Maxwell Perkins
Maxwell Perkins
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Full Name and Common Aliases
Maxwell E. Perkins was born on September 30, 1884, in New York City. He is often referred to as Max by friends, family, and colleagues.
Birth and Death Dates
Born: September 30, 1884
Died: October 17, 1947
Nationality and Profession(s)
Maxwell Perkins was an American literary editor and publisher. He worked primarily in the publishing industry throughout his career.
Early Life and Background
Perkins grew up in a middle-class family in New York City. His father was a successful businessman who owned several real estate properties, which provided the family with financial stability. As a young man, Perkins attended Yale University, where he studied English literature and graduated in 1907. After completing his studies, Perkins worked as an assistant to the editor at Charles Scribner's Sons publishing house for two years before moving to Doubleday Page & Company.
Major Accomplishments
Perkins' career as a literary editor and publisher spanned nearly four decades. He is credited with discovering and nurturing the talents of several prominent authors, including F. Scott Fitzgerald, Ernest Hemingway, and John O'Hara. Perkins played a crucial role in shaping the works of these authors through his editorial guidance and publishing acumen.
Notable Works or Actions
Perkins was instrumental in bringing several notable works to publication, including:
The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald (1925)
A Farewell to Arms by Ernest Hemingway (1929)
* Appointment in Samarra by W. Somerset Maugham and John O'Hara's stories
Perkins' expertise as an editor helped authors refine their writing, resulting in some of the most iconic works of 20th-century literature.
Impact and Legacy
Maxwell Perkins left an indelible mark on the publishing industry. His keen eye for talent and his ability to guide authors toward producing exceptional work have had a lasting impact on the literary world. The legacy of Maxwell Perkins continues to inspire generations of writers, editors, and publishers.
Quotes by Maxwell Perkins
You can’t know a book until you come to the end of it, and then all the rest must be modified to fit that.
Of the whole public not a handful can understand the artist’s point of view or the writer’s conscience.
You are all right on time, except for the fact that time is the enemy of us all, and especially of the writer.
What we publishers think is that our function is to bring everything out into the open, on the theory that we have an adult population that knows values, or can learn them, and let them decide.
It is those people who know that they are right because some outside or higher power conveys the conviction to them who do the great damage in the world.
Editors are extremely fallible people, all of them. Don’t put too much trust in them.
