Robert M. McBride
Encyclopedia
Robert Medill McBride was the publisher of James Branch Cabell
and the later books of Frank Buck
.
. He founded Yachting magazine in 1907; took over House and Garden in 1908, Travel, 1910; Lippincott's Monthly Magazine
, 1914. He was a partner of Condé Montrose Nast
in McBride, Nast & Co. After McBride and Nast separated, they remained on good terms, and McBride attended the wedding of Nast's son, Charles Coudert Nast, in 1928.
McBride began book publishing 1912, and founded a London publishing house in 1915. Among the books he published were the later works of Frank Buck
, including Buck's autobiography, All In A Lifetime
. McBride also published a series of travel books which he himself had written, some under the pen name Robert Medill. His name appeared frequently in the society columns of the New York Times during the 1920s, 1930s, and 1940s. He was a member of The Players Club
and the Dutch Treat Club
.
's twelfth book, Jurgen, A Comedy of Justice
(1919), which was the subject of a celebrated obscenity
case shortly after its publication. The hero, Jurgen, who considers himself a "monstrous clever fellow", embarks on a journey through ever more fantastic realms, even to hell and heaven. Everywhere he goes, he winds up seducing the local women, including the Devil's wife.
The novel was denounced by the New York Society for the Suppression of Vice
; which attempted to bring a prosecution for obscenity. The case went on for two years before Cabell and McBride won: the "indecencies" were double entendres that also had a perfectly decent interpretation, though it appeared that what had actually offended the prosecution most was a joke about papal infallibility
.
acquired much of his stock.
Thereafter, calling his company Medill-McBride, he published a few books and continued to write. He died in Philadelphia in 1970 and is buried at the West Laurel Hill Cemetery
, Plymouth Section, Lot 14 (Oberholtzer Family
). A sister, Winona McBride Oberholtzer (1883–1973), survived him.
James Branch Cabell
James Branch Cabell, ; April 14, 1879 – May 5, 1958) was an American author of fantasy fiction and belles lettres. Cabell was well regarded by his contemporaries, including H. L. Mencken and Sinclair Lewis. His works were considered escapist and fit well in the culture of the 1920s, when his...
and the later books of Frank Buck
Frank Buck (animal collector)
Frank Howard Buck was a hunter and "collector of wild animals," as well as a movie actor, director, writer and producer...
.
Early years
Robert Medill McBride was the son of the Reverend Dr. Samuel and Wilhelmina (Medill) McBride. Reverend Samuel McBride was president of the American Bible Union. Robert was educated in public schools.Enters Publishing
McBride started in publishing at Country Life in AmericaCountry Life in America
Country Life in America was an American shelter magazine, first published in November 1901 as an illustrated monthly by Doubleday, Page & Company. Henry H. Saylor was the initial Managing Editor, and Robert M...
. He founded Yachting magazine in 1907; took over House and Garden in 1908, Travel, 1910; Lippincott's Monthly Magazine
Lippincott's Monthly Magazine
Lippincott's Monthly Magazine was a 19th century literary magazine published in Philadelphia from 1868 to 1915, when it relocated to New York to become McBride's Magazine. It merged with Scribner's Magazine in 1916....
, 1914. He was a partner of Condé Montrose Nast
Condé Montrose Nast
Condé Montrose Nast was the founder of Condé Nast Publications, a leading American magazine publisher known for publications such as Vanity Fair, Vogue and The New Yorker.-Background:...
in McBride, Nast & Co. After McBride and Nast separated, they remained on good terms, and McBride attended the wedding of Nast's son, Charles Coudert Nast, in 1928.
McBride began book publishing 1912, and founded a London publishing house in 1915. Among the books he published were the later works of Frank Buck
Frank Buck (animal collector)
Frank Howard Buck was a hunter and "collector of wild animals," as well as a movie actor, director, writer and producer...
, including Buck's autobiography, All In A Lifetime
All In A Lifetime
All in a Lifetime by Frank Buck, with Ferrin Fraser, is Buck’s autobiography.Buck spent much of his life collecting wild animals and as a boy was a bit wild himself. He became a bellhop in a Chicago hotel, got into bad company, and just missed becoming a safe blower...
. McBride also published a series of travel books which he himself had written, some under the pen name Robert Medill. His name appeared frequently in the society columns of the New York Times during the 1920s, 1930s, and 1940s. He was a member of The Players Club
The Players (club)
The Players, frequently referred to as the Players Club, is a social club founded in New York City by the noted 19th-century Shakespearean actor Edwin Booth, who purchased an 1847 mansion located at 16 Gramercy Park. During his lifetime, he reserved an upper floor for his home, turning the rest of...
and the Dutch Treat Club
Dutch Treat Club
The Dutch Treat Club is a society of illustrators, writers and performers based in New York City. Primarily social in nature, the club has had as members such leading literary figures and humorists as Robert Benchley, Rube Goldberg, Robert M. McBride, and Ogden Nash.-Founding:In 1905, Tuesday was...
.
Obscenity Prosecution
McBride published James Branch CabellJames Branch Cabell
James Branch Cabell, ; April 14, 1879 – May 5, 1958) was an American author of fantasy fiction and belles lettres. Cabell was well regarded by his contemporaries, including H. L. Mencken and Sinclair Lewis. His works were considered escapist and fit well in the culture of the 1920s, when his...
's twelfth book, Jurgen, A Comedy of Justice
Jurgen, A Comedy of Justice
Jurgen, A Comedy of Justice is a 1919 fantasy book by James Branch Cabell – the eighth among some fifty-two books written by this author – which gained fame shortly after its publication.-The book and its reception:...
(1919), which was the subject of a celebrated obscenity
Obscenity
An obscenity is any statement or act which strongly offends the prevalent morality of the time, is a profanity, or is otherwise taboo, indecent, abhorrent, or disgusting, or is especially inauspicious...
case shortly after its publication. The hero, Jurgen, who considers himself a "monstrous clever fellow", embarks on a journey through ever more fantastic realms, even to hell and heaven. Everywhere he goes, he winds up seducing the local women, including the Devil's wife.
The novel was denounced by the New York Society for the Suppression of Vice
New York Society for the Suppression of Vice
The New York Society for the Suppression of Vice was an institution dedicated to supervising the morality of the public, founded in 1873. Its specific mission was to monitor compliance with state laws and work with the courts and district attorneys in bringing offenders to justice. It and its...
; which attempted to bring a prosecution for obscenity. The case went on for two years before Cabell and McBride won: the "indecencies" were double entendres that also had a perfectly decent interpretation, though it appeared that what had actually offended the prosecution most was a joke about papal infallibility
Papal infallibility
Papal infallibility is a dogma of the Catholic Church which states that, by action of the Holy Spirit, the Pope is preserved from even the possibility of error when in his official capacity he solemnly declares or promulgates to the universal Church a dogmatic teaching on faith or morals...
.
Publisher’s Hoax
In 1924 McBride received a manuscript so terrible that it was funny. He published the book in a smart jacket, the critics praised it, but it did not sell. The lesson in this, according to McBride, is that honest books sell, dishonest ones don’t. McBride became so interested in hoaxes that he wrote a history of them.Bankruptcy and Later Life
McBride, then located at 200 East 37th Street, New York, declared bankruptcy (chapter XI), October 27, 1948. The Outlet Book CompanyCrown Publishing Group
-External links:*...
acquired much of his stock.
Thereafter, calling his company Medill-McBride, he published a few books and continued to write. He died in Philadelphia in 1970 and is buried at the West Laurel Hill Cemetery
West Laurel Hill Cemetery
West Laurel Hill Cemetery is a cemetery located in Bala Cynwyd, Pennsylvania, United States. It is the site of many notable burials, and has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 1992...
, Plymouth Section, Lot 14 (Oberholtzer Family
Ellis Paxson Oberholtzer
Ellis Paxson Oberholtzer was an American biographer and historical writer...
). A sister, Winona McBride Oberholtzer (1883–1973), survived him.