Pascal Avram "Pat" Covici (November 4, 1885–October 14, 1964) was a Romanian Jewish-American book publisher and editor, best known for his close associations with authors such as
John Steinbeck
John Ernst Steinbeck Jr. (; February 27, 1902 – December 20, 1968) was an American writer and the 1962 Nobel Prize in Literature winner "for his realistic and imaginative writings, combining as they do sympathetic humor and keen social ...
,
Saul Bellow, and many more noted American literary figures, mainly through his position at
Viking Press.
Early life
Covici, known to his friends as "Kai," was born on November 4, 1885, in
Botoșani
Botoșani () is the capital city of Botoșani County, in the northern part of Western Moldavia, Moldavia, Romania. Today, it is best known as the birthplace of many celebrated Romanians, including Mihai Eminescu, Nicolae Iorga and Grigore Antipa. ...
,
Kingdom of Romania. He was the son of
vintner Wolf Covici and Schifra Barish. At the age of twelve, his family immigrated to
Chicago where his six brothers owned and managed a number of retail stores. He studied at the
University of Michigan and the
University of Chicago but did not graduate from either school, working instead at his brothers' stores.
Early publishing career
For several years, he published a monthly newspaper in
Bradenton,
Florida. In 1922, together with partner Billy McGee, he started a publishing company and bookstore in Chicago. The store became a popular spot for writers, and the company published special, limited edition books, often created for collectors.
Ben Hecht
Ben Hecht (; February 28, 1894 – April 18, 1964) was an American screenwriter, director, producer, playwright, journalist, and novelist. A successful journalist in his youth, he went on to write 35 books and some of the most enjoyed screenplay ...
's 1922 novel, ''Fantazius Mallare'', published by the firm, was labeled obscene, restricted, and confiscated by post office officials. Hecht, the illustrator
Wallace Smith, and the publishers were arrested. They pleaded
no contest, and had to pay a fine of $1,000. In 1928 he published ''
The Wild Party'' by
Joseph Moncure March. The poem was considered lewd and was banned in a number of places, including
Boston.
New firm and controversy
When McGee left the company due to health issues in 1924, Covici continued to publish under Pascal Covici, Inc. Several years later, he began a firm with
Donald Friede in
New York City. The play ''
The Front Page'' by Hecht and Charles MacArthur and the novel ''
The Well of Loneliness'' by
Radclyffe Hall garnered the company quick success. ''The Well of Loneliness'' was seized from Covici-Friede's offices after Friede sold a copy to John Saxton Sumner of the
New York Society for the Suppression of Vice but the New York Court of Special Sessions cleared the book of charges of obscenity.
In addition to writers like
Gene Fowler,
Wyndham Lewis,
Clifford Odets, and Nathanael West, their key author was
John Steinbeck
John Ernst Steinbeck Jr. (; February 27, 1902 – December 20, 1968) was an American writer and the 1962 Nobel Prize in Literature winner "for his realistic and imaginative writings, combining as they do sympathetic humor and keen social ...
, whom they signed in 1934. They published ''Tortilla Flat'' in 1935 and other new and reprinted Steinbeck works. Covici-Friede failed in 1938; in 1943, Crown Publishing Group, Crown Publishing purchased the firm's assets.
Viking Press
In 1938, Covici moved to
Viking Press, where he convinced Steinbeck to sign. Viking published ''The Grapes of Wrath'' (1939), which received a 1940 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction.
["Novel"]
The Pulitzer Prizes. Retrieved 8 September 2016. Overall, Covici's association with Steinbeck was long-lasting and highly honored by both sides.
Covici also worked on the Viking Portable Library and with authors like Joseph Campbell, Ludwig Bemelmans, Gilbert Highet, Lionel Trilling, Arthur Miller, George Gamow, Shirley Jackson, Willy Ley, Marianne Moore, and
Saul Bellow. Bellow's novel ''Herzog (novel), Herzog'', Steinbeck's ''East of Eden (novel), East of Eden'', and Jackson's ''We Have Always Lived in the Castle'' are dedicated to Covici.
Death and legacy
Covici died on October 14, 1964. His relationship with John Steinbeck is portrayed in the book ''Steinbeck and Covici: The Story of a Friendship'', edited by Thomas Fensch.
Other works published
* ''1001 Afternoons in Chicago'',
Ben Hecht
Ben Hecht (; February 28, 1894 – April 18, 1964) was an American screenwriter, director, producer, playwright, journalist, and novelist. A successful journalist in his youth, he went on to write 35 books and some of the most enjoyed screenplay ...
* ''Broken Necks '', Ben Hecht
* ''Fantazius Mallare, a Mysterious Oath'', Ben Hecht
* ''Kingdom of Evil'', Ben Hecht
* ''The Coming Struggle for Power'', John St Loe Strachey, John Strachey
* ''The Sweet Singer of Michigan'', Julia Moore
* ''The Childermass'',
Wyndham Lewis
* ''The Cheerful Cherub, Complete Cheerful Cherub'', Rebecca McCann
* ''Speakeasy Girl'', Bobbie Meredith
* ''Bachelor's Wife'', George A. Bagby
* ''Boy Crazy'', Grace Perkins
References
* Ronald S. Marmarelli. "Covici, Pascal Avram"; American National Biography Online Feb. 2000.
External links
Pascal Covici Collectionat the Harry Ransom Center at the University of Texas at Austin
{{DEFAULTSORT:Covici, Pascal
1885 births
1964 deaths
People from Botoșani
Romanian Jews
Romanian emigrants to the United States
American people of Romanian-Jewish descent
University of Michigan alumni
American book publishers (people)
American book editors