THE OVERLOOK PRESS

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forty years of elephants in flight

we're an eclectic independent publisher located in soho. we publish a little bit of everything—and a lot of interesting fiction, mysteries, history, politics, biography, art, design, & more. welcome to our perspective on books and beyond.
Overlook Press’ Publisher, Peter Mayer, told us this amazing story: “Many years ago,  a picture story appeared in LIFE about two photographers who went to Africa to try and solve the mystery of where  elephants go to die. In the herd the photographers were following, an old female elephant  started to stumble along on the trail.  On either side of her, the elephants leaned against her and pushed her forward so that she could continue with the herd.  But she just couldn’t, and fell down, still alive.  Then the herd made a circle around her and trumpeted. The photographers were asked why the elephants showed this incredible support and empathy.  And one of the photographers said, ‘I guess elephants just like elephants.’  I turned the page of the magazine and there were six or eight pages of the War in Vietnam–fire, bombs, blood. And I thought, as I saw these pages, ‘But people don’t really like people.’ Years later, when I started the Overlook Press, I thought of this story and decided on an elephant as the logo.  I asked my friend,  Milton Glaser,  (who also designed the iconic ‘I [heart] NY’ logo) to design something, and he came back with an elephant sporting wings, saying to me, ‘Peter, if you can make an elephant fly, you can do anything.’”  That was more than 40 years ago. (via Publishing Trendsetter)

Overlook Press’ Publisher, Peter Mayer, told us this amazing story: “Many years ago,  a picture story appeared in LIFE about two photographers who went to Africa to try and solve the mystery of where  elephants go to die. In the herd the photographers were following, an old female elephant  started to stumble along on the trail.  On either side of her, the elephants leaned against her and pushed her forward so that she could continue with the herd.  But she just couldn’t, and fell down, still alive.  Then the herd made a circle around her and trumpeted. The photographers were asked why the elephants showed this incredible support and empathy.  And one of the photographers said, ‘I guess elephants just like elephants.’  I turned the page of the magazine and there were six or eight pages of the War in Vietnam–fire, bombs, blood. And I thought, as I saw these pages, ‘But people don’t really like people.’
Years later, when I started the Overlook Press, I thought of this story and decided on an elephant as the logo.  I asked my friend,  Milton Glaser,  (who also designed the iconic ‘I [heart] NY’ logo) to design something, and he came back with an elephant sporting wings, saying to me, ‘Peter, if you can make an elephant fly, you can do anything.’”  That was more than 40 years ago. (via Publishing Trendsetter)