Michael Korda, celebrated editor in chief of the world-wide famous American publishing house, Simon & Schuster, Inc. (now part of Viacom corporation), as well as the author of several best-seller novels, inspired me mostly after he published his memoirs: remarkable, frank and revealing "life- adventure". What was the reason that is immediately letting me to declare his influence, at the very beginning of this article?

The simplest explanation is that usage of Korda name stands as the kind of metaphorical orientation. In such (metaphorical) context, it will help readers to understand article’s attitude, noticing that my intentions are targeted manner, representing the idea(l)s of which is Korda standing for years. The Korda name via his book also might be useful because he witnessed and explained the difficulties arose from prospects of new, skin-deep changes on the body of transformed book publishing, ongoing "cultural ignorance", too many publishers/editors or agents acting like nothing happens, like this is just temporary part of newest approach to "publisher’s job", not much important, provisional arrogance of globalisation process.

It will pass, soon it will be all the same again, and we can hear some of theirs claims. Still, there is a hope that publishing representatives around the world are aware of Korda’s professional responsibility, authority, therefore I am willing to encourage the consensus among British intelligentsia about taking care of their own heritage, e.g. (independent) publishing, so somebody might finally pay some attention. It is universal question indeed, what is each nation doing about saving national institutions from jaws of international conglomerates? With all the respect for Michael Korda name alone, the conclusion is that I am using it as metonym, admitting his charisma as appeared in reality, although I am having other intention then celebrating him as an extraordinary editor or author. I already did confirm praise for his contributions in contemporary chronicle of publishing, but it is quite a time to present real reason for this story.

Korda would agree: when danger is knocking on the doors of national legacy, it is of absolute importance to issue a declaration on saving it. In danger is one of historically most important Britain publishing house, Harvill Press, which I deeply consider as part of UK cultural heritage. Harvill was independent, for the last time from 1994 to 2002, and now is an imprint of Random house, still "small and beautiful ". The Random House Group, part of Random House Inc., is the UK's most successful trade publisher with leading market share. Random House UK was founded in 1987 with the acquisition of Jonathan Cape, Chatto & Windus and Bodley Head: in 1989 Random acquired Century Hutchinson which included the Arrow and Ebury Press, and in 1997 the Reed publishing imprints, William Heinemann and Secker & Warburg.

The Random House Group, incorporating Transworld Publishers, Random House UK and the Random operations in South Africa, New Zealand and Australia was formed in 1999 following on from Bertelsmann's acquisition of Random group. But the Harvill needs help because it was merger with Secker&Warburg decided, soon after Harvill become Random house (independent) imprint. The merger will cut expenses, connected similar list management said, so the new house to be call Harvill/Secker will be more practical to handle in business terms. But, for both of those two publishers merger means death, and I am the one of the many who is pushing the idea to leave them, as they are - alive. In the name of the ladies who started it and for the reasons they started it, as well in the name of all authors, translators, editors, publishers and last but not least, faithful audience, however it might be too small for Random house sales sales standard… One would be surprised how many publishers, from Athens via Kiev to Helsinki or via Zagreb to Edinburgh and Reykjavik, are proud Harvill particularly.

It is privilege being on the list with the same author published by Harvill already, or to follow the Harvill’s catalogue, a sign of good taste. The truth is somewhere else. As Andrew Winnard wrote once "at the time when the book publishing industries of the UK and the US are supposed to be developing an increasingly international outlook, it is a sobering reminder of both countries’ cultural insularity that he publication of books translated into English from other languages remains relatively insignificant. Of (all) books published in the UK each year, only 3% are translations. The figure for the US is even lower: 2,5%… Publishers of such books (translated) consider themselves fortunate if they don’t make a loss…Even when profits are made, they are invariably modest...Publishers cannot absorb these extra costs; translators need to see that the time and effort they put into a book is worthwhile fro them. Too often these opposing interests prove irreconcilable. When the translator refuses to work for a rate that will allow the book to be commercially viable, the publisher has to turn elsewhere, or abandon the idea altogether."

I quoted Winnard opinion, (he was publisher with Cambridge based Polity Press and he is an experienced translator from German), as the proof that when we are speaking about the terms of quality in the literature, the recognition of contemporary world authors, we are to often meeting the argument about readers’ small demand for translated fiction, the UK and USA as respectable markets are leaders in such opinion. However some of the translated books did shape our civilisation, fiction or non-fiction, essential for intellectual life or society’s cognition, to do the translation is regarded there all about "high culture".

Or how the publisher is just using specific author for building his image, thinking that the Nobel price would raise the print-runs automatically, and make him rich over the night. Irrational or not, this could happen, the good example was 2002 Booker price won by Canadian Yan Martel and his small publisher Canongate. The small fortune was built on Martels’ novel, selling only in London’s Waterstone’s bookshop on Piccadilly Road 1,100 copies, the day following the Booker price announcement. But Martels’ novel "Life of Pi" was not translated book, it is just an example how the way of publishing is an instinctive case. In "the case" of Harvill, now in spot of lot of contradictions, such big sales numbers were rare and almost unthinkable. Thus, I mentioned Korda’s memoirs, "Another life"(Random house, 1999), because I also found them as one of more important reasons to compare the circumstances around Harvill and Secker&Warburg merger: pattern for awareness of intercultural communication, how cultural aspects of publishing might be ruined within mergers and acquisitions, which is the reason why this particular British publisher needs a fast support and declaration, even collected signatures of those who support it - how to avoid the (t)error of globalisation, a common theme that is constantly re-visited, combined with the doubts about intentions of corporations - what to do with the smallest imprints which were known as publishing industry intellectual measure.

Obviously this is not what matters. To repeat: there is no need to be surprised when I choose Korda as an example - we can find plenty of debates going on over the subject of disappearing of some of the most nationally crucial, culturally sophisticated but not usually ‘commercially’ successful branches of publishing business - take-overs, mergers and acquisitions are natural solutions for management boards to save the money. Michael Korda is truly insider, my idea was that essence of his remembrance should be used as truthfully explanation how "cottage" industry, which was disparaging term for publishing as it was seen during the period when Max Schuster and Dick Simon started S&S, metamorphosed into big business, all happened in shortest time known so far in business terminology (exception is only internet-boom). Last five or six decenniums until beginning of new millennium, publishing is accelerating with unseen speed. Korda wrote about it so intensive, narrowly focused on writers with whom he had worked, led by the wave of intellectual curiosity and adventurism, devoting his existence to publishing on which he submit to us his precious experience - publishing is (was) notable (humanistic) vocation (not "a job") in which one is going into without a smallest grain of hesitation.

Because of that, Korda’s persistency, his strength of purpose, he becomes the laureate, the legend in the eyes of many: forty years in publishing and thirty years, from August 11, 1958, sitting at his table in his Simon and Schuster office, he never had the smallest thought about leaving or changing for competitor.

But the rules of noisy show-business were closer and closer. With big media corporations entering publishing as the "gentlemen’s job" had changed forever. Despite incompatibility, life-philosophy differences, gap between literary and media values, to be editor or publisher of any highly prestigious publishing house, now part of corporate requisites, result with most cruel treatment especially regarding editorial units. The slogan goes - who is making money is staying and who is not, should be leaving- e.g. the publishing houses within big corporations, big ones, or small ones inside them, so called imprints, are kind of small incubators of cruel experiment - how will editors/publishers react to the implications of reducing their freedom in race with the dead-lines?

Their job now is to explore all possible connections of manuscript commercial potential with different kind of exploitations, from hardcover to paperback, from movie to TV-series. All what I know, this will make editor craft more difficult.

Meaning: the editor’s mission started to be alarming. Korda knew it! Entertaining is different: the point is that show biz is transforming everything and everybody; modesty is not what the media-bosses are looking for, the value which is so hard to achieve as something which is "the must"- necessity of editorial skills. And, to successful publishers, if they are part of some of the fancy media empire, working (and surviving) is electrified with run for the money; the only ones without any scruples to accept conglomerates rules will be those who might survive if they will not loose their mental health and meaning in the jungle of media war rows during the battles for "box-offices". Publishers are now usually used as kind of back-up - yes, they are still making books, even to many of it, but for media moguls exploitation of publishing for the sake of billion dollar core-business - film, video and TV production - is priority, from ten books going out, one must be make into the movie. If there is a few books more to do it that is great! And one more thing, nobody expected, but former, bravery chosen authors by celebrated small publishers are forced to look for more flexible editors (I thought of authors which were almost unknown when discovered, but history would tell, after few novels they become not just golden mines in terms of selling, but potential various literary price laureates.

Coincidentally or not editors who are insisting on choosing quality authors, like recently editor of Flamingo, Philip Gwyn Jones, lost his job. The reason is found in reorganization of his "matrix", HarperCollins; however Flamingo was very important imprint which brings to life many authors unimaginable within other HC imprints, there was no place for such editor. The question - why he was fired still echoed the Britain intellectual and publishing air. Harvill Press is even in harder position: loosing their identity (and history), meaning loosing authors too. They accept to work on the wave of corporate "culture", within the limited conditions, forced to follow the tempo of market needs, but hoping that they will find a shelter under Random house "coat-tail". Maybe it is true that they reached "the end of the road" after almost ten years of independence, so finding Random house as shelter was relief. Soon they found out that managing board had another ideas.

Promised free choice and same path as they had during 1994 to 2002 disappeared. Like I said, so far idea still stands: merger Harvill with Secker&Warburg into Harvill/Secker (I am wondering where Mr. Fred Warburg have gone?), just to satisfy the standards of indifferent UK market towards translations and foreign authors (it is to hard to pronounce the names of Scandinavian, Russian or French authors)? However the history of Harvill might be of such importance, in comparison almost literary institutions of national heritage, the newly appointed Manager Director acclaimed only ambitious plans for bigger sales and budget, the tradition is not mentioned. In the mean time, Christopher MacLehose, Harvill’s "charismatic" publisher become "publisher at large", whatever this expression might stand for.

In the name of numerous European publishers, I would like to dedicate this declaration in the name of saving Harvill (as well Secker&Warburg) as independent imprints, Harvill especially, known for his logo, the leopard, (Harvill was first to publish Lampedusa novel "The Leopard", so there is a connection with the "wild cat"), and I am sure that I am not alone declaring it: deeply aware that beside me are standing a fistful of still-standing independent publishers, both in Europe and USA (I am sure that late Roger Straus of Farrar Strauss & Giroux will support the idea), all of them examples of most persistent and inventive approach.

Truly devoted to Harvills’ work, I am writing this article as a form of "manifesto", the proclamation with an aim to tell the readers that we must not allowed intention to kill Harvill's "leopard", one of the most famous (and nicest) logos among contemporary publishing houses. Even if Harvill’s leopard will become very expensive collector’s items, because of Random house management decision to get rid of this imprint, and even if their lovely line of books will become very valuable, well thank you, but we are not looking for future to sell them on Amazon.com auction.

Harvill press was established in on February 20th 1946, in London. The founders were Manya Harari and Marjorie Villiers (hence Har-vill), both of them worked at the Foreign Office and their idea was (just "minutes" before "iron curtain" politically separated East from West and vice versa) to promote and exchange different cultures of "both sides". They set up high standards, almost trying to avoid word "business": their idea was more idealistic than close to reality, it was part of "cultural activity", but also one has to remember that "ideals of united Europe" in the post-Second World War times were almost unthinkable, most of Westerners were sceptical, almost scared of communism. Exchanging the cultures? Cooperate with such bad guys as Russians? West was truly scared, and Britain, separated from continental Europe, with Americans as the most faithful allies even more so. Brave ladies of Harvill seemed unintimidated with Stalin moustaches.

From their small space in Lower Belgrave Street they established a long list with numerous classic 20th Century titles among them Boris Pasternak's Doctor Zhivago, One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich by Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn, just to mention few. In fact Russian literature was first on the list of their interest. It will not pass long time since Harvill had a reputation for publishing world-class translated and Collins acquired an English-language author of fiction and non-fiction and it. The money came inside bringing more authors. The Harvill list was precious and it would take too long space to mention all the names, most of them premier league of their country letters. In the future the translated fiction was still of premier interest (Manya Harari translated from Russian), but soon Harvill is publishing biographies, literary critique, poetry, philosophy, travel writing, illustrated books, very important par of the list.

Great success followed after publishing Boris Pasternak and Lampedusa "Leopard". Than came Joy Adams novel and more Russians. Manya Harrari dies in 1969. Marjorie Villers will continue to be on the board with the help of Max Bonham Carter who was the most important figure for the Harvill’s promotion, until his death in 1994. Christopher MacLehose, until 1984 publishing director of Chatto&Windus, afterwards publisher and editor-in-chief of Collins become Harvill’s publisher.

His revitalisation of the Harvill’s list is accreditation of new names of authors not only in British but even on European literary skies. For the first time Europe will be introduced to Americans Richard Ford, Raymond Carver, Peter Mathiessen, Robert Hughes, Italian Claudio Magris, Dutch Cees Nooteboom, Jose Saramago (later Nobel price laureate), Octavio Paz, Ivo Andric, classics like Jean Giono, Henry Green, Robert Stevenson or more contemporaries like Ismail Kadare, Jaan Kross, C.K.Stead, Theodore Zeldin…. All those names are just a little part of the example of literature variety and MacLehose premier taste, after he took it over: Richard Ford (one of his favorite Americans was Pulitzer Prize awarded author for his novel "Independence day"), Robert Hughes, one of the most influent contemporary art-critics was awarded for his book on Barcelona, MacLehose made a star of Sweden Henning Mankell in UK and his thrillers on inspector Wallander, he also published all opus of Japanese Haruki Murakami, late Georges Perec, great late French writer and also he was doing a lot to promote excellent writing of late W.G.Sebald, as well two English writers, John Buchan and Nicholas Shakespeare.

On Harvill list there are authors from most of the world countries, among last offerings were excellent Islandic author Arnaldur Indri�asun, French Fred Vargas (not to be missed for male, she is Frederique, one of the most popular thriller authors in France), Catalan (Spanish) Enrique Vila-Matas with his superb novel Bartleby & Co, for which MacLahose told me that they didn’t even collect four reviews all in all. Pretty unfair for such a good writer, but also the sign of UK market cruelty regarding translated fiction. Norvegian Karin Fossum, Edgardo Cozrinsky, Francoise Bizot… Indeed, Christopher MacLehose gave readers (to those who can read English, meaning more wider influence, spreading over the borders) the best of the best: but maybe only one of them, Danish Peter Høeg gave him wings.

His successful thriller "Miss Smilla Sense for Snow", up on the number one on charts on the both sides of Atlantic, was input for MacLehose decison , back in 1994. Get rid of HarperCollins maternity (don’t miss this word with protective) and try to go independent, collecting various group of shareholders which believed in Harvill potential as independent publisher.

When I woke up on Monday, 18 March 2002, just days before London book fair I was astonished. On the internet I red rumours that Random house will buy Harvill. Soon the press release was issued in which was announced that Harvill Press will join Random house Group. I qoute: "Random House and Harvill announced today that they had signed an agreement under which The Random House Group purchases all the shares in The Harvill Press Ltd. Harvill, …will remain an independent imprint alongside Jonathan Cape, Chatto & Windus, Secker & Warburg, Vintage and Pimlico at Random House.

 Harvill's paperback list, presently Panthers, will be published by Vintage. Publisher Christopher MacLehose… said, " I am profoundly grateful to our authors and translators, and all of those who have so generously supported Harvill's unchanging determination to publish the best work we have been able to find abroad and at home, also and by no means least, to all of those who have worked at Harvill and made and sold our books. They will surely now share our sense of good fortune, even of relief after what has sometimes seemed to be season after season of 'perfect storm'. Not only will Harvill join the best group of publishers in Britain, their authors will have the privilege of working with an exceptional sales and marketing division, and the unmatched Vintage team and its publisher Caroline Michel."

The press release goes further: "Harvill author Richard Ford who made a special trip over from the US in order to attend last week's Random House Sales Conference together with Christopher MacLehose added "From at least one writer's point of view - mine - to be starting this new phase of Harvill's existence is a thrill and great good luck. The diversity of literature represented by the name Harvill - Carver, Matthiessen, Saramago, Salter, Joy Williams - will even better than ever now find its audience through this association with Random House.Simon Master, Random House's Deputy Chairman, who led the negotiations with Harvill said "In another life, more than 20 years ago, Christopher and I enjoyed an arm's length publishing relationship. This time I and my colleagues look forward to the privilege and pleasure of a much closer relationship with him".

Gail Rebuck, Chairman and CEO of the Random House Group said, "Many thanks are due to both Christopher and Simon, who have persevered for over a year discussing varying forms that Random House's involvement with Harvill might take. I am truly delighted to welcome Harvill to the Random House Group. It is a superb list with an array of wonderful writers both past and present. I know that our commitment to independence and to editorial integrity for all our lists, and our respect for and support of diverse and imaginative publishing means that The Harvill Press can only continue to flourish within the Group."

As the first sight I was disappointed, but than Random house is definitively better option than HarperCollins from which Harvill run away. As the press release go on: "The Random House Group is committed to creative integrity and diversity and is comprised of over 30 imprints, each with its own culture and values, operating within five publishing divisions in the UK.

Authors published by the Group represent some of the finest names in literary and commercial publishing including Martin Amis, Peter Ackroyd, Louis de Bernières, Bill Bryson, AS Byatt, Jilly Cooper, Roddy Doyle, Ben Elton, Sebastian Faulks, Frederick Forsyth, John Gray, Robert Harris, Thomas Harris, John Grisham, Nigella Lawson, Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Ian McEwan, Toni Morrison, Andy McNab, Terry Pratchett, Ruth Rendell, Salman Rushdie, Tom Wolfe, Irvine Welsh, Jacqueline Wilson and more. The Group's classic backlist includes the works of Ernest Hemingway, Graham Greene, Iris Murdoch, Virginia Woolf, Anthony Powell and Sigmund Freud."

I hoped that Harvill finaly find oasis to solve all the potential financial problems, and, what is really important, their books with such a appealing production charm which was important to open the doors of all kind of booksellers and libraries, should continue to attract both, public and critique. Thus, Harvill, I thought, at least was recoginsed as a company of worth investing.

After risky, but expected move in 1994, Harvill becomes again what was once prenteted to be - doesn’t matter independent or imprint if they will have space to develop their taste and list of authors. During one lunch in the 1995. MacLehose told me: "We may loose our independence, but we are not loosing our independent spirit". I believed him, maybe due to his charming talent to persuade people. I still remembered unforgettable celebration of 50 years of Harvill’s birthday party, gathered together many celebrites at the brasserie in Islington. Everybody thought that Harvill will survive what MacLehose later called "perfect storm", but obviously we were wrong.

Eight years from Islington celebration, Harvill become again part of corporate culture, with trust that the working conditions will be much more better , especially for their authors and translators. He was shure that his literally stud will survive, but he was certainly not expected surprise which came to soon - merger with Secker&Warburg.

That was real shock for the most: whatever happens Harvill will not remain the same, and that is the reason for serious regard of taking an action, I would said to worry about. If I can choose between all the Bertellsman "treasures" or Michael Korda memoirs, for which option I would go? I will prefer Korda and his experience. Why? Because a few billons of dollars could not change the beauty of birth of even one of the Harvills’ books. I know you might don’t believe me. To be honest, neither do I believe myself.

I don’t know, I never saw a million dollars in my life and yet I am still 42 not 63 years old (MacLehose age), but despite all my financial difficulties (doing the books in translations ), at the moment it seems to me that I will still believe in the literature worth publishing for "cultural" reasons instead of seeking the a fortune out of some footballer biography. Ok, I have ten years more to become materialist, as proverb goes. I hope, at that time, somehow money and good literature will manage to "stay together."