Heyday at Fifty: Selected Writings from Five Decades of Independent California Publishing
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A polyphonic celebration of a preeminent California publisher, featuring over 35 pieces drawn from across Heyday’s distinguished history.
Since its founding in 1974, Heyday—an independent nonprofit based in Berkeley—has published more than 500 books that have shaped California’s deepest, most abiding sense of itself. Heyday now gathers three dozen highlights drawn from half a century of distinguished publishing, featuring writing by the likes of Deborah A. Miranda, Gary Snyder, Jane Smiley, Linda Ronstadt, John Muir Laws, Obi Kaufmann, and founder Malcolm Margolin. Taken together, these pieces embody Heyday’s guiding ethos: to celebrate the natural wonders of the Golden State, to explore California’s vibrant arts and history, to amplify the voices of the West’s Indigenous peoples, and to foster civic engagement and social justice. Edited by Emmerich Anklam, and featuring an introduction by publisher Steve Wasserman and general manager Gayle Wattawa, Heyday at Fifty serves as a testament to Heyday’s preeminent place in California letters.
Reviews
"One of the Bay Area's longest-running and still thriving publishers, Heyday was founded in 1974 and has published more than 500 books that celebrate California’s distinctive spirit. Now, the editors and staff have gathered highlights featuring writing from authors Gary Snyder, Jane Smiley, Linda Ronstadt, Obi Kaufmann, founder Malcolm Margolin, and more. These writings explore the state's natural wonders, the historic arts scene, and give voice to the West's indigenous communities." Rosie Merlin, 7x7
"Heyday marks its golden anniversary with the release of Heyday at Fifty, an anthology featuring excerpts from Heyday’s deep backlist, with work from luminaries such as Rebecca Solnit, Jane Smiley, and Gary Snyder." Publishers Weekly
"Confluence is a big part of California, and Heyday has been the glorious secret center of confluence for many years, the place where art and literature and Native lore and environmental history all converge." Rebecca Solnit, author of Orwell's Roses and Recollections of My Nonexistence
"Many of the books Heyday publishes prompt us to think more deeply about how we relate to the natural world, the intersections to social justice, and the history of land—recognizing that the history of land is inseparable from the history of our society." Rosanna Xia, author of California Against the Sea
"Heyday is the dynamic cultural storehouse of contemporary California indigenous literature. We need a press like Heyday in every geographical section of the Americas!" Joy Harjo, author of Poet Warrior and Weaving Sundown in a Scarlet Light
"Heyday exemplifies why small presses matter to American culture because the books it published, the conversations they fostered, changed the broader culture—not just in California but across North America." Dana Gioia, poet and former Chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts
"One of America's most important independent publishers—I've been buying their beautifully designed, thought provoking, irresistible publications for years." Susan D. Anderson, history curator and program manager at the California African American Museum
About the Authors
