William Hamling (publisher)
Encyclopedia
William Lawrence Hamling (1921–) was a Chicago-based publisher active from the 1950s into the 1970s.
Hamling began as an author. His Shadow of the Sphinx is a horror novel about an ancient Egypt
ian sorceress. First published during the 1940s in Fantastic Adventures
, it was described by Lin Carter
as "the best story of its kind I read in many a moon. The character of Zaleikka was done to perfection. This is the type of yarn we have all too few of nowadays."
After work as an editor at Ziff-Davis, Hamling started his company, Greenleaf Publishing (which was at different times known as Greenleaf Classics, Reed Enterprises, Corinth Publications, Regency Publications, Blake Pharmaceuticals, Phenix Publishing and Freedom Publishing) in the early 1950s with Imagination
. His wife, science fiction
author Frances Deegan Yerxa Hamling, worked closely with him in the early years of his publishing company.
According to L. Sprague de Camp
's 1953 Science-Fiction Handbook, Hamling was at that time a "slim, dark man who looks too young to be not only an independent publisher but also the father of five."
In the late 1950s, he began Rogue
, and in 1959, he launched Nightstand Books, an imprint for paperback original sex novels by authors working under house names
. (Later imprints included Leisure Books, Ember Library, Midnight Readers, and others). From 1961 on his primary editor was Earl Kemp
. Pseudonymous writers for Kemp/Hamling included Lawrence Block
, Marion Zimmer Bradley
, Harlan Ellison
, Evan Hunter
, Robert Silverberg
, and Donald E. Westlake
.
Hamling helped finance the defense of bookstore clerk Robert Redrup. His appeal of his conviction on obscenity
charges for selling two Greenleaf Books (Lust Pool and Shame Agent) in 1965 went to the Supreme Court of the United States
, where it was overturned in Redrup v. New York
in 1967.
During the Nixon Administration, Hamling published an illustrated edition of the Presidential Report of the Commission on Obscenity and Pornography. The book was "replete with the sort of photographs the commission examined." Hamling and editor Kemp were hit with a one-year prison sentence for distributing the book (it has been suggested that this prosecution was in part retaliation for Hamling and Kemp's part in Redrup v. New York) , but served only the federal minimum of three months and one day. The story of their arrest and prison time was covered in Gay Talese
's Thy Neighbor's Wife
.
Hamling published gay
-themed books while at Greenleaf, one of the earliest publishers to do so.. Novelist Victor J. Banis
, one of Hamling's authors, says that once Greenleaf proved how much of a market there was for erotic gay fiction, other publishers soon joined in.
Hamling began as an author. His Shadow of the Sphinx is a horror novel about an ancient Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
ian sorceress. First published during the 1940s in Fantastic Adventures
Fantastic Adventures
Fantastic Adventures was an American pulp science fiction magazine, published from 1939 to 1953 by Ziff-Davis. It was initially edited by Ray Palmer, who was also the editor of Amazing Stories, Ziff-Davis's other science fiction title. The first nine issues were in bedsheet format, but in June 1940...
, it was described by Lin Carter
Lin Carter
Linwood Vrooman Carter was an American author of science fiction and fantasy, as well as an editor and critic. He usually wrote as Lin Carter; known pseudonyms include H. P. Lowcraft and Grail Undwin.-Life:Carter was born in St. Petersburg, Florida...
as "the best story of its kind I read in many a moon. The character of Zaleikka was done to perfection. This is the type of yarn we have all too few of nowadays."
After work as an editor at Ziff-Davis, Hamling started his company, Greenleaf Publishing (which was at different times known as Greenleaf Classics, Reed Enterprises, Corinth Publications, Regency Publications, Blake Pharmaceuticals, Phenix Publishing and Freedom Publishing) in the early 1950s with Imagination
Imagination (magazine)
Imagination was an American fantasy and science fiction magazine first published in October 1950 by Raymond Palmer's Clark Publishing Company. The magazine was sold almost immediately to Greenleaf Publishing Company, owned by William Hamling, who published and edited it from the third issue,...
. His wife, science fiction
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
author Frances Deegan Yerxa Hamling, worked closely with him in the early years of his publishing company.
According to L. Sprague de Camp
L. Sprague de Camp
Lyon Sprague de Camp was an American author of science fiction and fantasy books, non-fiction and biography. In a writing career spanning 60 years, he wrote over 100 books, including novels and notable works of non-fiction, including biographies of other important fantasy authors...
's 1953 Science-Fiction Handbook, Hamling was at that time a "slim, dark man who looks too young to be not only an independent publisher but also the father of five."
In the late 1950s, he began Rogue
Rogue (magazine)
This article is about a magazine, for other uses of the term see Rogue.Rogue was a Chicago-based men's magazine published by William Hamling from December 1955 until 1967. Founding editor Frank M...
, and in 1959, he launched Nightstand Books, an imprint for paperback original sex novels by authors working under house names
Pen name
A pen name, nom de plume, or literary double, is a pseudonym adopted by an author. A pen name may be used to make the author's name more distinctive, to disguise his or her gender, to distance an author from some or all of his or her works, to protect the author from retribution for his or her...
. (Later imprints included Leisure Books, Ember Library, Midnight Readers, and others). From 1961 on his primary editor was Earl Kemp
Earl Kemp
Earl Kemp is an American science fiction editor, critic, and fan who won a Hugo Award for Best Fanzine in 1961 for Who Killed Science Fiction, a collection of questions and answers with top writers in the field. In 2011 a book edition of Who Killed Science Fiction was published by The Merry...
. Pseudonymous writers for Kemp/Hamling included Lawrence Block
Lawrence Block
Lawrence Block is an acclaimed contemporary American crime writer best known for two long-running New York–set series, about the recovering alcoholic P.I. Matthew Scudder and gentleman burglar Bernie Rhodenbarr, respectively...
, Marion Zimmer Bradley
Marion Zimmer Bradley
Marion Eleanor Zimmer Bradley was an American author of fantasy novels such as The Mists of Avalon and the Darkover series. Many critics have noted a feminist perspective in her writing. Her first child, David R...
, Harlan Ellison
Harlan Ellison
Harlan Jay Ellison is an American writer. His principal genre is speculative fiction.His published works include over 1,700 short stories, novellas, screenplays, teleplays, essays, a wide range of criticism covering literature, film, television, and print media...
, Evan Hunter
Evan Hunter
Evan Hunter was an American author and screenwriter. Born Salvatore Albert Lombino, he legally adopted the name Evan Hunter in 1952...
, Robert Silverberg
Robert Silverberg
Robert Silverberg is an American author, best known for writing science fiction. He is a multiple nominee of the Hugo Award and a winner of the Nebula Award.-Early years:...
, and Donald E. Westlake
Donald E. Westlake
Donald Edwin Westlake was an American writer, with over a hundred novels and non-fiction books to his credit. He specialized in crime fiction, especially comic capers, with an occasional foray into science fiction or other genres...
.
Hamling helped finance the defense of bookstore clerk Robert Redrup. His appeal of his conviction on 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...
charges for selling two Greenleaf Books (Lust Pool and Shame Agent) in 1965 went to the Supreme Court of the United States
Supreme Court of the United States
The Supreme Court of the United States is the highest court in the United States. It has ultimate appellate jurisdiction over all state and federal courts, and original jurisdiction over a small range of cases...
, where it was overturned in Redrup v. New York
Redrup v. New York
Redrup v. New York, was a May 8, 1967 ruling by the Supreme Court of the United States, widely regarded as the end of American censorship of written fiction. Robert Redrup was a Times Square newsstand clerk who sold two of William Hamling's Greenleaf Classics paperback pulp sex novels, Lust Pool...
in 1967.
During the Nixon Administration, Hamling published an illustrated edition of the Presidential Report of the Commission on Obscenity and Pornography. The book was "replete with the sort of photographs the commission examined." Hamling and editor Kemp were hit with a one-year prison sentence for distributing the book (it has been suggested that this prosecution was in part retaliation for Hamling and Kemp's part in Redrup v. New York) , but served only the federal minimum of three months and one day. The story of their arrest and prison time was covered in Gay Talese
Gay Talese
Gay Talese is an American author. He wrote for The New York Times in the early 1960s and helped to define literary journalism...
's Thy Neighbor's Wife
Thy Neighbor's Wife
Thy Neighbor's Wife is a non-fiction book by Gay Talese, published in 1981 and updated in 2009.The book is an exploration of early-1950s sexuality in America, with notable discussion of the free love subculture...
.
Hamling published gay
Gay
Gay is a word that refers to a homosexual person, especially a homosexual male. For homosexual women the specific term is "lesbian"....
-themed books while at Greenleaf, one of the earliest publishers to do so.. Novelist Victor J. Banis
Victor J. Banis
Victor J. Banis is an American author, often associated with the first wave of west coast gay writing. For his contributions he has been called "the godfather of modern popular gay fiction." He is openly gay.-Life:...
, one of Hamling's authors, says that once Greenleaf proved how much of a market there was for erotic gay fiction, other publishers soon joined in.
External links
- Earl Kemp on William Hamling in 1959-1961
- http://members.aol.com/dcspohr/lenny/hamling.htmLetters from Lenny BruceLenny BruceLeonard Alfred Schneider , better known by the stage name Lenny Bruce, was a Jewish-American comedian, social critic and satirist...
to William Hamling]