Roger Williams Straus Jr. facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Roger Williams Straus Jr.
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| Born | January 3, 1917 New York City
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| Died | May 25, 2004 (aged 87) New York City
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| Education | University of Missouri (1939) |
| Spouse(s) | Dorothea Liebmann |
| Children | Roger Straus III |
| Parent(s) | Roger Williams Straus Sr. Gladys Guggenheim |
| Relatives | Oscar Straus (grandfather) Sarah Lavanburg Straus (grandmother) |
Roger Williams Straus Jr. (born January 3, 1917 – died May 25, 2004) was a very important person in the world of books. He helped start and lead a famous New York book company called Farrar, Straus and Giroux. He was also part of the well-known Guggenheim family.
Contents
His Early Life and Family
Roger Williams Straus Jr. was born in New York City into a rich and powerful Jewish family. His mother, Gladys Guggenheim Straus, inherited a very large fortune. His father, Roger Williams Straus Sr., came from the family that owned the famous department store Macy’s. He also led a big metal company called American Smelting and Refining Co.
Roger's grandfather, Oscar Straus, was a politician. He was the first Jewish person to be part of a U.S. President's Cabinet. He worked for President Theodore Roosevelt. Roger's grandmother, Sarah Lavanburg Straus, was known for her charity work. Two of his great-uncles, Isidor Straus and Benjamin Guggenheim, sadly died on the Titanic ship.
Education and Early Career
Even though his father worked with metals, Roger Jr. was interested in paper and books. He got a summer job as a copyboy and writer for a newspaper. This made him want to work in journalism. He went to Hamilton College and later to the University of Missouri. In 1939, he earned a degree in journalism.
On June 27, 1938, Roger married his childhood friend, Dorothea Liebmann. Her family was famous for owning the Rheingold Brewing company. After college, Roger worked many different jobs. He was a reporter and edited a literary magazine called Asterisk. He also worked on a history magazine and edited history books.
When World War II started, Roger joined the Navy. However, a back problem kept him from fighting. Instead, he worked in the Navy's public relations office in New York. He helped with magazines and books. He left the Navy in 1945.
Becoming a Publisher
After the war, a friend of his father introduced Roger to John C. Farrar, who worked at a publishing company. Roger decided to start his own book company. He borrowed money from his family and friends. On November 21, 1945, he and John Farrar started their company, Farrar Straus & Co. They made $200,000 in sales in their first year.
Their first very popular book was Look Younger, Live Longer by Gayelord Hauser. It was published in 1950 and sold 600,000 copies!
Growing the Company
From 1948 to 1971, Farrar Straus bought seven other publishing companies. This helped them grow much bigger. In 1950, the company changed its name to Farrar, Straus & Young. Later, in 1953, it became Farrar, Straus & Cudahy.
In 1955, they hired a very talented editor named Robert Giroux. He came from another big publisher and brought many famous authors with him. These authors included T. S. Eliot and Flannery O'Connor. In 1964, the company changed its name again to Farrar Straus & Giroux. This happened when Robert Giroux became the chairman.
A Publisher of Quality Books
Roger Straus Jr. was known as an "old-fashioned" publisher. He cared deeply about his company and the quality of the books they published. He focused on publishing great books, not just ones that would sell a lot. Because of his dedication, many famous authors wanted to work with him.
His company published books by authors who won the Nobel Prize. These included Isaac Bashevis Singer and Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn. They also published authors who won the Pulitzer Prize, like Robert Lowell and Philip Roth. The company's name, FSG, became very respected.
For example, author Scott Turow turned down a lot of money from another publisher. He wanted to work with Roger Straus instead, even for less money. This shows how much authors trusted and respected Roger.
John McPhee, another author, spoke at Roger's memorial service. He said that Roger was always there to guide him throughout his writing career.
Later Years
In 1994, Roger Straus Jr. sold his company to a large German publishing group. He had often spoken against big companies buying smaller ones. However, he reportedly made over $30 million from the sale. Even after selling the company, he continued to work there. He had an office at the company headquarters until he became sick with pneumonia. He passed away in 2004.
