Stackpole Books
Encyclopedia
Stackpole Books is an independent trade publishing company in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania
. It was founded by E. J. Stackpole Jr. in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
, in 1930 and was moved to its current headquarters in 1993. Stackpole publishes nonfiction books in the areas of crafts, outdoors, regional and travel, military history, and military reference. The current CEO is M. David Detweiler, and the Publisher and Editorial Director is Judith Schnell.
In 1930, the National Service Publishing Company of Washington, DC, which had been established in 1921, was acquired by Telegraph. Renamed Military Service Publishing Company, it published textbooks for the military services, including Army Officer’s Guide, which is still in print in an updated edition by Stackpole Books.
Also in 1930, E. J. Stackpole Jr. and his brother Albert Stackpole began a trade company called Stackpole Sons, with additional offices in New York City. Stackpole Sons published books starting in 1936 on a variety of subjects, including fiction by Damon Runyon
and John Fante
and autobiographies by Benny Goodman
and Huey Long
. Both Military Service Publishing Company and Stackpole Sons were divisions of Telegraph Press. A brief merger of Stackpole Sons with the Heck Company in the 1940s resulted in the short-lived Stackpole & Heck. After the union dissolved, the trade division became the Stackpole Company.
During World War II, Military Services Publishing Company produced small, inexpensive paperback reprints of fiction titles for soldiers. About twice the size of Armed Services Editions
(ASEs), these books were still small enough to carry easily in uniform pockets. These "Superior Reprints" complemented the ASE titles and leaned toward mystery and detective fiction, including such works as Graham Greene
's This Gun for Hire
, Liam O'Flaherty
's The Informer
, and Frank Gruber
's The Mighty Blockhead. Like the ASEs, these books were entertaining and noncontroversial in content; but, unlike the ASEs, they were not free to the soldiers.
In the 1950s, Stackpole developed a strong emphasis on nonfiction books, especially outdoors and history titles. In outdoors, the house published several successful and well-regarded works by wilderness survivalist Bradford Angier
, including Feasting Free on Wild Edibles, Field Guide to Edible Wild Plants, Field Guide to Medicinal Wild Plants, and Looking for Gold, all of which are still in print today in new editions. E. J. Stackpole Jr. himself was an esteemed author of American Civil War
history; his popular titles for the house are They Met at Gettysburg, The Fredericksburg Campaign, Chancellorsville, and Sheridan in the Shenandoah.
In 1959, Stackpole and Military Service merged into a single company, Stackpole Books. In recent years, the house has continued publishing in military reference, history, and outdoors. In the latter category, Stackpole has been especially noted for their books on fly fishing
. New lines include crafts and regional and travel.
Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania
Mechanicsburg is a borough in Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, USA, eight miles west of Harrisburg. It is part of the Harrisburg–Carlisle Metropolitan Statistical Area. Mechanicsburg was settled in 1806 and incorporated as a borough on April 12, 1828...
. It was founded by E. J. Stackpole Jr. in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
Harrisburg is the capital of Pennsylvania. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 49,528, making it the ninth largest city in Pennsylvania...
, in 1930 and was moved to its current headquarters in 1993. Stackpole publishes nonfiction books in the areas of crafts, outdoors, regional and travel, military history, and military reference. The current CEO is M. David Detweiler, and the Publisher and Editorial Director is Judith Schnell.
History
The publishing company that became Stackpole Books has its origins with the Harrisburg newspaper Evening Telegraph, which was founded in the early 19th century. In 1901, controlling interest in the Telegraph Press was acquired by E. J. Stackpole Sr. The business was carried on by Stackpole’s son, E. J. Stackpole Jr., a decorated general in World War I who received the Distinguished Service Cross, the Silver Star, and three Purple Hearts.In 1930, the National Service Publishing Company of Washington, DC, which had been established in 1921, was acquired by Telegraph. Renamed Military Service Publishing Company, it published textbooks for the military services, including Army Officer’s Guide, which is still in print in an updated edition by Stackpole Books.
Also in 1930, E. J. Stackpole Jr. and his brother Albert Stackpole began a trade company called Stackpole Sons, with additional offices in New York City. Stackpole Sons published books starting in 1936 on a variety of subjects, including fiction by Damon Runyon
Damon Runyon
Alfred Damon Runyon was an American newspaperman and writer.He was best known for his short stories celebrating the world of Broadway in New York City that grew out of the Prohibition era. To New Yorkers of his generation, a "Damon Runyon character" evoked a distinctive social type from the...
and John Fante
John Fante
John Fante was an American novelist, short story writer and screenwriter of Italian descent. He is perhaps best known for his work, Ask the Dust, a semi-autobiograpical novel about life in and around Los Angeles, California, which was the third in a series of four novels, published between 1938...
and autobiographies by Benny Goodman
Benny Goodman
Benjamin David “Benny” Goodman was an American jazz and swing musician, clarinetist and bandleader; widely known as the "King of Swing".In the mid-1930s, Benny Goodman led one of the most popular musical groups in America...
and Huey Long
Huey Long
Huey Pierce Long, Jr. , nicknamed The Kingfish, served as the 40th Governor of Louisiana from 1928–1932 and as a U.S. Senator from 1932 to 1935. A Democrat, he was noted for his radical populist policies. Though a backer of Franklin D...
. Both Military Service Publishing Company and Stackpole Sons were divisions of Telegraph Press. A brief merger of Stackpole Sons with the Heck Company in the 1940s resulted in the short-lived Stackpole & Heck. After the union dissolved, the trade division became the Stackpole Company.
During World War II, Military Services Publishing Company produced small, inexpensive paperback reprints of fiction titles for soldiers. About twice the size of Armed Services Editions
Armed Services Editions
Armed Services Editions were small, compact, paperback books printed by the Council on Books in Wartime for distribution within the American military during World War II. This program was in effect from 1943 to 1946. The ASEs were designed to provide entertainment to soldiers serving overseas,...
(ASEs), these books were still small enough to carry easily in uniform pockets. These "Superior Reprints" complemented the ASE titles and leaned toward mystery and detective fiction, including such works as Graham Greene
Graham Greene
Henry Graham Greene, OM, CH was an English author, playwright and literary critic. His works explore the ambivalent moral and political issues of the modern world...
's This Gun for Hire
This Gun for Hire
This Gun for Hire is a 1942 film noir, directed by Frank Tuttle and based on the novel A Gun for Sale by Graham Greene. The film stars Veronica Lake, Robert Preston, Laird Cregar, and Alan Ladd.-Plot:...
, Liam O'Flaherty
Liam O'Flaherty
Liam O'Flaherty was a significant Irish novelist and short story writer and a major figure in the Irish literary renaissance, born August 28, 1896, died September 7, 1984.-Biography:...
's The Informer
The Informer (novel)
The Informer is a novel by Irish writer Liam O'Flaherty published in 1925. It received the 1925 James Tait Black Memorial Prize.-Plot summary:Set in 1920's Dublin in the aftermath of the Irish Civil War, the novel centers on Gypo Nolan...
, and Frank Gruber
Frank Gruber
Frank Gruber may refer to:*Frank Gruber , American writer*Frank Gruber , entrepreneur and new media journalist...
's The Mighty Blockhead. Like the ASEs, these books were entertaining and noncontroversial in content; but, unlike the ASEs, they were not free to the soldiers.
In the 1950s, Stackpole developed a strong emphasis on nonfiction books, especially outdoors and history titles. In outdoors, the house published several successful and well-regarded works by wilderness survivalist Bradford Angier
Bradford Angier
Bradford Angier was a wilderness survivalist and proponent of back to earth living. He authored more than 35 books on how to survive in the wild and how to live minimalisticly off the land....
, including Feasting Free on Wild Edibles, Field Guide to Edible Wild Plants, Field Guide to Medicinal Wild Plants, and Looking for Gold, all of which are still in print today in new editions. E. J. Stackpole Jr. himself was an esteemed author of American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
history; his popular titles for the house are They Met at Gettysburg, The Fredericksburg Campaign, Chancellorsville, and Sheridan in the Shenandoah.
In 1959, Stackpole and Military Service merged into a single company, Stackpole Books. In recent years, the house has continued publishing in military reference, history, and outdoors. In the latter category, Stackpole has been especially noted for their books on fly fishing
Fly fishing
Fly fishing is an angling method in which an artificial 'fly' is used to catch fish. The fly is cast using a fly rod, reel, and specialized weighted line. Casting a nearly weightless fly or 'lure' requires casting techniques significantly different from other forms of casting...
. New lines include crafts and regional and travel.