Hippocrene Books
Encyclopedia
Hippocrene Books is a US publishing
press located at 171 Madison Avenue, New York City
, NY 10016.
Hippocrene specializes in book
s on folklore
, ethnic cookbook
s (particularly of less-widely-known cuisines), translations of classic literature, and foreign-language reference works. It grew out of Optimum Book Marketing, established in 1970 by Polish immigrant George Blagowidow.
The press takes its name from the mythical Hippocrene
fountain associated with the Muses.
to Russian parents and survived the Nazi occupation to escape communist Europe in 1945. After attending university in Antwerp, Belgium, he came to New York
in 1951, where he earned master’s and doctorate degrees in business from New York University
. He worked at Doubleday, Macmillan
, and Reader's Digest
before starting his own publishing company with Hippocrene’s first list in spring 1972, featuring European literary classics in translation
, including The Doll
by Polish
novelist Bolesław Prus.
In 1973 the company began distributing foreign-language dictionaries for a German company and continued to thrive in that niche. As of 2008, Hippocrene has published in over 112 languages, including Polish-interest books such as Quo Vadis
by Nobel Prize
-winning novelist Henryk Sienkiewicz
.
In 1983, Best of Polish Cooking, by Karen West, was the first cookbook
published by the company. Hippocrene has since expanded its line of ethnic cookbooks to include 64 cuisine
s. The company also publishes histories and illustrated histories. Its illustrated dictionaries for children, started in 1998, are available in 16 languages.
Publishing
Publishing is the process of production and dissemination of literature or information—the activity of making information available to the general public...
press located at 171 Madison Avenue, New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, NY 10016.
Hippocrene specializes in book
Book
A book is a set or collection of written, printed, illustrated, or blank sheets, made of hot lava, paper, parchment, or other materials, usually fastened together to hinge at one side. A single sheet within a book is called a leaf or leaflet, and each side of a leaf is called a page...
s on folklore
Folklore
Folklore consists of legends, music, oral history, proverbs, jokes, popular beliefs, fairy tales and customs that are the traditions of a culture, subculture, or group. It is also the set of practices through which those expressive genres are shared. The study of folklore is sometimes called...
, ethnic cookbook
Cookbook
A cookbook is a kitchen reference that typically contains a collection of recipes. Modern versions may also include colorful illustrations and advice on purchasing quality ingredients or making substitutions...
s (particularly of less-widely-known cuisines), translations of classic literature, and foreign-language reference works. It grew out of Optimum Book Marketing, established in 1970 by Polish immigrant George Blagowidow.
The press takes its name from the mythical Hippocrene
Hippocrene
In Greek mythology, Hippocrene was the name of a fountain on Mt. Helicon. It was sacred to the Muses and was formed by the hooves of Pegasus...
fountain associated with the Muses.
History
Hippocrene was started by George Blagowidow, who was born in PolandPoland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
to Russian parents and survived the Nazi occupation to escape communist Europe in 1945. After attending university in Antwerp, Belgium, he came to New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
in 1951, where he earned master’s and doctorate degrees in business from New York University
New York University
New York University is a private, nonsectarian research university based in New York City. NYU's main campus is situated in the Greenwich Village section of Manhattan...
. He worked at Doubleday, Macmillan
Macmillan Publishers (United States)
Macmillan Publishers USA, also known as Macmillan Publishing, is a privately held American publishing company owned by the Georg von Holtzbrinck Publishing Group. It has offices in 41 countries worldwide and operates in more than 30 others....
, and Reader's Digest
Reader's Digest
Reader's Digest is a general interest family magazine, published ten times annually. Formerly based in Chappaqua, New York, its headquarters is now in New York City. It was founded in 1922, by DeWitt Wallace and Lila Bell Wallace...
before starting his own publishing company with Hippocrene’s first list in spring 1972, featuring European literary classics in translation
Translation
Translation is the communication of the meaning of a source-language text by means of an equivalent target-language text. Whereas interpreting undoubtedly antedates writing, translation began only after the appearance of written literature; there exist partial translations of the Sumerian Epic of...
, including The Doll
The Doll (novel)
The Doll is the second of four major novels by the Polish writer Bolesław Prus. It was composed for periodical serialization in 1887-89 and appeared in book form in 1890....
by Polish
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
novelist Bolesław Prus.
In 1973 the company began distributing foreign-language dictionaries for a German company and continued to thrive in that niche. As of 2008, Hippocrene has published in over 112 languages, including Polish-interest books such as Quo Vadis
Quo Vadis (novel)
Quo Vadis: A Narrative of the Time of Nero, commonly known as Quo Vadis, is a historical novel written by Henryk Sienkiewicz in Polish. Quo vadis is Latin for "Where are you going?" and alludes to the apocryphal Acts of Peter, in which Peter flees Rome but on his way meets Jesus and asks him why he...
by Nobel Prize
Nobel Prize
The Nobel Prizes are annual international awards bestowed by Scandinavian committees in recognition of cultural and scientific advances. The will of the Swedish chemist Alfred Nobel, the inventor of dynamite, established the prizes in 1895...
-winning novelist Henryk Sienkiewicz
Henryk Sienkiewicz
Henryk Adam Aleksander Pius Sienkiewicz was a Polish journalist and Nobel Prize-winning novelist. A Polish szlachcic of the Oszyk coat of arms, he was one of the most popular Polish writers at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries, and received the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1905 for his...
.
In 1983, Best of Polish Cooking, by Karen West, was the first cookbook
Cookbook
A cookbook is a kitchen reference that typically contains a collection of recipes. Modern versions may also include colorful illustrations and advice on purchasing quality ingredients or making substitutions...
published by the company. Hippocrene has since expanded its line of ethnic cookbooks to include 64 cuisine
Cuisine
Cuisine is a characteristic style of cooking practices and traditions, often associated with a specific culture. Cuisines are often named after the geographic areas or regions that they originate from...
s. The company also publishes histories and illustrated histories. Its illustrated dictionaries for children, started in 1998, are available in 16 languages.
Some books
- Czech, Moravian, and Slovak Fairy Tales (Parker Fillmore and Jan MatulkaJan MatulkaJan Matulka was a Czech-American modern artist originally from Bohemia. Matulka's style would range from Abstract expressionism to landscapes, sometimes in the same day.-Early life:...
) - Fairy Gold: A Book of Classic English Fairy Tales (Parker Fillmore)
- Folk Tales from Bohemia (Adolf Wenig)
- Folk Tales From Chile (Brenda Hughes)
- Folk Tales from Russia (Danald A. Mackenzie)
- Folk Tales from Simla (Alice Elizabeth Dracott)
- Glass Mountain: Twenty-Eight Ancient Polish Folk Tales and Fables (W.S. Kuniczak)
- The Little Mermaid and Other Tales (Hans Christian AndersenHans Christian AndersenHans Christian Andersen was a Danish author, fairy tale writer, and poet noted for his children's stories. These include "The Steadfast Tin Soldier," "The Snow Queen," "The Little Mermaid," "Thumbelina," "The Little Match Girl," and "The Ugly Duckling."...
) - Swedish Fairy Tales
- Tales of Languedoc from the South of France (Samuel Jacques Brun)
- Twenty Scottish Tales and Legends (Cyril Swinson)
- Old Polish Legends
- Poland's Navy, 1918–1945 (Michael Alfred PeszkeMichael Alfred PeszkeMichael Alfred Peszke is a Polish-American psychiatrist and historian of the Polish Armed Forces in World War II.-Life:...
) - Polish Fables Bilingual EditionFables and ParablesFables and Parables , by Ignacy Krasicki , is a work in a long international tradition of fable-writing that reaches back to antiquity. They have been described as being, "[l]ike LaFontaine's [fables],.....
(Ignacy KrasickiIgnacy KrasickiIgnacy Krasicki , from 1766 Prince-Bishop of Warmia and from 1795 Archbishop of Gniezno , was Poland's leading Enlightenment poet , a critic of the clergy, Poland's La Fontaine, author of the first Polish novel, playwright, journalist, encyclopedist, and translator from French and...
) - Pakistani Folk Tales: Toontoony Pie and Other Stories (Ashraf Siddiqui, Marilyn Lerch)
- Bolesław Prus, PharaohPharaoh (novel)Pharaoh is the fourth and last major novel by the Polish writer Bolesław Prus . Composed over a year's time in 1894–95, it was the sole historical novel by an author who had earlier disapproved of historical novels on the ground that they inevitably distort history.Pharaoh has been described...
, translated from the Polish by Christopher KasparekChristopher KasparekChristopher Kasparek is a Scottish-born writer of Polish descent who has translated works by Ignacy Krasicki, Bolesław Prus, Florian Znaniecki, Władysław Tatarkiewicz, Marian Rejewski and Władysław Kozaczuk, as well as the Polish-Lithuanian Constitution of May 3, 1791.He has published papers on...
, 2nd ed., 2001. - The Jewish People's Almanac, 2d ed., 2007. (David C. Gross)
External links
- Hippocrene Books Online
- Hippocrene Cooks (Cooking Blog)