Editor. The Behind-the-Scenes Success and Revolution in the Book World

How do books come into being? From the author’s idea to publication, a book is guided by an editor - the most crucial figure in publishing. It is the editors who stand behind all great writers, acting as the gray cardinal of the book world. However, achieving success in the book business is not so easy, especially if you are a woman living in the 20th century. One such woman was Judith Jones, who for 50 years worked with books behind the scenes, changing the face of literature from New York to Paris. When she got a job at a publishing house, she did not want to settle for the role of a secretary that was typical for women. Possessing a keen literary sense, she built a successful career at a time when men dominated the literary world. John Updike, Anne Tyler, John Hersey - these are just a few of the names with which Judith Jones introduced readers around the world. Thanks to her publishing talent, readers discovered the melancholic and brutally candid poems of Sylvia Plath, the poignant diary of Anne Frank about life under Nazi occupation, as well as the cookbooks of Julia Child, famous for the film starring Meryl Streep. This is an inspiring story of a woman in love with books, who disregarded societal expectations and pursued her dream. Historian Sarah Franklin illustrates Judith’s long journey from a simple assistant to a chief editor, full of ups and downs, meetings and farewells, but most importantly - hope.
«I could not find anywhere an image of Judith that would at least partly demonstrate her inquisitive mind and refined taste, her versatility and insight, her resourcefulness and cunning... In writing this book, I have attempted to pay tribute to her as an editor and as a woman» (Sarah Franklin).