Ida Frances Stelov (December 31, 1887 – April 15, 1989), better known as Frances "Fanny" Steloff, was the founder of the Gotham Book Mart in New York City, a center for avant-garde literature and literati from 1920 until it closed in 2007.[1]
Frances Steloff photographed by Lynn Gilbert (1978)
Ida Frances Stelov was born to a poor family in Saratoga Springs, New York on December 31, 1887. Her mother died when she was young, and at 12 she was taken in by a couple who offered her a home. She dropped out of school in the seventh grade. At the age of 19, she moved to New York where she worked at Loeser's, a department store. She then worked in several bookstores, and in 1920 founded the Gotham Book Mart.[2]
According to its writer Robbie Robertson, the line "Take a load off, Fanny" in his well known song The Weight was inspired by Steloff, whose bookstore he visited.[4]
Steloff married David Moss in 1923. They divorced in 1930.[2]
^Joseph F. Clarke (1977). Pseudonyms. BCA. p. 154.
^ abcMitgang, Herbert (April 16, 1989). "Frances Steloff Is Dead at 101; Founded the Gotham Book Mart". The New York Times.
^W. G. Rogers (1965). Wise Men Fish Here: The Story of Frances Steloff and the Gotham Book Mart. Harcourt Brace & World. p. 102.
^Rogovoy, Seth. "One of the Greatest Rock and Roll Songs of All Time was Inspired by a Jewish Bookseller". Forward: Jewish. Independent. Nonprofit. Retrieved 1 Sep 2022.
Further readingEdit
Morgan, Kathleen (1975). "Introduction: Frances Steloff and the Gotham Book Mart". Journal of Modern Literature. 4 (4): 737–748. doi:10.2307/3831051. JSTOR 3831051.
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frances, steloff, frances, stelov, december, 1887, april, 1989, better, known, frances, fanny, steloff, founder, gotham, book, mart, york, city, center, avant, garde, literature, literati, from, 1920, until, closed, 2007, photographed, lynn, gilbert, 1978, fra. Ida Frances Stelov December 31 1887 April 15 1989 better known as Frances Fanny Steloff was the founder of the Gotham Book Mart in New York City a center for avant garde literature and literati from 1920 until it closed in 2007 1 Frances Steloff photographed by Lynn Gilbert 1978 Ida Frances Stelov was born to a poor family in Saratoga Springs New York on December 31 1887 Her mother died when she was young and at 12 she was taken in by a couple who offered her a home She dropped out of school in the seventh grade At the age of 19 she moved to New York where she worked at Loeser s a department store She then worked in several bookstores and in 1920 founded the Gotham Book Mart 2 She challenged government censorship ordering smuggled copies of Henry Miller s Tropic of Cancer in the 1930s and purchasing shipments of D H Lawrence s banned book Lady Chatterley s Lover in the late 1920s 2 She founded the James Joyce Society at the store in 1947 3 According to its writer Robbie Robertson the line Take a load off Fanny in his well known song The Weight was inspired by Steloff whose bookstore he visited 4 Steloff married David Moss in 1923 They divorced in 1930 2 See also EditFrances Steloff Memoirs of a BooksellerReferences Edit Joseph F Clarke 1977 Pseudonyms BCA p 154 a b c Mitgang Herbert April 16 1989 Frances Steloff Is Dead at 101 Founded the Gotham Book Mart The New York Times W G Rogers 1965 Wise Men Fish Here The Story of Frances Steloff and the Gotham Book Mart Harcourt Brace amp World p 102 Rogovoy Seth One of the Greatest Rock and Roll Songs of All Time was Inspired by a Jewish Bookseller Forward Jewish Independent Nonprofit Retrieved 1 Sep 2022 Further reading EditMorgan Kathleen 1975 Introduction Frances Steloff and the Gotham Book Mart Journal of Modern Literature 4 4 737 748 doi 10 2307 3831051 JSTOR 3831051 nbsp This article about a United States businessperson is a stub You can help Wikipedia by expanding it vte Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Frances Steloff amp oldid 1143471592, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
