Betty Ballantine
Encyclopedia
Betty Ballantine is a publisher who, with her husband Ian Ballantine
, formed Bantam Books
in 1945 and Ballantine Books
in 1952. They became freelance publishers in the 1970s. Their son Richard
is an author and journalist specialising in cycling topics.
Ballantine received a Special Committee Award from L.A.con IV
in 2006. In 2007 she received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the World Fantasy Awards.
In 1956, radio humorist/improvisational monologist Jean Shepherd perpetrated a major literary hoax, telling his listeners to ask in bookstores for a non-existent book by a non-existent author--I, Libertine
, by "Frederick R. Ewing." The requests and publishing mystery reached such a level that Ian Ballantine asked science fiction author Theodore Sturgeon
, working with Shepherd, to write such a book, and he did. It's said that he fell asleep before finishing it and that Betty Ballantine wrote the final chapter. It was published in September, 1956, mostly in paperback, and sold several hundred thousand copies. There is a hard-cover edition (also by Ballantine Books), as well as a British hardcover and a paperback edition.
Ian Ballantine
Ian Keith Ballantine was a pioneering American publisher who founded and published the innovative paperback line of Ballantine Books from 1952 to 1974 with his wife, Betty Ballantine....
, formed Bantam Books
Bantam Books
Bantam Books is an American publishing house owned entirely by Random House, the German media corporation subsidiary of Bertelsmann; it is an imprint of the Random House Publishing Group. It was formed in 1945 by Walter B. Pitkin, Jr., Sidney B. Kramer, and Ian and Betty Ballantine...
in 1945 and Ballantine Books
Ballantine Books
Ballantine Books is a major book publisher located in the United States, founded in 1952 by Ian Ballantine with his wife, Betty Ballantine. It was acquired by Random House in 1973, which in turn was acquired by Bertelsmann AG in 1998 and remains part of that company today. Ballantine's logo is a...
in 1952. They became freelance publishers in the 1970s. Their son Richard
Richard Ballantine
Richard Ballantine is a cycling writer, journalist and cycling advocate. Born in America the son of Ian and Betty Ballantine of Ballantine Books fame, he now principally resides in London, England. He is most famous for his 1972 book titled Richard's Bicycle Book and its subsequent editions...
is an author and journalist specialising in cycling topics.
Ballantine received a Special Committee Award from L.A.con IV
64th World Science Fiction Convention
The 64th World Science Fiction Convention , styled L.A.con IV, was held in Anaheim, California, United States, from 23 to 27 August 2006. The Venue for the 64th Worldcon was the Anaheim Convention Center and the nearby Hilton and Marriott hotels. The organizing committee was chaired by Christian B...
in 2006. In 2007 she received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the World Fantasy Awards.
In 1956, radio humorist/improvisational monologist Jean Shepherd perpetrated a major literary hoax, telling his listeners to ask in bookstores for a non-existent book by a non-existent author--I, Libertine
I, Libertine
I, Libertine was a literary hoax that began as a practical joke by late-night radio raconteur Jean Shepherd. Shepherd was highly annoyed at the way that the bestseller lists were being compiled in the mid-1950s...
, by "Frederick R. Ewing." The requests and publishing mystery reached such a level that Ian Ballantine asked science fiction author Theodore Sturgeon
Theodore Sturgeon
Theodore Sturgeon was an American science fiction author.His most famous novel is More Than Human .-Biography:...
, working with Shepherd, to write such a book, and he did. It's said that he fell asleep before finishing it and that Betty Ballantine wrote the final chapter. It was published in September, 1956, mostly in paperback, and sold several hundred thousand copies. There is a hard-cover edition (also by Ballantine Books), as well as a British hardcover and a paperback edition.
Further reading
- Silver, Steven HSteven H SilverSteven H Silver is an American science fiction fan and bibliographer, publisher, and editor. He has been nominated for the Hugo Award for Best Fan Writer ten times and Best Fanzine three times without winning....
"An Award Well Deserved." ArgentusArgentusArgentus is a science fiction fanzine edited by Steven H Silver. It won the Chronic Rift Roundtable Award for Best Fanzine in 2009 and has been nominated for the Hugo Award for Best Fanzine three times ....
, 2005, p.5.