Thornwillow Press

Thornwillow Press
Founded 1985
Founder Luke Ives Pontifell
Country of origin United States
Headquarters location Newburgh, NY
Imprints 70
Official website www.thornwillow.com

Thornwillow Press is one of the leading private presses in the United States.[1] Beginning in 1985, Thornwillow has published the original work of John Updike, Arthur Schlesinger, JP Donleavy, Edmund Morris, Warren Berger, Louis Auchincloss, James Merrill, Hugh Sidey, David Mamet, and Walter Cronkite, among others.[2] All Thornwillow books are published in limited editions (usually under 500 copies) and are printed letterpress and hand-bound. As such, they are often prized by collectors, and are included in the permanent collections of The White House, The Morgan Library, The Beinecke at Yale, The Houghton at Harvard, among others. Presidents George W. Bush and Bill Clinton gave Thornwillow books as state gifts.[3]

Background

Luke Pontifell, age sixteen, started Thornwillow Press in rented workspace in New York. Thornwillow's first publication was 'Hello Sun', a short children's story by Barbara England. Pontifell sent a copy to William Shirer, the historian and journalist, who in return sent a manuscript of his reflections of the end of World War II, which he had not yet published. This became 'An August to Remember', Thornwillow's second publication, in an edition of three hundred, offered in both cloth and leather bindings. Since, most Thornwillow editions have been offered in several different bindings, ranging in cost.[4]

Pontifell sent copies of 'An August to Remember' to several writers which he admired, requesting manuscripts for publication. He received enthusiastic response from Walter Cronkite, which resulted in the publication of 'Remembering the Moon', Arthur Schlesinger, which resulted in the publication of 'JFK Remembered', and Helmut Kohl, which resulted in the publication of 'Partnership in Liberty.' [5]

Current

Today, Thornwillow is based in Newburgh, New York and continues to publish original work by noted authors—notably its recent series of books on the presidents, which includes titles by Edmund Morris, Harold Holzer, Willian vanden Heuvel, Wendell Garrett, and W. W. Abbot—but has also expanded to re-issues of classic works in limited editions.[6] In 2017, Thornwillow published 'The Sonnets' of William Shakespeare, with an introduction by Harvard President Neil Rudenstine, and 'Sherlock Holmes Hexalogy', the favorite stories of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Both editions were funded through Kickstarter, raising $53,384 and $92,322 respectively.[7][8]

References

  1. ↑ "The Thornwillow Press Imprint: An Historical Sketch - Archives & Special Collections Library - Vassar College". specialcollections.vassar.edu. Retrieved 2017-07-27.
  2. ↑ "Publications - Resources - Books | Thornwillow Press". thornwillow.com. Retrieved 2017-07-27.
  3. ↑ McCarthy, Ellen; McCarthy, Ellen (2011-11-07). "Luke Ives Pontifell: A devotion to handcrafted books". The Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 2017-07-27.
  4. ↑ Lahr, Ellen (August 28, 1986). "Teenager publishes Shirer's new book in limited edition". The Berkshire Eagle.
  5. ↑ Krauss, David (April 1991). "One for the Books". USAir Magazine.
  6. ↑ "Presidential - Series - Books | Thornwillow Press". thornwillow.com. Retrieved 2017-07-27.
  7. ↑ "Sherlock Holmes Hexalogy". Kickstarter. Retrieved 2017-07-27.
  8. ↑ "The Shakespeare Sonnets". Kickstarter. Retrieved 2017-07-27.
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