Dear friends of The Permanent Press,

Last month our co-founder and co-publisher Martin Shepard passed away from a sudden illness at the age of 86. 

Marty’s passion for his work permeated every endeavor he took up, from psychiatry to real estate to politics to publishing. From the very start of The Permanent Press in 1978, what made a particular book of ours successful was Marty’s intense belief in its potential and its author, and his dogged promotion of it to anyone who would listen. His deftness in forming and sustaining genuine and meaningful relationships throughout the publishing industry has been a benefit we will continue to reap even after his passing. Using that passion and that ability, he and his wife Judy built one of the most influential independent presses in the United States.

When Marty was around it was never a dull moment in our office. Whether he was raving about the election, reiterating his love of John Coltrane and Sonny Rollins, telling a tale from his storied life, or touting our most recent book, to be a part of his business was to be a part of his life, and he loved both intensely.

Of all his professional enterprises, The Permanent Press is the one he hoped would live on after his death. Live on we will, always with Marty in our hearts and minds. We thank you for your continued support and we hope you all know how much Marty appreciated your love of our books.

Sincerely,

Nick Collins