in a word . . . driven . . . constantly moving forward toward perfection . . . He carried that trait throughout his publishing career. Perfecting every book he signed and published. He was a unique and wildly successful editor and publisher. It was a privilege to work with him and have him as a colleague and friend. Jack did have some quirky traits that also set him apart from the crowd.I remember one early morning in Davis, CA. Jack and I were sharing a room in a motel close to the UC Davis campus. Jack was there to sign an author and I was working with him. In the early days of Wadsworth, it was customary for editors to share a room when on a school visit . . . frugality was the standard operating procedure to save T & E money . . . and protect Profit Sharing.
I was awakened about 6am by a noise that sounded like the football team was running down the hallway. When I opened my eyes, I see Jack C. standing at the foot of his bed running in place at a very rapid pace. When I was finally able to comprehend what all the noise was about, I asked him just what in the world was he doing? He said since it was still dark outside, he was running in place for about 15 minutes to get exercise! I suggested he should wait until it was light and go outside to do that while I was trying to sleep.
Another story about Jack that I will never forget revolves around his quest for perfection. In the early days, since we all traveled as editors across the country and usually for extended periods of time, packing a suitcase became routine for two or three week trips. Jack was a master at planning for such a trip. This skill was continually honed to a point where he would be able to leave the office after the January sales meeting and be on the road selling books and signing authors for several months before returning to Belmont. But in the late 1960’s, Jack was determined to find the “best” suitcase for his travel needs. To solve that question, he gathered up several paper bags of his clothes and went to the Macys store in Hillsdale Shopping Center. Once in the luggage department, he selected several suitcases and started to pack each one with his socks, shorts, T-shirts, dress shirts, trousers, coat, toiletry kit, etc. , items he would normally need for his trips. When he left the store, he knew precisely which suitcase would be “best” in all aspects . . . size, weight, dimensions and could hold the most items comfortably and with the least amount of wrinkling. As I recall, “Tumi” won the day. I soon learned that Jack researched just about everything . . . when I was interested in a Sound system, I went to Jack for his suggestions. He knew the best Speakers to buy . . . he knew the best laundry soap to buy . . . It was like having your own “Consumer Reports” lab in your office building.
Recalling these stories may be amusing but they really point out the tremendous drive for perfection that Jack had and how he focused that energy on his editorial work and the development of his authors. He was one of a kind. His editorial work contributed greatly to Wadsworth’s success and reputation. Thank you Jack for so many years of excellence and for making such a positive impact on our company.
Rest in Peace JCC.
We will miss you.
Jack Thornton
We will miss you.
Jack Thornton
No comments:
Post a Comment