Home 5 News 5 S&S staff launch petition against Mike Pence book deal

S&S staff launch petition against Mike Pence book deal

by | Apr 22, 2021 | News

The latest example of the new spirit of activism in publishing is seen at Simon & Schuster US where staff have launched a petition calling on the publisher to withdraw from a two-book deal with Donald Trump’s former Vice-President Mike Pence.  This follows staff complaints over its proposed distribution of a book by Jonathan Mattingly, a police officer involved in the death of Breoanna Taylor.  The latter is published by Post Hill Press with which S&S has a distribution deal.

The S&S petition reads:  “By choosing to publish Mike Pence, Simon & Schuster is generating wealth for a central figure of a presidency that unequivocally advocated for racism, sexism, homophobia, transphobia, anti-Blackness, xenophobia, misogyny, ableism, islamophobia, antisemitism, and violence. This is not a difference of opinions; this is legitimizing bigotry.”

It continues: “Long before his Vice Presidency, Mike Pence made a career out of discriminating against marginalized groups and denying resources to BIPOC [black, indigenous and people of colour] and LGBTQA+  [lesbian, gay, bi-sexual, transgender, queer and non-heterosexual] communities. From advocating for legalized discrimination against LGBTQ+people, to eroding the teaching of science in favour of Christian theology in public-funded schools, to ending energy efficiency programs, to pushing for guns to be in schools and cars, to taking away funding for and shutting down clinics treating HIV patients, to promoting conversion therapy, to denying bodily autonomy to pregnant people, to abandoning a nation in crisis as the coronavirus ran rampant and killed more than half a million Americans. Mike Pence has literal and figurative blood on his hands. We demand you cancel Mike Pence’s book deal.”

Although S&S has agreed not to distribute the Mattingly title, S&S staff are now calling for S&S to pull out of its distribution deal with Post Hill Press altogether.  But as Nasher went to press, the publisher was refusing to shift on the Pence title.

S&S president and CEO Jonathan Karp sa: “As a publisher in this polarised era, we have experienced outrage from both sides of the political divide and from different constituencies and groups. But we come to work each day to publish, not cancel, which is the most extreme decision a publisher can make, and one that runs counter to the very core of our mission to publish a diversity of voices and perspectives. We will, therefore, proceed in our publishing agreement with vice-president Mike Pence.”

Recent News

20May
Greece to Be Guest of Honour at SIBF 2025

Greece to Be Guest of Honour at SIBF 2025

Bodour bint Sultan Al Qasimi, Chairperson of the Sharjah Book Authority (SBA), emphasised that Greece, with its rich historical legacy and global cultural influence, stands as a vital pillar in the ongoing story of human creativity. She highlighted that the nation, which inspired Homer’s epic works, shaped Socratic ideals of virtue, and erected theatres that […]

20May
Male Writers Get New Publishing Platform

Male Writers Get New Publishing Platform

A writer and critic has launched a new independent press that will focus on publishing books by male writers. Conduit Books, founded by Jude Cook, will publish literary fiction and memoir, “focusing initially on male authors”. Cook said the publishing landscape has changed “dramatically” over the past 15 years as a reaction to the “prevailing […]

20May
Pullman Ends Trilogy with The Rose Field

Pullman Ends Trilogy with The Rose Field

Author Philip Pullman has revealed details of the sixth and final book in his series about Lyra Silvertongue, the character at the heart of His Dark Materials and The Book of Dust trilogies. The Rose Field will be published on 23 October, and will follow his heroine’s story up to her early 20s. She was […]

Related Posts

Male Writers Get New Publishing Platform

Male Writers Get New Publishing Platform

A writer and critic has launched a new independent press that will focus on publishing books by male writers. Conduit Books, founded by Jude Cook, will publish literary fiction and memoir, “focusing initially on male authors”. Cook said the publishing landscape has...

Pullman Ends Trilogy with The Rose Field

Pullman Ends Trilogy with The Rose Field

Author Philip Pullman has revealed details of the sixth and final book in his series about Lyra Silvertongue, the character at the heart of His Dark Materials and The Book of Dust trilogies. The Rose Field will be published on 23 October, and will follow his heroine's...

Historic Auction of Shakespeare Folios

Historic Auction of Shakespeare Folios

A set of the first four editions of William Shakespeare’s collected works is expected to sell for up to £4.5 million ($6 million) at auction this month. Sotheby’s auction house said the May 23 sale will be the first time since 1989 that a set of the First, Second,...

Previous Next
Close
Test Caption
Test Description goes like this

Pin It on Pinterest

Nasher News
Greece to Be Guest of Honour at SIBF 2025
Male Writers Get New Publishing Platform
Pullman Ends Trilogy with The Rose Field
Male Writers Get New Publishing Platform
Pullman Ends Trilogy with The Rose Field
Historic Auction of Shakespeare Folios