Gerard Colby (earlier known as Gerard Colby Zilg) (born 1950) is an author and past president of the US National Writers Union, where he previously held various chair positions. From 1997 to 2001 he served as chair of the Vermont section.
He is notable for authoring Du Pont: Behind The Nylon Curtain. The 1974 publication was put under contract by Prentice-Hall in anticipation of a significant quantity of books sold to Book of the Month. The book painted a portrait of DuPont enterprises and the DuPont family that was characterized as "sober but unflattering" by some but as presenting a Marxist interpretation of the company by others. In response to pressure from DuPont, Book-of-the-Month cancelled its preorder. In anticipation of lower sales, Prentice-Hall reduced its print run and scaled back its marketing plans. Colby (Zilg) sued Prentice-Hall for breach of contract. In the federal case Zilg v Prentice-Hall, Inc., the Federal District Court in New York awarded Colby damages of $24,000. In 1984 the Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit overturned the ruling. The US Supreme Court refused to hear an appeal the same year.[1][2] The suit is an important example of case law relating to the practice of privishing (private publishing) where a publishing house reduces its print run and support of a book so much that the book fails to reach the public.
Colby ran for the Vermont State Senate seat for Lamoille County in 2012 and 2016 but lost both races.[3]
Honors and awardsedit
In 2003 he received the National Press Club's "Arthur Rouse Award for Press Criticism" for the book Into the Buzzsaw: Leading Journalists Expose the Myth of a Free Press (Prometheus Books, 2002) that was edited by the co-award winner Kristina Borjesson.
Personal lifeedit
Colby is married to writer Charlotte Dennett and lives in Lamoille County, Vermont.
Bibliographyedit
Du Pont: Behind The Nylon Curtain. Prentice-Hall, 1974. 600+ pages, by Gerard Colby Zilg, ISBN0-13-221077-0
Du Pont Dynasty: Behind the Nylon Curtain. Secaucus NJ: Lyle Stuart, 1984. 968 pages, by Gerard Colby, ISBN0-8184-0352-7
Thy Will Be Done, the Conquest of the Amazon: Nelson Rockefeller and Evangelism in the Age of Oil HarperCollins, 1995, Hardcover. 960 pages, by Gerard Colby and Charlotte Dennett, ISBN0-06-016764-5; HarperCollins: Janice Temple, 1996, Paperback.1008 pages, ISBN0-06-092723-2
Into The Buzzsaw: Leading Journalists Expose the Myth of a Free Press (2002) as collaborator, author of Chapter 1, The Price of Liberty. The book is an anthology on the current state of investigative journalism in the US and was an Amazon.com top-ten best-seller.[4]
Referencesedit
^"Gerard Colby ZILG, Plaintiff-Appellee-Cross-Appellant vs. PRENTICE-HALL, INC., Defendant-Appellant and E.I. DuPont de Nemours & Co., Inc., Defendant-Cross-Appellee"
^"SUPREME COURT ROUNDUP; JUSTICES TO CONSIDER ENFORCING OF SURGERY TO REMOVE A BULLET". New York Times. No. 17 April 1984. 16 April 1984. Retrieved 12 October 2020.
^Friedrich, Kayla. "Colby tries for Lamoille senate seat a second time". The Stowe Reporter. No. 14 July 2016. Vermont Community Newspaper Group LLC. Retrieved 12 October 2020.
^Into The Buzzsaw: Leading Journalists Expose the Myth of a Free Press Prometheus Books, 2002. 392 pages, Kristina Borjesson, editor, ISBN1-57392-972-7
External linksedit
National Writers Union page
Book review in The Nation, 1996, Thy Will Be Done
December 11, 2023
gerard, colby, earlier, known, zilg, born, 1950, author, past, president, national, writers, union, where, previously, held, various, chair, positions, from, 1997, 2001, served, chair, vermont, section, notable, authoring, pont, behind, nylon, curtain, 1974, p. Gerard Colby earlier known as Gerard Colby Zilg born 1950 is an author and past president of the US National Writers Union where he previously held various chair positions From 1997 to 2001 he served as chair of the Vermont section He is notable for authoring Du Pont Behind The Nylon Curtain The 1974 publication was put under contract by Prentice Hall in anticipation of a significant quantity of books sold to Book of the Month The book painted a portrait of DuPont enterprises and the DuPont family that was characterized as sober but unflattering by some but as presenting a Marxist interpretation of the company by others In response to pressure from DuPont Book of the Month cancelled its preorder In anticipation of lower sales Prentice Hall reduced its print run and scaled back its marketing plans Colby Zilg sued Prentice Hall for breach of contract In the federal case Zilg v Prentice Hall Inc the Federal District Court in New York awarded Colby damages of 24 000 In 1984 the Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit overturned the ruling The US Supreme Court refused to hear an appeal the same year 1 2 The suit is an important example of case law relating to the practice of privishing private publishing where a publishing house reduces its print run and support of a book so much that the book fails to reach the public Contents 1 State Politics 2 Honors and awards 3 Personal life 4 Bibliography 5 References 6 External linksState Politics editColby ran for the Vermont State Senate seat for Lamoille County in 2012 and 2016 but lost both races 3 Honors and awards editIn 2003 he received the National Press Club s Arthur Rouse Award for Press Criticism for the book Into the Buzzsaw Leading Journalists Expose the Myth of a Free Press Prometheus Books 2002 that was edited by the co award winner Kristina Borjesson Personal life editColby is married to writer Charlotte Dennett and lives in Lamoille County Vermont Bibliography editDu Pont Behind The Nylon Curtain Prentice Hall 1974 600 pages by Gerard Colby Zilg ISBN 0 13 221077 0 Du Pont Dynasty Behind the Nylon Curtain Secaucus NJ Lyle Stuart 1984 968 pages by Gerard Colby ISBN 0 8184 0352 7 Thy Will Be Done the Conquest of the Amazon Nelson Rockefeller and Evangelism in the Age of Oil HarperCollins 1995 Hardcover 960 pages by Gerard Colby and Charlotte Dennett ISBN 0 06 016764 5 HarperCollins Janice Temple 1996 Paperback 1008 pages ISBN 0 06 092723 2 Into The Buzzsaw Leading Journalists Expose the Myth of a Free Press 2002 as collaborator author of Chapter 1 The Price of Liberty The book is an anthology on the current state of investigative journalism in the US and was an Amazon com top ten best seller 4 References edit Gerard Colby ZILG Plaintiff Appellee Cross Appellant vs PRENTICE HALL INC Defendant Appellant and E I DuPont de Nemours amp Co Inc Defendant Cross Appellee SUPREME COURT ROUNDUP JUSTICES TO CONSIDER ENFORCING OF SURGERY TO REMOVE A BULLET New York Times No 17 April 1984 16 April 1984 Retrieved 12 October 2020 Friedrich Kayla Colby tries for Lamoille senate seat a second time The Stowe Reporter No 14 July 2016 Vermont Community Newspaper Group LLC Retrieved 12 October 2020 Into The Buzzsaw Leading Journalists Expose the Myth of a Free Press Prometheus Books 2002 392 pages Kristina Borjesson editor ISBN 1 57392 972 7External links editNational Writers Union page Book review in The Nation 1996 Thy Will Be Done Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Gerard Colby amp oldid 1169375207, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
