Richard Marek
Encyclopedia
Richard Marek is an American
writer, editor, and publisher who is most famous for his novel Works of Genius that explores the odd relationships between authors and publishers in the publishing industry.
to George and Muriel Marek. He earned his B.A.
at Haverford College
in 1955 and his M.A.
at Columbia University
in 1956. In college, Marek was a member of the Phi Beta Kappa honor society. Marek married Margot Lynn Ravage in 1954. The couple had two children before Marek's wife passed on in 1987. Marek served in the U.S. Army from 1956 to 1957. During that time he was stationed in Japan
.
magazine and his work at Macmillan
publishing starting in 1962. In 1968, he signed the “Writers and Editors War Tax Protest” pledge, vowing to refuse tax payments in protest against the Vietnam War.
Over the course of his career, Marek was also employed at companies like World Publishing, and Dial Press
. Marek ran his own publishing company, Richard Marek Books, from 1977 to 1981. In 1985, Marek began serving as the president of E. P. Dutton
, a publishing company in New York, New York. As Marek remarked in an online profile, he has been responsible for editing "well over 300 books".
Marek's first major piece of writing, Works of Genius (1987), was a novel that dealt with the inner workings of the publishing industry. The novel received praise from several major publications such as The Washington Post
and The Los Angeles Times Book Review. Marek's second writing, Here is my Hope: A Book of Healing and Prayer: Inspirational Stories of the John Hopkins Hospital, was co-written with Randi Henderson and was published in 2001.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
writer, editor, and publisher who is most famous for his novel Works of Genius that explores the odd relationships between authors and publishers in the publishing industry.
Life
Marek was born June 14, 1933 in New York CityNew York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
to George and Muriel Marek. He earned his B.A.
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
at Haverford College
Haverford College
Haverford College is a private, coeducational liberal arts college located in Haverford, Pennsylvania, United States, a suburb of Philadelphia...
in 1955 and his M.A.
Master of Arts (postgraduate)
A Master of Arts from the Latin Magister Artium, is a type of Master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The M.A. is usually contrasted with the M.S. or M.Sc. degrees...
at 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...
in 1956. In college, Marek was a member of the Phi Beta Kappa honor society. Marek married Margot Lynn Ravage in 1954. The couple had two children before Marek's wife passed on in 1987. Marek served in the U.S. Army from 1956 to 1957. During that time he was stationed in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
.
Career
Marek's career in the publishing business began with his positions as an editor at McCall'sMcCall's
McCall's was a monthly American women's magazine that enjoyed great popularity through much of the 20th century, peaking at a readership of 8.4 million in the early 1960s. It was established as a small-format magazine called The Queen in 1873...
magazine and his work at Macmillan
Macmillan Publishers (United States)
Macmillan Publishers USA, also known as Macmillan Publishing, is a privately held American publishing company owned by the Georg von Holtzbrinck Publishing Group. It has offices in 41 countries worldwide and operates in more than 30 others....
publishing starting in 1962. In 1968, he signed the “Writers and Editors War Tax Protest” pledge, vowing to refuse tax payments in protest against the Vietnam War.
Over the course of his career, Marek was also employed at companies like World Publishing, and Dial Press
Dial Press
The Dial Press was a publishing house founded in 1923 by Lincoln MacVeagh.Dial Press shared a building with The Dial and Scofield Thayer worked with both. The first imprint was issued in 1924. Authors included Elizabeth Bowen, W.R...
. Marek ran his own publishing company, Richard Marek Books, from 1977 to 1981. In 1985, Marek began serving as the president of E. P. Dutton
E. P. Dutton
E. P. Dutton was an American book publishing company founded as a book retailer in Boston, Massachusetts in 1852 by Edward Payson Dutton. In 1986, the company was acquired by Penguin Group and split into two imprints: Dutton Penguin and Dutton Children's Books.-History:Edward Payson Dutton founded...
, a publishing company in New York, New York. As Marek remarked in an online profile, he has been responsible for editing "well over 300 books".
Marek's first major piece of writing, Works of Genius (1987), was a novel that dealt with the inner workings of the publishing industry. The novel received praise from several major publications such as The Washington Post
The Washington Post
The Washington Post is Washington, D.C.'s largest newspaper and its oldest still-existing paper, founded in 1877. Located in the capital of the United States, The Post has a particular emphasis on national politics. D.C., Maryland, and Virginia editions are printed for daily circulation...
and The Los Angeles Times Book Review. Marek's second writing, Here is my Hope: A Book of Healing and Prayer: Inspirational Stories of the John Hopkins Hospital, was co-written with Randi Henderson and was published in 2001.
External links
- Richard Marek at the Biography Resource Center
- "Richard Marek Named E.P. Dutton Publisher" at The New York TimesThe New York TimesThe New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
- Meet the Editors: Richard Marek at the Independent Editors Group
- Periodical Entries About Richard Marek from the Biography Reference Bank