Open MINDS Institute with Elisabeth Scharlatt, Book Publishing from the Inside: Notes from a Gatekeeper's Portfolio - Wednesday, October 21 at 1:00 PM

Whether you're a book club participant, an avid literary consumer, or just managing many time challenges, we invite you to think about what makes a 'must-read' book. Join us for a look inside the book publishing industry featuring veteran publisher Elisabeth Scharlatt. She will reveal the ups, downs, and sideways world of bringing books to the public. With examples from her own archive of projects, Scharlatt discusses the economic, emotional and intellectual challenges of the industry. Working with writers, literary agents, art directors, reviewers, and booksellers, she has overseen the publication of 600 books while at Algonquin, including (in her words) "prize-winners, New York Times bestsellers, a few Oprah Book Club picks... as well as some duds."

Elisabeth Scharlatt, publisher of Algonquin Books for three decades, had previously worked at Random House and Macmillan as an editor. She is a recipient of a PEN Publishers' Award and is an ardent supporter of independent publishers, independent bookstores, and independent thinkers.