Books News

Barney Rosset's life in words

By Greg Dybec May 7, 2012

Legendary publisher Barney Rosset spent his life purveying literature and fighting censorship. As the founder of Grove Atlantic, Rosset was the first publisher in the US to acquire the work of Samuel Beckett and Eugene Ionesco. His hard-nosed fight against censorship, which found its way to the Supreme Court, opened the publishing door to authors like William S. Burroughs, Henry Miller, D.H. Lawrence, and Allen Ginsberg.

Before his death, Rosset penned an autobiography entitled The Subject Was Left-Handed, which Algonquin Books currently has under contract. They book is tentatively set for publication sometime this year. Though it is unfortunate that Rosset will not be around to see his book published, the public will finally be able to experience his life through the written word, which we're sure is the way he would have wanted it. 

TAGS: Author, Autobiography, books, Censorship, Court case, Fiction, Literature, Nonfiction, Plays, Publishing,