The Editor: How Publishing Legend Judith Jones Shaped Culture in America

Judith Jones learned to buck conventions from an early age when refusing to conform to her mother’s expectations for education and career. Judith loved to read and cook, and her devotion to both would factor into her adult life. Her independent path took her to Bennington College, where she furthered her knowledge of literature and poetry as an English major—her time at college also introduced her to the publishing industry when she took a temporary job at Doubleday during her Freshman year.

A trip to Europe with family would have a lasting impact on Jones’ life as she would make enduring connections in the publishing industry and meet her future husband while living in Paris. Jones’ editorial flair while working for Doubleday and Knopf led to the publishing of The Diary of Anne Frank, cookbooks by Julia Child, and novels from John Updike, Anne Tyler, and countless others.

The significance of an editor to a book’s journey is just one memorable highlight in a fascinating biography about a true force in the publishing industry. Author Sara B. Franklin delivers a rewarding book about a pioneer in the book world, a woman whose appreciation for the written word shone through in her career.