Counterpoint (publisher)#Soft Skull Press
{{Short description|Publishing company (2007–2016)}}
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{{Infobox publisher
| image =
| parent =
| status =
| founded = 2007
| founder =
| successor = Catapult
| country = United States
| headquarters = Berkeley, California
| distribution = PenguinRandomHouse
| keypeople = Charlie Winton, CEO
Jack Shoemaker, Vice President, Editorial director
Richard Nash, Executive Editor
| publications =
| topics =
| genre =
| imprints = Counterpoint Press, Soft Skull Press, Sierra Club/Counterpoint
| revenue =
| numemployees =
| nasdaq =
| url = {{URL|http://counterpointpress.com}}
}}
Counterpoint LLC was a publishing company that Perseus Books Group launched in 2007. It was formed from the consolidation of three presses: Perseus' Counterpoint Press, Shoemaker & Hoard, and Soft Skull Press. The company published books under both the Counterpoint Press and Soft Skull Press imprints. Counterpoint also entered into an agreement for the production, marketing, and distribution of approximately eight Sierra Club book titles each year.
Both Wendell Berry and poet Gary Snyder were investors in Counterpoint, with both having works published by the imprint. Jack Shoemaker, Vice-president and editorial director of Counterpoint, had worked with both authors in other companies for more than thirty years. Counterpoint notably published works by Albanian author Ismail Kadare, including A Girl in Exile, The Traitor’s Niche, and The Doll: A Portrait of My Mother.{{Cite web|url=https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/authorpage/ismail-kadare.html|title=Books by Ismail Kadare and Complete Book Reviews|website=PublishersWeekly.com}}
Counterpoint merged into fellow publisher Catapult in 2016.{{Cite web| title = Two Years Post-merger, Catapult, Counterpoint, and Soft Skull Are Going Strong| work = PublishersWeekly.com| access-date = 2018-11-04| url = https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/industry-news/publisher-news/article/78117-two-years-post-merger-catapult-counterpoint-and-soft-skull-are-going-strong.html}}
Soft Skull Press
{{Infobox publisher
| name = Soft Skull Press
| image =
| parent = Catapult, funded and co-founded by Elizabeth Koch
| status =
| founded = 1992
| founder = Sander Hicks
| successor =
| country = United States
| headquarters = New York City
| distribution = PenguinRandomHouse
| keypeople = Yuka Igarashi, editor
| publications =
| topics = Alternative culture, LGBTQ literature
| genre =
| imprints = Red Rattle Books
| revenue =
| numemployees =
| nasdaq =
| url = {{URL|http://softskull.com}}
}}
Soft Skull Press is an independent book publisher founded by Sander Hicks in 1992, and run by Yuka Igarashi from 2017 until 2022, when she was hired by Graywolf Press.{{Cite web|url=https://www.authorsguild.org/industry-advocacy/q-editor-yuka-igarashi/|title=Q and A with an Editor: Yuka Igarashi|date=January 18, 2018|website=The Authors Guild}}{{Cite web |last=Kirch |first=Claire |title=Graywolf Hires Soft Skull Editor-in-Chief |url=https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/industry-news/publisher-news/article/85673-graywolf-hires-soft-skull-editor-in-chief.html |access-date=2024-11-21 |website=PublishersWeekly.com |language=en}}
In 2007, Richard Nash, who had taken Soft Skull over from Hicks in 2001, sold the publisher to Counterpoint, who closed Soft Skull's New York operation in 2010.{{Cite web|date=2009-02-26|title=Richard Nash to Leave Soft Skull, Counterpoint|url=https://www.pw.org/content/richard_nash_leave_soft_skull_counterpoint|access-date=2022-02-08|website=Poets & Writers|language=en}}{{cite magazine |last=Neyfakh |first=Leon |date= November 2, 2010 |title=Indie Publisher Soft Skull Press Closes Its Doors In New York |url=http://observer.com/2010/11/indie-publisher-soft-skull-press-closes-its-doors-in-new-york/ |magazine=The New York Observer }}
Counterpoint merged with fellow publisher Catapult in 2016. Subsequently, Soft Skull reopened its New York office with Yuka Igarashi as editor-in-chief,{{Cite web| title = Two Years Post-merger, Catapult, Counterpoint, and Soft Skull Are Going Strong| work = PublishersWeekly.com| access-date = 2018-11-04| url = https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/industry-news/publisher-news/article/78117-two-years-post-merger-catapult-counterpoint-and-soft-skull-are-going-strong.html}} and began to reissue backlist books. These included The Amputee's Guide to Sex by Jillian Weise, Something Bright, Then Holes by Maggie Nelson, and Wayne Koestenbaum's 2004 novel, Moira Orfei in Aigues-Mortes under the new title, Circus.{{Cite web|date=2019-10-09|title=BOMB interviews Wayne Koestenbaum about Circus|url=https://softskull.com/bomb-interviews-wayne-koestenbaum-about-circus/|access-date=2021-03-24|website=Soft Skull Press|language=en-US}} The publisher has since acquired and published new works.
References
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Bibliography
- {{cite web| last =Fost| first =Dan| title =Jack Shoemaker starts new book venture: Loyal authors follow him to division of Avalon Publishing| publisher =San Francisco Chronicle| date =2002-12-12| url =http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2002/12/12/BU59609.DTL&type=business| access-date = 2008-02-18}}
- {{cite web |last=Italie |first=Hillel |title=Publisher Perseus Announces Layoffs |publisher=Fox News |date=2007-05-10 |url=http://www.foxnews.com/wires/2007May10/0,4670,BooksPerseusFirings,00.html |access-date=2008-02-18 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160122191330/http://www.foxnews.com/wires/2007May10/0%2C4670%2CBooksPerseusFirings%2C00.html |archive-date=January 22, 2016 }}
- {{cite web| last =Jain| first =Priya| title =The struggle for independents| work =Salon.com| date =2007-06-21| url =http://www.salon.com/books/feature/2007/06/21/independent_press/| access-date = 2008-02-18}}
- {{cite web |last=Kinsella |first=Bridget |title=Winton, Shoemaker & Co. Buys Counterpoint |publisher=Publishers Weekly |date=2007-05-10 |url=http://www.publishersweekly.com/article/CA6440961.html |access-date=2008-02-18 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071009184750/http://www.publishersweekly.com/article/CA6440961.html |archive-date=October 9, 2007 }}
- {{cite web| last =Kinsella| first =Bridget| title =Winton Buys Soft Skull Press| publisher =Publishers Weekly| date =2007-05-16| url =http://reg.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/industry-news/publisher-news/article/12382-winton-buys-soft-skull-press-.html| access-date = 2008-02-18}}
- {{cite web| last =Kinsella| first =Bridget| title =Counterpoint, Sierra Club Team Up| publisher =Publishers Weekly| date =2007-08-16| url =http://www.publishersweekly.com/article/CA6469181.html?q=shoemaker+%26+hoard| archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20160122191330/http://www.publishersweekly.com/article/CA6469181.html?q=shoemaker+&+hoard| url-status =dead| archive-date =2016-01-22| access-date =2008-02-18}}
- {{cite web| last =Maher| first =John| title =Counterpoint, OR Books Partner on New Fall List| publisher =Publishers Weekly| date =2016-05-16| url =http://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/industry-news/publisher-news/article/70200-counterpoint-press-partners-with-or-books.htmlformat}}
External links
- [http://www.counterpointpress.com/ Official website]
- [http://www.softskull.com Soft Skull Press]
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Category:Book publishing companies based in Berkeley, California
Category:Publishing companies established in 2007
Category:American companies established in 2007
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