A publisher should always be on the receiving end. He should take an interest in almost any subject and remain anonymous, letting the author take center stage.
Cass Canfield Quotes
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| Birth: | 26th April, 1897 |
| Death: | 27th March, 1986 |
| Nationality: | American |
| Profession: | Chairman |
About
Canfield was the son of Augustus Cass Canfield (1854—1904), a wealthy engineer and yachtsman, and his wife, the former Josephine Houghteling. His stepfather was Frank Jay Griswold. He also was a great-grandson of Presidential candidate Lewis Cass. He had two sisters: Mary Cass Canfield and Laura Cass Canfield (Mrs William Lawrence Wood).
He attended the Groton School and Harvard University, graduating from Harvard in 1919 after serving as a lieutenant in the United States Army during World War I. Canfield also studied at New College, Oxford and trekked through Asia, retracing the route of Marco Polo.
After returning to New York, he worked as a reporter and advertising salesman for the New York Post. In 1924, he invested in Harper & Brothers and became manager of its London office. He held various executive positions with Harper's in London and New York between then and 1931; among the writers who he signed to Harper's contracts were James Thurber, E. B. White, J. B. Priestley, Harold Laski, John Gunther, and Julian Huxley. EM Delafield dedicated The Provincial Lady Goes Further to him.
Canfield was president of Harper & Brothers from 1931–45, board chairman from 1945–55, and chairman of the executive committee from 1955-67. From 1967 until his death in 1986, he was House Senior Editor at Harper's. He also wrote seven nonfiction books.
Canfield campaigned for Adlai Stevenson in 1956. He was a strong supporter of birth control, served as chair of the executive committee of Planned Parenthood, and traveled extensively giving speeches and raising money to support the organization.
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