, Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings guided toward The Yearling. And then there is another of my favorite writers from that era, Taylor Caldwell. Max Perkins: Editor of Genius is one of the finest books about the publishing industry with its hallmark the author’s passion for the subject matter and his access to primary sources. A figure prominent in the book is Malcom Cowley, a supporter of F. Scott Fitzgerald. The time of Maxwell Perkins was a very different time of great publishers like Charles Scribner’s Sons. As reported by The Guardian, . . . “If F. Scott Fitzgerald, Ernest Hemingway, and Thomas Wolfe were the greatest novelists of their time, then Max Perkins—editorial director at Scribner, friend, personal banker and more to all three—was surely the greatest editor.”
May 14, 2022
Fun Fact: The iconic cover for The Great Gatsby was completed long before Fitzgerald finished work on the manuscript. Until Perkins (played by Colin Firth in the 2016 movie adaptation of this book, so be sure to picture him as you read) got hold of the manuscript it contained several catchphrases, only one of which was ‘old sport.’
Maxwell Perkins was father, brother, therapist, drinking buddy, life coach, babysitter, priest, and banker to some of American literature’s most well-known figures—most prominently Thomas Wolfe, F. Scott Fitzgerald, and Ernest Hemingway. This is a book as much about them as about Perkins, and the result was sometimes exhausting. As their careers progressed (or didn’t) they became either cocky assholes or pathetic losers—their antics ran the gamut from petty slights to megalomania—more in need of a therapist (especially Thomas Wolfe) than an editor. At a certain point you start waiting for them to drop like flies—Wolfe in 1938 and Fitzgerald in 1940. Also scattered throughout are mini biographies of some of Perkins's other authors including Ring Lardner (one of Holden Caulfield's favorites), Erksine Caldwell, Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings, and Alan Paton, which make for a refreshing change of pace.
Max himself became something of a character in his old age, working too hard and drinking too much—the quality of his work decreased to such a degree that he saw no point in spending much time editing Cry, the Beloved Country—but given all the shit with which he had to put up over the years, I think he can be forgiven. By his own admission, he made himself susceptible to the personal entanglements of his authors, and American literature is richer for it. Of Time and the River and The Old Man and the Sea are just two of the handful of books dedicated to him.
Maxwell Perkins was father, brother, therapist, drinking buddy, life coach, babysitter, priest, and banker to some of American literature’s most well-known figures—most prominently Thomas Wolfe, F. Scott Fitzgerald, and Ernest Hemingway. This is a book as much about them as about Perkins, and the result was sometimes exhausting. As their careers progressed (or didn’t) they became either cocky assholes or pathetic losers—their antics ran the gamut from petty slights to megalomania—more in need of a therapist (especially Thomas Wolfe) than an editor. At a certain point you start waiting for them to drop like flies—Wolfe in 1938 and Fitzgerald in 1940. Also scattered throughout are mini biographies of some of Perkins's other authors including Ring Lardner (one of Holden Caulfield's favorites), Erksine Caldwell, Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings, and Alan Paton, which make for a refreshing change of pace.
Max himself became something of a character in his old age, working too hard and drinking too much—the quality of his work decreased to such a degree that he saw no point in spending much time editing Cry, the Beloved Country—but given all the shit with which he had to put up over the years, I think he can be forgiven. By his own admission, he made himself susceptible to the personal entanglements of his authors, and American literature is richer for it. Of Time and the River and The Old Man and the Sea are just two of the handful of books dedicated to him.
April 17, 2022
I have an interest in the history of publishing and this biography of the iconic editor, Max Perkins, gave me much pleasure. Not only an editor of genius he was friend, confidant, father figure, and banker to such luminaries as F. Scott Fitzgerald, Hemingway, Thomas Wolfe, and the list continues. The hard work of writers is juxtaposed with the equally, if hidden, work of an editor. Fascinating.
March 9, 2020
4,8
Биографията за Макс Пъркинс е достатъчно обширна, за да мога наведнъж да напиша всичко, което ми направи силно впечатление. Впоследствие ще допълня този хаотичен текст за Хемингуей и Ф. Скот Фицджералд.
Ендрю Скот Бърг заслужава уважение за усилията, които е положил. Дори не мога да си представя какъв колосален архивен материал е трябвало да ползва. На моменти ме уморяваше, но в никакъв случай не стана скучно. Имаше "сухи места" предвид обема информация, но Бърг се е справил чудесно.Не си давах сметка, че тази биография ще обхване голяма част от работата на Макс Пъркинс. Разбира се, основата е заета с т.нар. "велик триумвират на 20-те години": Франсис Скот Фицджералд, Ърнест Хемингуей и Томас Улф.
Четейки за работата на Пъркис: за неговата постоянна ангажираност с авторите, които редактира и издава; за обема от ръкописи, които минават през редакцията; за битките, които се водят за всяка една книга ..., можеш да добиеш само бегла представа какъв огромен занаят и бизнес е книгоиздаването в Америка.
Любопитно е как на работата в Холивуд се е гледало несериозно. Писането на сценарии за филми се е считало за компромис и повечето писатели са го правили от финансови нужди. Финансиви нужди са изпитвали почти всички автори, при това придружено с много алкохол и перманентни психическите сривове. Всеки се оправя според възможностите и характера си, а Макс Пъркинс е успявал да бъде винаги тяхна подкрепа. Лоялност и приятелство в онези среди и времена не са били най-често срещените качества.
Силно ми направи впечатление, че на няколко пъти споменава Уилям Фокнър, говори за него почти с преклонение пред таланта му, а в същото време става ясно, че не би се ангажирал да го издава "Скрибнър". Това, че Пъркинс изключително е ценял Фокнър става ясно от няколко пасажа:
Междувременно Пъркинс се запознава с друг литературен критик, Максуел Гайзмар, трийсет и две годишен преподавател в колежа „Сара Лорънс“, който изучава съвременния американски роман. Той предлага да проучи творбите на половин дузина писатели, творили между двете войни, в книга, озаглавена „Писатели в криза“. По предложение на общ приятел Гайзмар изпраща на Пъркинс главата, която е написал за Ринг Ларднър, Томас Улф и Джон Стайнбек. Пъркинс много се радва, че най-сетне някой учен признава дарбата на Ларднър, а материалът за Улф според него е „може би най-добрият, който е писан“. Той знае, че младият критик вече е публикувал благосклонна критика за „Пролетни порои“ на Хемингуей, но проявява предпазливост и отказва да приеме книгата на Гайзмар за печат, докато не прочете материала и за Хемингуей. Пъркинс предлага на Гайзмар да включи и Уилям Фокнър и младият мъж се съгласява.
В огромната кореспонденция на Пъркинс с авторите от т.нар. "триумвират", може би единствено Ф. Скот Фицджералд не си е позволявал да прекрачва границата. Хемингуей и Улф са далеч по-необуздани (дори невъзпитани) избухвали са до степен, в която са казвали и писали неща, за които впоследствие съжаляват. На моменти работата на редактора изглежда абсурдно невъзможна. Често пъти Пъркинс е трябвало да играе ролята на арбитър при демонстрациите на свръхего.
Несъмнено Томас Улф е бил един от любимците на Пъркинс. Работата по "Погледни към дома, ангеле" и "За времето и реката" ги сближава до такава степен, че те често са заедно и Улф е част от семейството на Пъркинс. Това приятелство обаче е пълно със спорове и катаклизми. Улф често пъти реагира грубо, особено когато си е пийнал повечко, което за него не е прецедент.
Хемингуей признава, че е „направо луд“ по стила на Томас Улф и че иска да се запознае с човека, когото Пъркинс нарича „световен гений“, макар да се опасява, че конфликтните им характери ще се сблъскат още щом се срещнат.
Макс Пъркинс: Когато за пръв път прочетох нещо от Томас Улф – пише Макс две десетилетия по-късно в своя недовършена статия, – ме обзе тревожно опасение. Казвам го, а аз обичах този човек. Всяко хубаво нещо е съпътствано от неприятности.
От всичко споменато в книгата по отношение назряващата раздяла между Пъркинс и Улф, си правя извода, че не вечният спор между тях е причината. По-скоро виждам в това, че Улф е бил ужасно обиден от мнението на някои критици, които са натяквали постоянно, че без Пъркинс той не би могъл да създаде книга. Това очевидно го е влудявало.
Улф описва великото произведение, което е замислил. Кани се да напише своя еквивалент на „Одисей“ – изключително оригинална и въздействаща творба, която няма да се съобразява с издателските ограничения. Книгата вече се пише и се казва „Хрътката на мрака“. „И аз като господин Джойс – осведомява Том Пъркинс – ще пиша както си пожелая и този път никой няма да ме съкращава, освен ако сам не го поискам.
Томас Улф е един от най-изпълнителните и коректни писатели спрямо "Скрибнър", дори изисква писмено от издателството да заявят, че отношенията им са изчистени и финансово и правно, преди да предприеме каквото и да е било. В каква криза е бил се вижда, след като пише едновременно на почти всички известни издателства.
Въпреки тяхната професионална раздяла, Пъркинс остава истинският приятел на Улф до края на живота му. Часове преди да си отиде от този свят, Улф пише:
Скъпи Макс,
Нарушавам разпорежданията, но имам „предчувствие“… и искам да ти напиша следното.
Направих дълго пътешествие, посетих непозната страна и видях съвсем отблизо онзи с тъмната кожа; май не се уплаших много от него, но у мен има още толкова много тленност… отчаяно копнеех да живея и още копнея, хиляди пъти мислих за всички вас и ми се искаше да ви видя отново, освен това непоносимо се терзая и съжалявам за работата, която не съм свършил, за работата, която трябваше да свърша… знам, че съм само прашинка, и усещам, сякаш огромен прозорец се е отворил към живота. Преди не го знаех… и ако премина през това, се моля Богу да бъда по-добър човек, а по някакъв необясним и странен начин се чувствам по-задълбочен и по-мъдър… Ако отново се изправя на крака и изляза от тук, ще минат месеци, преди да мога да се върна, но изправя ли се на крака, непременно ще се върна… каквото и да става… Имах „предчувствие“ и исках да ти пиша и да ти кажа, че независимо какво се случи или се е случило, винаги ще мисля за теб и ще се чувствам, както на онзи 4 юли преди три години, когато ме посрещна от кораба, качихме се на онази висока сграда, а долу останаха всичко непознато, великолепието и мощта на живота и на града…
Винаги твой,
Том
За изпълнител на завещанието си, Улф е посочил Макс Пъркинс. Пъркинс знае за договорените отношения с новото издателство на Улф и предава материалите за "Паяжината и скалата" в "Харпър".
Що се отнася до романа, след като Макс събира и подрежда основната му част, той препраща седемстотин и петдесет хиляди думи на Асуел. „Проучването на масива на ръкописа беше като разкопките на древна Троя – пише редакторът на „Харпър“ за неиздаденото съкровище на Улф.
...
Всъщност Том пишеше една-единствена книга на около четири хиляди страници, обхващащи целия обем на неговите произведения. Отделните заглавия с неговото име са просто отделни томове от тази цялостна книга. Трябва да си представяме, че тези части са издадени отделно просто за удобство.
ПП. Две книги, които Макс Пъркинс е искал винаги да бъдат близо до него: "Война и мир" и "Еклисиаст".
Биографията за Макс Пъркинс е достатъчно обширна, за да мога наведнъж да напиша всичко, което ми направи силно впечатление. Впоследствие ще допълня този хаотичен текст за Хемингуей и Ф. Скот Фицджералд.
Ендрю Скот Бърг заслужава уважение за усилията, които е положил. Дори не мога да си представя какъв колосален архивен материал е трябвало да ползва. На моменти ме уморяваше, но в никакъв случай не стана скучно. Имаше "сухи места" предвид обема информация, но Бърг се е справил чудесно.Не си давах сметка, че тази биография ще обхване голяма част от работата на Макс Пъркинс. Разбира се, основата е заета с т.нар. "велик триумвират на 20-те години": Франсис Скот Фицджералд, Ърнест Хемингуей и Томас Улф.
Четейки за работата на Пъркис: за неговата постоянна ангажираност с авторите, които редактира и издава; за обема от ръкописи, които минават през редакцията; за битките, които се водят за всяка една книга ..., можеш да добиеш само бегла представа какъв огромен занаят и бизнес е книгоиздаването в Америка.
Любопитно е как на работата в Холивуд се е гледало несериозно. Писането на сценарии за филми се е считало за компромис и повечето писатели са го правили от финансови нужди. Финансиви нужди са изпитвали почти всички автори, при това придружено с много алкохол и перманентни психическите сривове. Всеки се оправя според възможностите и характера си, а Макс Пъркинс е успявал да бъде винаги тяхна подкрепа. Лоялност и приятелство в онези среди и времена не са били най-често срещените качества.
Силно ми направи впечатление, че на няколко пъти споменава Уилям Фокнър, говори за него почти с преклонение пред таланта му, а в същото време става ясно, че не би се ангажирал да го издава "Скрибнър". Това, че Пъркинс изключително е ценял Фокнър става ясно от няколко пасажа:
Междувременно Пъркинс се запознава с друг литературен критик, Максуел Гайзмар, трийсет и две годишен преподавател в колежа „Сара Лорънс“, който изучава съвременния американски роман. Той предлага да проучи творбите на половин дузина писатели, творили между двете войни, в книга, озаглавена „Писатели в криза“. По предложение на общ приятел Гайзмар изпраща на Пъркинс главата, която е написал за Ринг Ларднър, Томас Улф и Джон Стайнбек. Пъркинс много се радва, че най-сетне някой учен признава дарбата на Ларднър, а материалът за Улф според него е „може би най-добрият, който е писан“. Той знае, че младият критик вече е публикувал благосклонна критика за „Пролетни порои“ на Хемингуей, но проявява предпазливост и отказва да приеме книгата на Гайзмар за печат, докато не прочете материала и за Хемингуей. Пъркинс предлага на Гайзмар да включи и Уилям Фокнър и младият мъж се съгласява.
В огромната кореспонденция на Пъркинс с авторите от т.нар. "триумвират", може би единствено Ф. Скот Фицджералд не си е позволявал да прекрачва границата. Хемингуей и Улф са далеч по-необуздани (дори невъзпитани) избухвали са до степен, в която са казвали и писали неща, за които впоследствие съжаляват. На моменти работата на редактора изглежда абсурдно невъзможна. Често пъти Пъркинс е трябвало да играе ролята на арбитър при демонстрациите на свръхего.
Несъмнено Томас Улф е бил един от любимците на Пъркинс. Работата по "Погледни към дома, ангеле" и "За времето и реката" ги сближава до такава степен, че те често са заедно и Улф е част от семейството на Пъркинс. Това приятелство обаче е пълно със спорове и катаклизми. Улф често пъти реагира грубо, особено когато си е пийнал повечко, което за него не е прецедент.
Хемингуей признава, че е „направо луд“ по стила на Томас Улф и че иска да се запознае с човека, когото Пъркинс нарича „световен гений“, макар да се опасява, че конфликтните им характери ще се сблъскат още щом се срещнат.
Макс Пъркинс: Когато за пръв път прочетох нещо от Томас Улф – пише Макс две десетилетия по-късно в своя недовършена статия, – ме обзе тревожно опасение. Казвам го, а аз обичах този човек. Всяко хубаво нещо е съпътствано от неприятности.
От всичко споменато в книгата по отношение назряващата раздяла между Пъркинс и Улф, си правя извода, че не вечният спор между тях е причината. По-скоро виждам в това, че Улф е бил ужасно обиден от мнението на някои критици, които са натяквали постоянно, че без Пъркинс той не би могъл да създаде книга. Това очевидно го е влудявало.
Улф описва великото произведение, което е замислил. Кани се да напише своя еквивалент на „Одисей“ – изключително оригинална и въздействаща творба, която няма да се съобразява с издателските ограничения. Книгата вече се пише и се казва „Хрътката на мрака“. „И аз като господин Джойс – осведомява Том Пъркинс – ще пиша както си пожелая и този път никой няма да ме съкращава, освен ако сам не го поискам.
Томас Улф е един от най-изпълнителните и коректни писатели спрямо "Скрибнър", дори изисква писмено от издателството да заявят, че отношенията им са изчистени и финансово и правно, преди да предприеме каквото и да е било. В каква криза е бил се вижда, след като пише едновременно на почти всички известни издателства.
Въпреки тяхната професионална раздяла, Пъркинс остава истинският приятел на Улф до края на живота му. Часове преди да си отиде от този свят, Улф пише:
Скъпи Макс,
Нарушавам разпорежданията, но имам „предчувствие“… и искам да ти напиша следното.
Направих дълго пътешествие, посетих непозната страна и видях съвсем отблизо онзи с тъмната кожа; май не се уплаших много от него, но у мен има още толкова много тленност… отчаяно копнеех да живея и още копнея, хиляди пъти мислих за всички вас и ми се искаше да ви видя отново, освен това непоносимо се терзая и съжалявам за работата, която не съм свършил, за работата, която трябваше да свърша… знам, че съм само прашинка, и усещам, сякаш огромен прозорец се е отворил към живота. Преди не го знаех… и ако премина през това, се моля Богу да бъда по-добър човек, а по някакъв необясним и странен начин се чувствам по-задълбочен и по-мъдър… Ако отново се изправя на крака и изляза от тук, ще минат месеци, преди да мога да се върна, но изправя ли се на крака, непременно ще се върна… каквото и да става… Имах „предчувствие“ и исках да ти пиша и да ти кажа, че независимо какво се случи или се е случило, винаги ще мисля за теб и ще се чувствам, както на онзи 4 юли преди три години, когато ме посрещна от кораба, качихме се на онази висока сграда, а долу останаха всичко непознато, великолепието и мощта на живота и на града…
Винаги твой,
Том
За изпълнител на завещанието си, Улф е посочил Макс Пъркинс. Пъркинс знае за договорените отношения с новото издателство на Улф и предава материалите за "Паяжината и скалата" в "Харпър".
Що се отнася до романа, след като Макс събира и подрежда основната му част, той препраща седемстотин и петдесет хиляди думи на Асуел. „Проучването на масива на ръкописа беше като разкопките на древна Троя – пише редакторът на „Харпър“ за неиздаденото съкровище на Улф.
...
Всъщност Том пишеше една-единствена книга на около четири хиляди страници, обхващащи целия обем на неговите произведения. Отделните заглавия с неговото име са просто отделни томове от тази цялостна книга. Трябва да си представяме, че тези части са издадени отделно просто за удобство.
ПП. Две книги, които Макс Пъркинс е искал винаги да бъдат близо до него: "Война и мир" и "Еклисиаст".
July 2, 2017
Тази би0графия е изпълнена с живота на толкова силни (Ърнест Хемингуей), съдържателни (Скот Фицджералд), вдъхновяващи личности (Томас Улф), че на корицата й трябва да има предупреждение: "Внимание: рискувате да изгубите собствената си самоличност в битието на Максуел Пъркинс".
Страхотна книга. Страхотна работа на А. Скот Бърг. Успя да ме пренесе в друго време, да ме запознае с друг свят, с други герои и злодеи, различаващи се от днешния.
4.5/5
Страхотна книга. Страхотна работа на А. Скот Бърг. Успя да ме пренесе в друго време, да ме запознае с друг свят, с други герои и злодеи, различаващи се от днешния.
4.5/5
August 12, 2017
Ура! Бавно се чете, но е много важна и полезна книга, за всеки, който обича литературата. Бърг е хвърлил огромен труд и направил точно това, което Макс Пъркинс заслужава - една голяма и хубава книга.
June 10, 2017
A fascinating story that is about the authors of Max Perkins as much as it is a biography of Perkins himself. I think the book would be of interest to anyone who enjoys biography, but it's also an important read for writers, editors, and students of writing and literature.
As for me, the nature of biography is to cover absurd amounts of information, and this biography's nature was especially complicated due to the fact that Perkins lived through his authors and so their stories must be told to elucidate his. I struggled with the chronology of the book, which unnecessarily exploded each chapter with dozens of characters of varying levels of consequence. Still, very interesting and often amusing.
As for me, the nature of biography is to cover absurd amounts of information, and this biography's nature was especially complicated due to the fact that Perkins lived through his authors and so their stories must be told to elucidate his. I struggled with the chronology of the book, which unnecessarily exploded each chapter with dozens of characters of varying levels of consequence. Still, very interesting and often amusing.
March 16, 2008
This biography was incredible. Berg is my favorite biographer. He made the life of a bookish editor interesting, and he not only taught me about Perkin's life, but about how an editor can forge an intense relationship with a writer, taking that writer's talent and focusing it and nurturing his writing so that what emerges is a great American novel. Perkins did this for F. Scott Fitzgerald and The Great Gatsby, Thomas Wolf's You Can't Go Home Again, and many other classic American authors. After I read this book, I wanted to read all the books the Berg dissects in this fascinating analysis of the creative process between author and editor.
November 13, 2016
Геният-звероукротител Макс Пъркинс: http://knigolandia.info/book-review/g...
Тази книга я приемам лично. Защото е посветена на човек, за когото само бях чувал бегло, но не знаех какъе еталон е в професията, която съм избрал за свое житейско поприще. Той не е точно “геният” от името на филма и българското издание, оригиналното име е “Макс Пъркинс: Редакторът на гении”, но в своята област определено е човек, достоен за това определение. Защото мнозина с лекота биха казали, че той свети с отразена светлина от Томас Улф, Скот Фицджералд и Ърнест Хемингуей, тримата големи сред десетките, които е открил, окрилил и издал, но сред страниците на “Геният” А. Скот Бърг поставя нещата по различен начин.
Писателските портрети не са ласкави в тази книга, не са възторжени и преклонителни, дори напротив – Макс Пъркинс е буквално звероукротител на тия буйни таланти, които имат нужда от него, за да канализират уменията си, да оформят книгите си, да се представят пред читателите и да получат жадуваните слава и признание. И пари, за много пари се говори по тия страници, особено по отношение на широкопръстия Фицджералд, който живее в постоянен недоимък дори след издаването ��а познатите днес като модерни класики “Великият Гетсби” и “Нежна е нощта”, които се провалят и той не доживява да види тяхното обезсмъртяване. Но няма да ви преразказвам книгата, тя трябва да бъде прочетена – и не, филмът не е достатъчен, той улавя само част от линията с Томас Улф, но не може да предаде дори нея добре. Не казвам, че е лош – просто киноизкуството не е способно да покаже детайлите, а те са толкова важни.
Colibri Books
http://knigolandia.info/book-review/g...
Тази книга я приемам лично. Защото е посветена на човек, за когото само бях чувал бегло, но не знаех какъе еталон е в професията, която съм избрал за свое житейско поприще. Той не е точно “геният” от името на филма и българското издание, оригиналното име е “Макс Пъркинс: Редакторът на гении”, но в своята област определено е човек, достоен за това определение. Защото мнозина с лекота биха казали, че той свети с отразена светлина от Томас Улф, Скот Фицджералд и Ърнест Хемингуей, тримата големи сред десетките, които е открил, окрилил и издал, но сред страниците на “Геният” А. Скот Бърг поставя нещата по различен начин.
Писателските портрети не са ласкави в тази книга, не са възторжени и преклонителни, дори напротив – Макс Пъркинс е буквално звероукротител на тия буйни таланти, които имат нужда от него, за да канализират уменията си, да оформят книгите си, да се представят пред читателите и да получат жадуваните слава и признание. И пари, за много пари се говори по тия страници, особено по отношение на широкопръстия Фицджералд, който живее в постоянен недоимък дори след издаването ��а познатите днес като модерни класики “Великият Гетсби” и “Нежна е нощта”, които се провалят и той не доживява да види тяхното обезсмъртяване. Но няма да ви преразказвам книгата, тя трябва да бъде прочетена – и не, филмът не е достатъчен, той улавя само част от линията с Томас Улф, но не може да предаде дори нея добре. Не казвам, че е лош – просто киноизкуството не е способно да покаже детайлите, а те са толкова важни.
Colibri Books
http://knigolandia.info/book-review/g...
September 19, 2023
This book sat on my shelf for nearly ten years. Back before I started a career in publishing. Only now picking it up.
Unfortunately, it wasn’t the landmark book I wanted it to be. I had hoped for a historical exploration of the book publishing industry in the first half of the twentieth century though the eyes of a noted acquisitions editor. What I got was a personal biography as monograph. Yes, there are insights into publishing here. And I do enjoy learning more about his authors like Hemingway, Fitzgerald, Wolfe, and the like. But most of this is minutiae, the detail of a dissertation, rather than narrative nonfiction.
Most of these authors he worked with sound like terrible people: alcoholism, manic depression, bipolar disorder. The constant emotional abuse and manipulation. The constant debt. How Perkins allowed himself to be treated like that, I’ll never understand.
Perkins himself sounds like a stuffy, misogynistic, East Coast elite. He had a very poor view of women, for which the author tries to make excuses. In the end he worked himself to death, and he only has himself to blame.
A landmark piece of scholarship for the academic world, but not the career inspiration I was looking for.
Unfortunately, it wasn’t the landmark book I wanted it to be. I had hoped for a historical exploration of the book publishing industry in the first half of the twentieth century though the eyes of a noted acquisitions editor. What I got was a personal biography as monograph. Yes, there are insights into publishing here. And I do enjoy learning more about his authors like Hemingway, Fitzgerald, Wolfe, and the like. But most of this is minutiae, the detail of a dissertation, rather than narrative nonfiction.
Most of these authors he worked with sound like terrible people: alcoholism, manic depression, bipolar disorder. The constant emotional abuse and manipulation. The constant debt. How Perkins allowed himself to be treated like that, I’ll never understand.
Perkins himself sounds like a stuffy, misogynistic, East Coast elite. He had a very poor view of women, for which the author tries to make excuses. In the end he worked himself to death, and he only has himself to blame.
A landmark piece of scholarship for the academic world, but not the career inspiration I was looking for.
February 11, 2018
Supongoq ue a todos los lectores nos interesan este tipo de publicaciones, es imposible no sentirse atraído
September 15, 2016
Masterful. Everything a literary biography should be. Plenty of supported facts to provide a skeleton and just enough speculation to round out the bony frame without bloating it with wildly improbable and exploitative conjecture. It came as little surprise to learn that A. Scott Berg was a student of Carlos Baker.
It has taken me a long time to get around to learning about the man who was instrumental to the successful careers of Hemingway and Fitzgerald. He is quietly fascinating and I was very moved by the story of his relationship with Thomas Wolfe. Wolfe is an author that hasn't pinged my radar at all before this but I'm chomping at the bit to read him now.
I came to this book at this time in anticipation of the movie based on this book due out this summer. I'm devastated now that I know about Wolfe, to learn that Jude Law will play this role. That's just wrong. Colin Firth as Max doesn't seem like it will work on paper but Colin Firth doesn't work on paper and I've loved everything I've ever seen him in. I'm hopeful.
I teared up a little as I finished the book even though I knew how it was going to end. Is that a spoiler? Sorry about that. Read the book anyway.
It has taken me a long time to get around to learning about the man who was instrumental to the successful careers of Hemingway and Fitzgerald. He is quietly fascinating and I was very moved by the story of his relationship with Thomas Wolfe. Wolfe is an author that hasn't pinged my radar at all before this but I'm chomping at the bit to read him now.
I came to this book at this time in anticipation of the movie based on this book due out this summer. I'm devastated now that I know about Wolfe, to learn that Jude Law will play this role. That's just wrong. Colin Firth as Max doesn't seem like it will work on paper but Colin Firth doesn't work on paper and I've loved everything I've ever seen him in. I'm hopeful.
I teared up a little as I finished the book even though I knew how it was going to end. Is that a spoiler? Sorry about that. Read the book anyway.
October 11, 2016
Bibliography about thomas wolfe , who is genius inspired the works of many other authors and also inspired me in different way. he do incredible efforts in writing.
Unfortunately , this greatest man is not famous as deserve
Unfortunately , this greatest man is not famous as deserve
October 26, 2018
I accidentally stumbled upon a book of correspondence between Max Perkins and Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings on a "for sale" shelve at a local library. I wanted something to read during my lunch hour so I popped over to the public library and bought some of their books for a dime a piece. I was not much interested in the book "Dear Max, Dear Marjorie", but, heck, it was a nice, thick hard cover with an undamaged dust jacket for a dime.
Those occurrences are called "serendipity". It was a tremendous find. Not only have I developed an interest in the author of "The Yearling" (a book I never cared to read, but now will) I learned about the man who pretty much discovered and shaped the authors who made the face of 20th century American literature.
Max Perkins was the editor for Scribner's Magazine and book publishing company from 1910 until the the day of his death in 1947.
Max Perkins: Editor of Genius is a biography of his life. A. Scott Berg deftly describes the life of this stoic, at times eccentric man who discovered F. Scott Fitzgerald, turned Thomas Wolfe (Look Homeward, Angel) into a comprehensible writer, and edited the likes of Ernest Hemingway, William Faulkner, Ring Lardner, and, of course, Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings. In fact, "The Yearling" the story of a young boy in central Florida's "Cracker" community, coming of age and learning about the hardships of life and death while trying to care for a fawn and raise it to a deer was Perkins' idea and at his encouragment, Rawlings wrote the book which won her a Pulitzer and made her world famous.
Through this book we see Perkins' relationship with all of these authors and more, and likewise, learn quite a bit about them as well. The book balances Perkins' personal life and professional one, although his professional life often crossed over (he was the father Wolfe never knew; the counselor Fitzgerald desperately turned to as his life fell apart, and Hemingway's drinking buddy.) It was Perkins' patience and encouragement that kept many an author from giving up and all of us benefit as we read the works of these timeless classic writers.
Berg reveals the fascinating persona of this enigmatic man. I relished it from start to finish.
Those occurrences are called "serendipity". It was a tremendous find. Not only have I developed an interest in the author of "The Yearling" (a book I never cared to read, but now will) I learned about the man who pretty much discovered and shaped the authors who made the face of 20th century American literature.
Max Perkins was the editor for Scribner's Magazine and book publishing company from 1910 until the the day of his death in 1947.
Max Perkins: Editor of Genius is a biography of his life. A. Scott Berg deftly describes the life of this stoic, at times eccentric man who discovered F. Scott Fitzgerald, turned Thomas Wolfe (Look Homeward, Angel) into a comprehensible writer, and edited the likes of Ernest Hemingway, William Faulkner, Ring Lardner, and, of course, Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings. In fact, "The Yearling" the story of a young boy in central Florida's "Cracker" community, coming of age and learning about the hardships of life and death while trying to care for a fawn and raise it to a deer was Perkins' idea and at his encouragment, Rawlings wrote the book which won her a Pulitzer and made her world famous.
Through this book we see Perkins' relationship with all of these authors and more, and likewise, learn quite a bit about them as well. The book balances Perkins' personal life and professional one, although his professional life often crossed over (he was the father Wolfe never knew; the counselor Fitzgerald desperately turned to as his life fell apart, and Hemingway's drinking buddy.) It was Perkins' patience and encouragement that kept many an author from giving up and all of us benefit as we read the works of these timeless classic writers.
Berg reveals the fascinating persona of this enigmatic man. I relished it from start to finish.
December 21, 2007
A great biography about one of the unsung heroes of modernist literature. Although Perkins is the most famous fiction editor in known history (sorry, Gordon Lish), little about his personal life and character was widely known before Berg's eminently readable bio. Perkins was a Victorian through and through, so he can come off as a little stodgy, but he was devoted to his writers. The famous trifecta of Hemingway, Fitzgerald, and Wolfe get a lot of attention, of course---though those familiar with their many, many (too many?) biographies may find some of the stories well trod. Instead, it's the lesser known authors and books (THE YEARLING, for example) or the books Perkins DIDN'T land for Scribner's (Bruce Barton's THE MAN NOBODY KNOWS) that make for the most interesting tales. Berg's bios of Lindbergh and Kate Hepburn are now better known, but this was the one that made him the big cheese in this genre.
November 7, 2016
Рядко биография се лее по начина, по който се лее „Геният“. Той е малка река на времето. На времето, в което бъдещето е станало част от ежедневието. Бърг майсторски е успял да прелисти живота на един забележителен в своята професия човек без хиперболи и апотеози, а краят на книгата оставя отворен един вечен въпрос – за смъртта на човека/твореца и наследството, което той оставя след себе си.
„Мисля, че няма да е преувеличено да кажа, че от писане просто изчезнах в написаното.“(Томас Улф)
http://knijno.blogspot.bg/2016/11/blo...
„Мисля, че няма да е преувеличено да кажа, че от писане просто изчезнах в написаното.“(Томас Улф)
http://knijno.blogspot.bg/2016/11/blo...
January 17, 2017
Max Perkins was the classic example of a fine book editor, discovering and developing such talents as F. Scott Fitgerald, Thomas Wolfe, Ernest Hemingway, Taylor Caldwell, Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings, James Jones, and many others. Always putting the writer first, he deflected personal publicity in favour of working behind the scenes. His own life, however, was as distinctly fascinating as any of his authors and had secret sides to it. A. Scott Berg does a masterful job of peeling back the layers of a man who was as reserved as he was brilliant. A great read! - BH.
January 13, 2019
https://amanecemetropolis.net/max-per...
Queriendo o no este libro pone en valor la labor del editor y su importancia. Aunque el editor debe estar en la sombra, como decía Perkins, y no en el foco.
Te hace preguntarte cómo hubiera sido la obra de grandes escritores sin el trabajo Max Perkins.
¿Hubieran llegado siquiera a la imprenta?
Una biografía reveladora y amena, aunque algunos capítulos se leen con menos agilidad, nos descubre una y varias historias. La del genio de la literatura, y la historia de otros genios (Thomas Wolfe, Scott Fitzgerald o Hemingway).
Queriendo o no este libro pone en valor la labor del editor y su importancia. Aunque el editor debe estar en la sombra, como decía Perkins, y no en el foco.
Te hace preguntarte cómo hubiera sido la obra de grandes escritores sin el trabajo Max Perkins.
¿Hubieran llegado siquiera a la imprenta?
Una biografía reveladora y amena, aunque algunos capítulos se leen con menos agilidad, nos descubre una y varias historias. La del genio de la literatura, y la historia de otros genios (Thomas Wolfe, Scott Fitzgerald o Hemingway).
January 19, 2025
One of the best biographies I have read. It says more about Scott Fitzgerald, Hemingway and Thomas Wolfe than some academics managed in a lifetime. I'm on my third copy after wearing out two others over the years; my infant daughter is ensuring a fourth will be needed soon.
November 12, 2021
I did it! I finished this book after 4 months (some of which I didn’t have it because it’s a library book). Who would have thought I’d physically read a 500 page biography? Anyway, this was fascinating; particularly the parts about Hemingway, F. Scott Fitzgerald, and Thomas Wolfe and just Max’s editorial process in general. I wish there was more about his platonic love affair with Lemmon (like…can we talk about that??) and also his relationship with women (this author kept saying that women would tell Max he clearly hated women but then always follow up talking about all the female writers he edited who loved him…but why did people think he hated women? What’s that all about?). Anyway, I learned a lot from this about publishing and about some famous writers so that was cool.
February 23, 2023
My hubby and I saw "Genius", the biographical movie on Netflix, and even while we were watching, I grabbed my computer and ordered this book to read.
If you are a writer or an editor, this book has invaluable information from the editor himself in a well documented chronicle of his life.
I felt that the author must have read every letter and manuscript ever touched by Max Perkins himself, and talked to all his friends alive, because that is how deeply I came away with knowing this world-class editor.
I have dog-earred my copy and plan to go back to many of its pages, and I have come away feeling inspired to not allow the stories of my family to go untold.
Much thanks to Scott Berg, the author, for his tender, relentless and respectful rendering of this man and his craft and character.
If you are a writer or an editor, this book has invaluable information from the editor himself in a well documented chronicle of his life.
I felt that the author must have read every letter and manuscript ever touched by Max Perkins himself, and talked to all his friends alive, because that is how deeply I came away with knowing this world-class editor.
I have dog-earred my copy and plan to go back to many of its pages, and I have come away feeling inspired to not allow the stories of my family to go untold.
Much thanks to Scott Berg, the author, for his tender, relentless and respectful rendering of this man and his craft and character.
March 6, 2016
For years, Maxwell Perkins has lived in my imagination as an almost mythic literary hero. The Scribners editor famously worked with F. Scott Fitzgerald, Ernest Hemingway, and Thomas Wolfe, among others, supporting them through their struggles and gently pushing them to produce work that continues to be read and studied today.
A. Scott Berg’s biography of the man is a remarkable achievement—an intimate, impressively researched work that brings to life not only the shy editor but a score of literary legends. Quoting from numerous letters, journals, and interviews, Berg takes the reader into the remarkable period when Perkins personally transformed Scribners from a conservative publisher into a house that published the work of bold new writers and helped transform American literature.
Unassuming and self-effacing, Perkins nevertheless had a sharp eye for talent, and he was a compassionate and faithful friend who helped writers find the confidence to carry on when their faith in themselves faltered. His unwavering support and consistently wise council were uncommon in the industry and inspired the gratitude and devotion of his writers.
The book is a treasure trove of tales about the origins of classic novels, the workings of a publishing house, and the often painful creative process. It recounts Perkins’s efforts to keep Fitzgerald writing when insecurity and alcoholism interfered. It describes the creative challenge of taking Wolfe’s overlong and misshapen manuscripts and, over many months, cutting and shaping them into novels generally regarded as classics today.
It was Perkins who encouraged Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings to write “a book about a child in the [Florida] scrub, which would be designed for what we have come to call younger readers.” Years later, in response to periodic encouragement from Perkins, she would write the best seller and Pulitzer Prize–winning book The Yearling.
Perkins was a legend even during his lifetime. His dedicated work with Fitzgerald and Wolfe in particular was well-known by other writers who sought his guidance. One of the last books he worked on (but did not live to see published) was From Here to Eternity. James Jones was inspired by Wolfe’s novels to write a book of his own and was encouraged by the stories he’d heard about Perkins to personally deliver his manuscript to the editor. Perkins rejected Jones’s novel but saw in it and in the author himself the promise of something better. Putting his faith in the judgment of the famous editor, Jones set aside his first novel and, over several difficult years, wrote and rewrote a second one partially based on his experiences in the military on Hawaii. Like The Yearling, From Here to Eternity would become a best seller and win the Pulitzer Prize.
In a letter to Perkins, Rawlings wrote, “When all of us are done for, the chances are that literary history will find you the greatest—certainly the wisest—of us all.”
Berg’s book, his first, won the National Book Award. A film adaptation that focuses on Perkins’s close working relationship and sometimes painful friendship with Wolfe is due in July, with Colin Firth playing Perkins and Jude Law playing Wolfe.
A. Scott Berg’s biography of the man is a remarkable achievement—an intimate, impressively researched work that brings to life not only the shy editor but a score of literary legends. Quoting from numerous letters, journals, and interviews, Berg takes the reader into the remarkable period when Perkins personally transformed Scribners from a conservative publisher into a house that published the work of bold new writers and helped transform American literature.
Unassuming and self-effacing, Perkins nevertheless had a sharp eye for talent, and he was a compassionate and faithful friend who helped writers find the confidence to carry on when their faith in themselves faltered. His unwavering support and consistently wise council were uncommon in the industry and inspired the gratitude and devotion of his writers.
The book is a treasure trove of tales about the origins of classic novels, the workings of a publishing house, and the often painful creative process. It recounts Perkins’s efforts to keep Fitzgerald writing when insecurity and alcoholism interfered. It describes the creative challenge of taking Wolfe’s overlong and misshapen manuscripts and, over many months, cutting and shaping them into novels generally regarded as classics today.
It was Perkins who encouraged Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings to write “a book about a child in the [Florida] scrub, which would be designed for what we have come to call younger readers.” Years later, in response to periodic encouragement from Perkins, she would write the best seller and Pulitzer Prize–winning book The Yearling.
Perkins was a legend even during his lifetime. His dedicated work with Fitzgerald and Wolfe in particular was well-known by other writers who sought his guidance. One of the last books he worked on (but did not live to see published) was From Here to Eternity. James Jones was inspired by Wolfe’s novels to write a book of his own and was encouraged by the stories he’d heard about Perkins to personally deliver his manuscript to the editor. Perkins rejected Jones’s novel but saw in it and in the author himself the promise of something better. Putting his faith in the judgment of the famous editor, Jones set aside his first novel and, over several difficult years, wrote and rewrote a second one partially based on his experiences in the military on Hawaii. Like The Yearling, From Here to Eternity would become a best seller and win the Pulitzer Prize.
In a letter to Perkins, Rawlings wrote, “When all of us are done for, the chances are that literary history will find you the greatest—certainly the wisest—of us all.”
Berg’s book, his first, won the National Book Award. A film adaptation that focuses on Perkins’s close working relationship and sometimes painful friendship with Wolfe is due in July, with Colin Firth playing Perkins and Jude Law playing Wolfe.
March 13, 2018
I found this book in the least-literary building of the least-literary city I've ever lived in. Seeing as how it was on the building's first-floor communal "it's yours if you want it" table, it had clearly been abandoned, along with some out-of-fashion skiing equipment and scraped-up kitchen kitsch. I had no idea who Max Perkins was, but I grabbed the book when I saw the names Fitzgerald, Hemingway, and Wolfe on the cover, and since I'd had my own preexisting curiosities concerning the editing those writers' novels had received, I decided to keep the book and add it to the mad stack I've toted around the country for the past year. A month ago I read some Hemingway -- "A Moveable Feast" -- and it whetted my taste buds for more on that golden age of literature, so I cracked open this unlikely page-turner and ended up tearing through it like a tornado doing its best to uproot the skyscrapers of Manhattan. I now at least have a name for the nameless angel I have always pined for: Max Perkins, Patron Saint Of Good Taste And Earnest Praise And Useful Feedback.
A. Scott Berg did a truly fine job with this biography. The writing flows, the extraordinary research shows, and on the Zarathustran tightrope, the reader got to see Perkins the God and Perkins the Monkey. The existence of both, and the truth of both, underscores the truly complicated nature of human existence, and is something to consider in a time when self-righteous other-hatred is all the literal rage.
To me something that wasn't even mentioned in the book is illustrative of not only Perkins' integrity and genius, but of the fundamental paradigm-shift that has taken place in America and the West. What is mentioned in the book is how Max's wife came to be friends with a famous Hollywood actress, I believe it was Katherine Hepburn, and how Max never even spoke to her, for fear of impropriety, let alone asked her to write a book. He was an editor for a profit-seeking publisher, and he never needled a famous actress to write a book that would certainly sell to at least her fans.
I've often made the observation that in the 20th century a book created a celebrity, whereas here in the 21st century a celebrity creates a book.
So then here's to Max Perkins, who, from Mr. Berg's telling of it, was a fellow functional addict for chemicals and literature, in our opinion the height of human existence.
A. Scott Berg did a truly fine job with this biography. The writing flows, the extraordinary research shows, and on the Zarathustran tightrope, the reader got to see Perkins the God and Perkins the Monkey. The existence of both, and the truth of both, underscores the truly complicated nature of human existence, and is something to consider in a time when self-righteous other-hatred is all the literal rage.
To me something that wasn't even mentioned in the book is illustrative of not only Perkins' integrity and genius, but of the fundamental paradigm-shift that has taken place in America and the West. What is mentioned in the book is how Max's wife came to be friends with a famous Hollywood actress, I believe it was Katherine Hepburn, and how Max never even spoke to her, for fear of impropriety, let alone asked her to write a book. He was an editor for a profit-seeking publisher, and he never needled a famous actress to write a book that would certainly sell to at least her fans.
I've often made the observation that in the 20th century a book created a celebrity, whereas here in the 21st century a celebrity creates a book.
So then here's to Max Perkins, who, from Mr. Berg's telling of it, was a fellow functional addict for chemicals and literature, in our opinion the height of human existence.
November 2, 2017
My main problem with this book is the fact that it was supposed to be a book about Max Perkins, and yet there is so little aboiut him in it.
This book is full of interesting stories and anectotes about the greatest wrters of that time - Fitzgerayld, Hemingway, Wolfe, Galsworthy. It's a fascnating book for every one who's a fan of said authors. Those stories overshadow everything else though, and you're left fith the feeling that now you know almost everything about Fitzgerald and Hemingway, and close to nothing about Perkins.
But as I sad, too little of Max Perkins in a book about Max Perkins...
This book is full of interesting stories and anectotes about the greatest wrters of that time - Fitzgerayld, Hemingway, Wolfe, Galsworthy. It's a fascnating book for every one who's a fan of said authors. Those stories overshadow everything else though, and you're left fith the feeling that now you know almost everything about Fitzgerald and Hemingway, and close to nothing about Perkins.
But as I sad, too little of Max Perkins in a book about Max Perkins...
November 7, 2016
"Геният" ме придружаваше всеки ден в автобус №120 в продължение на доста дни, за което съм изключително благодарен на мистър Бърг. Направи дните ми далеч по-поносими.
Макс Пъркинс - открил за света Фицджералд, Хемингуей, Томас Улф и много други - е наистина личност, за която си струва да си чете и пише. В книгата има страшно интересни неща за едно страшно интересно време в литературата, а вярвам и немалко вдъхновяващи примери.
http://oshteedinblogzaknigi.com/2016/...
Макс Пъркинс - открил за света Фицджералд, Хемингуей, Томас Улф и много други - е наистина личност, за която си струва да си чете и пише. В книгата има страшно интересни неща за едно страшно интересно време в литературата, а вярвам и немалко вдъхновяващи примери.
http://oshteedinblogzaknigi.com/2016/...
March 5, 2008
Max Perkins was the Scribner's editor during the golden age of American Literature. His clients included Ernest Hemingway, F. Scott Fitzgerald and Thomas Wolfe. This is an outstanding work, well-cited and researched. I just loved it.
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