Walter B Pitkin Jr
Encyclopedia
Walter Boughton Pitkin was an American
publisher, author
, and
literary agent
.
in what was then a rural area. He was the youngest son of Walter B. Pitkin
and Mary Gray Pitkin. He was the youngest of 5 brothers. Because he suffered from asthma since early childhood, Pitkin was not able to attend school. He did not learn to read until age 10. At about age 20, he rented a room in Manhattan, near Columbia University
, where his father was a professor in the School of Journalism
. During this period he studied on his own in order to meet the entrance requirements for Columbia College. He read English literature, American and European history, learned geometry, algebra, German and French. He entered Columbia College in 1934. The renowned professor Mark Van Doren
, was a great inspiration, as were the historian Harry J. Carman, and the poet and philosopher, Irwin Edman. Thomas Merton was a friend, fellow English major and classmate.
Pitkin graduated from Columbia College in 1938 Phi Beta Kappa and began a career in publishing
. Along with Ian Ballantine, he worked for Penguin America, until World War II made trans-Atlantic trade nearly impossible. Considered a pioneer in American paperback publishing, Pitkin co-founded Bantam Books
in 1945 with Betty
and Ian Ballantine
and Sidney B. Kramer. Pitkin was Editor-in-Chief and also Executive Vice-President of Bantam. He later worked for New American Library.
In 1940, Pitkin married Susan Kobbe and, in 1949, moved to Westport, Connecticut
. The couple raised three
children there: Ann, John, and Stephen. After 12 years in Westport
, Walter and Susan moved to Weston, Connecticut
.
Pitkin was the author of two published books: Life Begins at Forty and What's That Plane?, a book widely used during World War II
to assist American troops in identifying Allied and Axis aircraft.The book was one of the first American Penguin Specials, and was written while Pitkin was editor for Penguin in New York City. The book contains both photographs and drawings of American, British, Japanese, and German planes. Some of the drawings were executed by Susan Pitkin, who worked from images provided from a variety of sources, including the British Information Service and mainstream Japanese publications that ran images of American planes. Ian Ballantine designed the cover. The book was purchased in large numbers by the U.S. Army.
In the 1960s, Pitkin founded the Map & Book Store on Main Street in Westport, Connecticut
. The Map & Book Store later
became the Remarkable Book Shop, owned and run by Esther Kramer, wife of Pitkin's fellow founder of Bantam Books, Sidney B. Kramer. The Remarkable Bookshop was a conspicuous presence in Westport
for decades, sporting a pink exterior and a whimsical sign, signature design choices of the "remarkable" Esther. In the 1970s ad 1980s, Pitkin worked as literary agent, helping to publish the works of Tom Parker, among others. A lifelong Democrat
, Pitkin was chairman of the Westport Democratic Town Committee and an active supporter of democratic causes. Pitkin was an avid gardener, history buff, and amateur meteorologist.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
publisher, author
Author
An author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:...
, and
literary agent
Literary agent
A literary agent is an agent who represents writers and their written works to publishers, theatrical producers and film producers and assists in the sale and deal negotiation of the same. Literary agents most often represent novelists, screenwriters and major non-fiction writers...
.
Biography
Pitkin was born and raised in Dover, New JerseyDover, New Jersey
Dover is a town in Morris County, New Jersey on the Rockaway River. Dover is west of New York City and west of Newark, New Jersey. As of the United States Census, 2000, the town's population was 18,188.-Geography:...
in what was then a rural area. He was the youngest son of Walter B. Pitkin
Walter B. Pitkin
Walter Boughton Pitkin was an American lecturer in philosophy and psychology at Columbia University , and professor in the Columbia University School of Journalism...
and Mary Gray Pitkin. He was the youngest of 5 brothers. Because he suffered from asthma since early childhood, Pitkin was not able to attend school. He did not learn to read until age 10. At about age 20, he rented a room in Manhattan, near Columbia University
Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
, where his father was a professor in the School of Journalism
Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism
The Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism is one of Columbia's graduate and professional schools. It offers three degree programs: Master of Science in journalism , Master of Arts in journalism and a Ph.D. in communications...
. During this period he studied on his own in order to meet the entrance requirements for Columbia College. He read English literature, American and European history, learned geometry, algebra, German and French. He entered Columbia College in 1934. The renowned professor Mark Van Doren
Mark Van Doren
Mark Van Doren was an American poet, writer and a critic, apart from being a scholar and a professor of English at Columbia University for nearly 40 years, where he inspired a generation of influential writers and thinkers including Thomas Merton, Robert Lax, John Berryman, and Beat Generation...
, was a great inspiration, as were the historian Harry J. Carman, and the poet and philosopher, Irwin Edman. Thomas Merton was a friend, fellow English major and classmate.
Pitkin graduated from Columbia College in 1938 Phi Beta Kappa and began a career in publishing
Publishing
Publishing is the process of production and dissemination of literature or information—the activity of making information available to the general public...
. Along with Ian Ballantine, he worked for Penguin America, until World War II made trans-Atlantic trade nearly impossible. Considered a pioneer in American paperback publishing, Pitkin co-founded Bantam Books
Bantam Books
Bantam Books is an American publishing house owned entirely by Random House, the German media corporation subsidiary of Bertelsmann; it is an imprint of the Random House Publishing Group. It was formed in 1945 by Walter B. Pitkin, Jr., Sidney B. Kramer, and Ian and Betty Ballantine...
in 1945 with Betty
Betty Ballantine
Betty Ballantine is a publisher who, with her husband Ian Ballantine, formed Bantam Books in 1945 and Ballantine Books in 1952. They became freelance publishers in the 1970s. Their son Richard is an author and journalist specialising in cycling topics.Ballantine received a Special Committee Award...
and Ian Ballantine
Ian Ballantine
Ian Keith Ballantine was a pioneering American publisher who founded and published the innovative paperback line of Ballantine Books from 1952 to 1974 with his wife, Betty Ballantine....
and Sidney B. Kramer. Pitkin was Editor-in-Chief and also Executive Vice-President of Bantam. He later worked for New American Library.
In 1940, Pitkin married Susan Kobbe and, in 1949, moved to Westport, Connecticut
Westport, Connecticut
-Neighborhoods:* Saugatuck – around the Westport railroad station near the southwestern corner of the town – a built-up area with some restaurants, stores and offices....
. The couple raised three
children there: Ann, John, and Stephen. After 12 years in Westport
Westport, Connecticut
-Neighborhoods:* Saugatuck – around the Westport railroad station near the southwestern corner of the town – a built-up area with some restaurants, stores and offices....
, Walter and Susan moved to Weston, Connecticut
Weston, Connecticut
Weston is a town in Fairfield County, Connecticut. The population was 10,179 at the 2010 census. The town is served by Route 57 and Route 53, both of which run through the town center. About 19% of the town's workforce commutes to New York City, about to the southwest.Like many towns in...
.
Pitkin was the author of two published books: Life Begins at Forty and What's That Plane?, a book widely used during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
to assist American troops in identifying Allied and Axis aircraft.The book was one of the first American Penguin Specials, and was written while Pitkin was editor for Penguin in New York City. The book contains both photographs and drawings of American, British, Japanese, and German planes. Some of the drawings were executed by Susan Pitkin, who worked from images provided from a variety of sources, including the British Information Service and mainstream Japanese publications that ran images of American planes. Ian Ballantine designed the cover. The book was purchased in large numbers by the U.S. Army.
In the 1960s, Pitkin founded the Map & Book Store on Main Street in Westport, Connecticut
Westport, Connecticut
-Neighborhoods:* Saugatuck – around the Westport railroad station near the southwestern corner of the town – a built-up area with some restaurants, stores and offices....
. The Map & Book Store later
became the Remarkable Book Shop, owned and run by Esther Kramer, wife of Pitkin's fellow founder of Bantam Books, Sidney B. Kramer. The Remarkable Bookshop was a conspicuous presence in Westport
Westport, Connecticut
-Neighborhoods:* Saugatuck – around the Westport railroad station near the southwestern corner of the town – a built-up area with some restaurants, stores and offices....
for decades, sporting a pink exterior and a whimsical sign, signature design choices of the "remarkable" Esther. In the 1970s ad 1980s, Pitkin worked as literary agent, helping to publish the works of Tom Parker, among others. A lifelong Democrat
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
, Pitkin was chairman of the Westport Democratic Town Committee and an active supporter of democratic causes. Pitkin was an avid gardener, history buff, and amateur meteorologist.