Since its founding in 1990, Turtle Point Press has delighted readers with new fiction, poetry, memoirs, translations and rediscovered classics. Helen Marx Books began its imprint in 1997. Publishing separately and occasionally together our books in the last few years were reviewed in The New York Times, Time Out, Los Angeles Times, TLS, The Australian, Poetry, Lambda Literary Review and in many other fine literary journals and blogs. Recently two Turtle Point poetry titles received special notice. Without Saying by Richard Howard was nominated for a National Book Award and Sources by Devin Johnston was nominated as a finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Award and named one of the five Best Poetry Books of the Year by St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
In Spring, 2010, Turtle Point Press will publish Wild Punch by Creston Lea. This powerful first collection of short stories is written by one of America's leading makers of handmade electric guitars. The stories are set in Northern New England where Creston Lea grew up and now resides. Rick Bass writes that Wild Punch is "an exciting find for any serious reader of short stories" and Dorothy Allison notes that "Creston Lea can write one hell of a story." (http://news.shelf-awareness.com/mv/a1/850327.html#3830005) Also in Spring Turtle Point Press will release In This House, the first poetry collection by Howard Altmann to be published in America. John Ashbery calls the book, "as essential as a glass of water." and Carol Muske-Dukes writes, "Enter the house of these poems and stay on a grateful tenant in this remarkable state of wonder." Fall, 2010, brings Helen Marx's translation of Robert Pagani's Mon roi, mon amour which was shortlisted in France for the Prix du premier roman. The English title is The Princess, the King and the Anarchist. The book takes place in one day, May 31, 1906, the wedding day of King Alphonso VIII of Spain to the British Princess Victoria Eugenie of Battenberg.
Highlights of last Fall's list include By Myself, a collaborative fantasy autobiography (based on 300 real ones!) by poets D.A. Powell and David Trinidad. That book will forever be a favorite Christmas stocking stuffer. (http://www.poetryfoundation.org/harriet/2009/09/myself-the-exclusive-interview/) Creaturely by Devin Johnston is an extraordinary meditation on how our relations to the every day creatures around us leads to a greater understanding of our common humanity. Creaturely was the best selling book in our list in 2009. (http://isola-di-rifiuti.blogspot.com/2009/05/devin-johnstons-creaturely.html) Marbles by James Guida, an extraordinary book of aphorisms was a blogger favorite. In fact it was named one of the Ten Best Books of the Year by reviewer John Freeman. (http://www.lasvegasweekly.com/news/dec/24/2009-arts-and-entertainment/)
The book Ruins, signed by poet Jeff Clark is available in a very limited quantity for $20.00. A check may be sent in that amount to Turtle Point Press.
Please browse all our forthcoming and backlist titles on line and be sure to take note of our ever expanding and dependably quirky On Demand titles including Oscar Wilde's translation of Barbey D'Aurevilly's What Never Dies, Max Ewing's classic novel about New York in the Twenties, Going Somewhere, and the amusingly titled but surprisingly helpful French Stumbling-Blocks and English Stepping-Stones by Francis Tarver.
When you visit New York please be sure to call to visit our tiny office gallery. A list of the 2010 book related art shows (with a recap of the 2009 shows) is available by clicking Gallery in the banner at the top of the page.
Jonathan D. Rabinowitz, Publisher, Turtle Point Press
Helen Marx, Publisher, Helen Marx Books