Peter Mayer facts for kids
Peter Michael Mayer (born March 28, 1936 – died May 11, 2018) was an important American publisher. He was born in the UK. Peter Mayer started his own publishing company, The Overlook Press, with his father in 1971. This company was based in Woodstock, New York.
When he started Overlook, Mayer was already in charge of Avon Books. This was a big paperback publisher in New York City. Later, from 1978 to 1996, he became the head of Penguin Books. He helped make Penguin a very successful and respected publisher. He was known for his new ideas in how books were chosen, sold, and made. Peter Mayer also helped bring back two other publishing companies: Ardis, which published Russian literature, and Duckworth in the UK.
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Early Life and School
Peter Mayer was born in London on March 28, 1936. His family was Jewish. In 1939, when he was young, his family moved to the United States. He grew up in Kew Gardens, Queens, New York City.
His father, Alfred, was from Luxembourg and started a business making gloves. His mother, Lee, was from Germany and stayed at home. Peter Mayer was a very good student. He received a special scholarship from the Ford Foundation. This helped him earn his first degree in English literature from Columbia College.
He then went to Oxford University in England. There, he studied Philosophy, Politics, and Economics. He graduated in 1954. In 1956, he returned to Columbia and earned another degree in English literature with very high honors. After that, he worked in the US Merchant Marine. He also received a Fulbright scholarship to study German literature in Berlin, Germany.
A Career in Publishing
Peter Mayer began his career in publishing in 1961. He started as an assistant at Orion Press. In 1962, he joined Avon Books. He worked there for 14 years and became the Editor in Chief and Publisher.
While still at Avon Books, he founded his own company, The Overlook Press, in 1971. Later, he became the president of Pocket Books. From 1978 to 1997, he was the chairman and CEO of the Penguin Group. He managed Penguin companies in many countries, including the UK, US, Canada, Australia, and India.
Publishing The Satanic Verses
During his time at Penguin, Peter Mayer made a bold decision. He agreed to publish The Satanic Verses by Salman Rushdie in 1988. This book caused a lot of disagreement. The leader of Iran, Ayatollah Khomeini, issued a fatwā. This was a religious order for Muslims to kill the author. Peter Mayer also received threats because he published the book.
Returning to Overlook Press
After leaving Penguin, Mayer went back to his own company, The Overlook Press. He had been working on it in his free time for many years. His goal for Overlook was to publish "distinguished books that had been 'overlooked' by larger houses." This means he wanted to publish great books that bigger companies might have missed.
One notable thing Overlook Press did was bring back the "Freddy the Pig" series of children's books. These books had not been printed since 1958. Peter Mayer made sure kids could read them again.
Under his leadership, The Overlook Press grew a lot. In 2002, they bought Ardis Publishing. This company focused on Russian literature. In 2003, Mayer also bought Duckworth, another publishing house. He remained the President of The Overlook Press until he passed away in 2018.
Awards and Honors
Peter Mayer received many awards for his work in publishing.
- In 1996, the French Ministry of Culture honored him. He was given the titles Chevalier and Officier of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres.
- He also received the Foundation of Indian Publishers’ and Booksellers’ Association Award in 1996. This was for his great contribution to international publishing.
- He was recognized as a "Most Distinguished Publisher" by Literary Market Place.
- On December 13, 2007, the New York Center for Independent Publishing (NYCIP) gave him the Poor Richard Award. This award was for his lifelong work in independent book publishing.
- He received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the London Book Fair in 2008.
- In 2011, he was given the Russian "Big Book Prize" for his international achievements.
Personal Life and Death
Peter Mayer was married to Mary Hall in 1980. They divorced in 1991.
He passed away at his home in Manhattan, New York, on May 11, 2018. He was 82 years old. His death was due to health problems related to amyloidosis.