Cataloging Milkweed: Notes from the Archivist
Cataloging Milkweed: Notes from the Archivist
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Milkweed Catalogs 1988–1990
"As we enter our second decade of publishing, we want to thank the readers and booksellers, the writers and artists we have worked with, and our volunteers and sponsors, for their friendship and support; it has heartened us during the first ten years." —Emilie Buchwald, Editor, & R.W. Scholes, Art Director, from Milkweed Editions' Spring 1990 catalog
Three decades ago, Milkweed had a very different look and feel, as you can see from these 1988–1990 catalogs, housed in the Upper Midwest Literary Archives.
The leaf-headed figures that decorate these covers remain mostly a mystery: who designed them, what do they mean, do they have a name? In these pages you'll find such titles as Margaret Hasse’s In a Sheep’s Eye, Darling and Philip Dacey’s The Man with Red Suspenders. You may even stumble upon a gem like this 1988 staff photo.
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Milkweed Staff, 1988
Still, some things never change. Printed on the pages of these old catalogs is the motto "good writing / beautiful books," principles that guide our work today.
Milkweed Editions will enter its fifth decade in the next couple of years, and for that, we reiterate our thanks. With the passion and support of our readers and booksellers, our writers and artists, and our volunteers and sponsors, Milkweed will continue to publish transformative literature.
Keep an eye on Milkweed’s Instagram and Twitter on Thursdays for #throwbackthursday posts about our progress on the Prairie Poets and Press project and interesting finds. Follow the #PrairiePoetsUMN hashtag to see all the posts related to the project. Stay tuned!
