Dear Genius

Nordstrom on career opportunities in publishing: March 4, 1953 "Did I ever tell you ... I was taken out to luncheon and offered, with great ceremony, the opportunity to be an editor in the adult department? ... I almost pushed the luncheon table into the lap of the pompous gentleman opposite me and then explained kindly that publishing children's books was what I did, that I couldn't possibly be interested in books for dead dull finished adults, and thank you very much but I had to get back to my desk to publish some more good books for bad children". Nordstrom on editorial responsibility: June 13, 1952 "I never want to forget that if Lewis Carroll had asked me whether or not he should bother writing about a little girl named Alice who fell asleep and dreamed that she had a lot of adventures down a rabbit hole, it would not have sounded awfully tempting to any editor". Nordstrom on nice books: August 11, 1959 "NOW I ABSOLUTELY LIKE THE IDEA OF THE MEAN STORIES ... Would you have some mean children, I hope?"