Dutch messengers : : a history of science publishing, 1930-1980 / / by Cornelis D. Andriesse.

• Superior document: Library of the written word, v. 7. The industrial world ; v. 1
• Author: Andriesse, Cornelis Dirk.
• Year of Publication: 2008
• Edition: 1st ed.
• Language: English
• Series: Library of the written word ; 7.; Library of the written word. Industrial world ; v. 1.
• Physical Description: 1 online resource (328 p.)
• Notes: Description based upon print version of record.

In this pioneering work, based upon interviews with many of the surviving protagonists, Cornelis ('Cees') Andriesse tells the story of the role that Dutch publishing houses played in the rise of English language commercial science publishing after the Second World War, that was preceded by the decline of science publishing in German. Using the existing literature as well as many privately held archival sources, the author follows the fortunes of the leading publishers, Martinus Nijhoff, Elsevier and North Holland while also briefly discussing smaller houses like Dr. W. Junk and Reidel. The book contains lively portraits of the main characters involved and will no doubt stimulate further research and discussion of the role of publishing in the history of science. The authors’ main thesis that successful publishing requires a strong, fruitful partnership between an academic publisher and an academic editor, will no doubt convince most readers. This is a great book on the most productive friendships and partnerships in the history of science publishing.

Table of Contents

On science publishing -- The publisher of Huygens and Lorentz -- Quest for the lingua franca -- German scenes -- Two scenes from 1942 -- A letter and three scenes from 1938 -- Two and a half scenes from 1933 -- Elsevier's venture -- Encyclopedia of organic chemistry -- Little Beilstein -- Book of health -- Biochimica et biophysica acta -- Frank and his "North-Holland" -- Choice for physics -- Monographs on theoretical and applied physics -- Quest for journal editors -- Beyond physics -- Excerpta medica -- Biological publications -- Philosophical diversions -- The Associated Scientific Publishers -- Dissolution of boundaries -- The integration -- Saturation -- Towards the Internet revolution.