“Dear Alfred”/“Dear Miss Cather”: Willa Cather and Alfred Knopf, 1920–1947

Abstract

In her account of Willa Cather's life and literary career, Edith Lewis, Cather's long-time friend and companion, remarks: Next to writing her novels, Willa Cather's choice of Alfred Knopf as publisher influenced her career, think, more than any other action she ever took. It not so much that with him she able few years to achieve financial security ... as that he gave her great encouragement and absolute liberty to write exactly as she chose--protected her every way he could outside pressures and interruptions--and made evident, not only to her but to the world general, his great admiration and belief her. (116-17) Willa Cather and Alfred Knopf first met early 1920, by which time Cather had already established herself as writer of some note. Her latest novel, My Antonia (1918), had been called by H. L. Mencken, of the country's most astute and demanding critics, not only the best Cather had written but also one of the best that any American has ever done, East or West, early or late (O'Connor 88-89). Knopf, at the same time, celebrating five years as head of Alfred A. Knopf, Inc. He and his wife, Blanche, were establishing themselves as superstars of their epoch, setting standards of quality and courage [in publishing] never before or since (Targ 212). The relationship that out of that initial meeting lasted for over quarter of century; it would become of the most fruitful and interesting author-publisher relationships American literary history. (1) What, then, brought author and publisher together? The son of well-to-do Long Island advertising man, Alfred Knopf entered Columbia University the fall of 1908 with the intention of going on to earn law degree Harvard after graduation. At Columbia Alfred Knopf developed his interest the publishing business. According to Knopf, Professor Joel Spingarn talked of making books way that Knopf had never previously considered; he discussed books from bibliophile's and collector's point of view (Memoirs 29). A 1912 trip to Europe following Knopf's graduation Columbia included meeting with John Galsworthy, and after he returned to New York, he decided that he wanted to pursue publishing instead of law. While he at Columbia Knopf also established reputation as flamboyant, flashy dresser, another trait that would distinguish him among others the publishing profession. Columbia Professor Carl van Doren recalled that Knopf was color on the campus (3), and Carl van Vechten compared him to a prince Persian miniature (Fadiman xxvi). From the time he entered the publishing business, Knopf's flamboyant sense of fashion matched by flamboyant business personality. Looking back on those early years, he said of himself, I young; think ingenious; and know brash, presumptuous, and shameless (Memoirs 84). Although outside the office Knopf rather quiet man, the office he full of chutzpah (Fadiman 35). His energy and daring set him apart. One of his contemporaries, B. W. Huebsch, later declared that young Knopf blew in to the publishing scene, like young Lochinvar; until then book publishing business; he made it career (33). Upon his return Europe 1912, Knopf went to work for Doubleday, Page, and Company, whose offices were Garden City, Long Island, beginning employment there the accounting department at salary of $8 week. In the year and half he spent at Doubleday, Knopf also worked manufacturing, advertising, and sales, thus gaining valuable experience and broad overview of the essential aspects of the business of publishing books. Although Knopf did gain great deal of experience while at Doubleday, after about eighteen months he grew tired of making $12 and, having been offered $25 week at Kennerley Publishing Company, made move there. …