FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Acquires the Philip K. Dick Library
Global education publisher plans to launch program with two-volume unpublished master work, The Exegesis of Philip K. Dick
NEW YORK, NY — April 28, 2010 — Houghton Mifflin Harcourt has acquired North American publishing rights to Philip K. Dick’s two-volume unpublished masterwork, The Exegesis of Philip K. Dick. Edited by Jonathan Lethem and Pamela Jackson, The Exegesis “serves as the foundation for ideas and themes that would appear throughout the work of this visionary author,” notes Bruce Nichols, Publisher of Adult Trade at Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. HMH has also acquired rights to 39 titles from the author’s backlist, which will be published in paperback under their Mariner imprint beginning fall, 2011.
During his lifetime, Philip K. Dick won both the prestigious Hugo Award and the John W. Campbell Award, which honor excellence in science fiction. Inducted into the Science Fiction Hall of Fame in 2005 and with publication in three volumes in the Library of America in 2007, Dick’s 45 novels and 120 short stories have been adapted into numerous films, including, most notably, “Minority Report” and “Blade Runner” (based on Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?). Other films based on his work are forthcoming.
“Philip K. Dick’s books remain as provocative and cutting-edge today as ever.” said Nichols. “Each generation wants to claim him as its own and we look forward not only to the landmark publication of The Exegesis in fall 2011, but to inspiring a new generation of readers with his significant backlist and its potential in all formats.”
Dick’s daughters, Laura Leslie and Isa Dick Hackett added: “We are excited by this opportunity to work with Bruce and his team at Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. We look forward to the re-launch and reinvigoration of our father’s backlist. The publication of The Exegesis of Philip K. Dick has been a goal of ours for years, and we’re thrilled to find a publisher who shares this goal, embracing Jonathan Lethem’s and Pamela Jackson’s edit.”
Jonathan Lethem, winner of the National Book Critics Circle award and recipient of the MacArthur Fellowship, is the critically praised author of eight novels, including Motherless Brooklyn and his latest, Chronic City. He has published and spoken widely on Dick and is the editor of the Library of America editions of Dick’s novels.
Pamela Jackson, is the author of a doctoral dissertation examining 2-3-74 and Dick’s Exegesis in the context of Dick’s life and fiction (The World Philip K. Dick Made), and has been working with the Philip K. Dick Estate since 2008 to develop a publishing and preservation plan for The Exegesis.
About Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Boston-based Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company is a global education leader and the world’s largest publisher of educational materials for pre-K-12 schools. The Company publishes a comprehensive set of best-in-class educational solutions, ranging from research-based textbook programs to instructional technology to standards-based assessments for students and educators. The Company also publishes an extensive line of reference works and award-winning literature for adults and young readers. With origins dating back to 1832, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt combines its tradition of excellence with a commitment to innovation. To learn more about Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, visit www.hmhpub.com
Contact:
Lori Glazer
Vice President, Executive Director of Publicity
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
(212) 420-5840
lori.glazer@hmhpub.com
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