A Nickel an Inch: A Memoir - Hardcover

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Fitzgerald began his publishing career as a journalist, receiving ``a nickel an inch'' for a high school sports column he wrote for a small New York City paper. The book's first half is devoted to this early part of his career, also covering his World War II infantry experiences. After the war he became contributing editor of Sport magazine; many inside stories about 1940s and 1950s baseball greats come from this period. From 1960 to his retirement, Fitzgerald managed magazines such as McCall's and Saturday Review , served as editor-in-chief of the Literary Guild, and was president and CEO of the Book-of-the-Month Club. He is especially proud of having originated the Quality Paperback Book Club. Recommended for general collections. Gary D. Barber, SUNY at Fredonia Lib.
Copyright 1985 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Fitzgerald, recently retired as president of the Book-of-the-Month Club, offers a bright, warm, anecdotal account of his careers as newspaper reporter, magazine editor and publishing executive. Captivated early on by words and the smell of printer's ink, Fitzgerald, son of Irish immigrants, grew up in Yonkers, N.Y., where he did his first reporting while still in high school, earning a nickel for each column-inch of his sports copy. At 16, he joined the sports staff of the Herald-Statesman full-time, then went on (after vividly recalled years as a World War II infantryman) to become editor of Sport magazine, director of the Literary Guild (and a Doubleday senior v-p), president of McCall's, then head of BOMC. With good humor, Fitzgerald describes encounters with innumerable writers, difficult owners (Nelson Doubleday), and unusual editors (Shana Alexander: "the worst great idea I ever had" at McCall's), as well as the deals, art vs. commerce battles, and proudest accomplishments (the Quality Paperback Book Club) of his publishing tour. Those, like Fitzgerald, enamored with the printed word, including publishing aspirants, will find his memoir irresistible. November 25
Copyright 1985 Reed Business Information, Inc.