Get to Know Berghahn is a recurring interview feature that introduces the hardworking people behind the scenes at Berghahn. This week’s subject is Editorial Assistant Lauren Weiss.

How long have you been at Berghahn? What did you do before that?
I’ve been at Berghahn for a little over a year now! Before that, I was studying at Columbia University, working just about every publishing internship I could find, and writing up a storm as a Creative Writing major. Continue reading “Get to Know Berghahn- Lauren Weiss” →

Get to Know Berghahn is a recurring interview feature that introduces the hardworking people behind the scenes at Berghahn. This week’s subject is Social Media Manager Brian Campbell.

1. How long have you been at Berghahn? What did you do before that?
I’ve been at Berghahn for about a year and a quarter. Before I came here I was a historical researcher for a non-profit that studied childhood poverty, which was depressing. Prior to that I worked in media sales. Continue reading “Get to Know Berghahn: Brian Campbell” →

Get to Know Berghahn is a recurring interview feature that introduces the hardworking people behind the scenes at Berghahn. This week’s subject is Marketing Manager Young Lee.

1. How long have you been at Berghahn? What did you do before that?
I’m  newbie! I’ve been at Berghahn for a little over 2 months.  Previously, I worked as an Email Marketing Manager at a higher-ed company called Collegebound Network  and I also worked as an account  manager specializing in the Library Market at Barnes & Noble.

2. What do you read when you aren’t reading Berghahn books?
Mostly fiction but the last book I read was a non-fiction title called The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks and it was fantastic! The next book on my list is The Marriage Plot by Jeffrey Eugenides.  I also read  the Harry Potter series once a year. I know, it’s a sickness.

3. What’s a skill or talent you have that no one at the office knows about?
It’s more of a hobby, but I do like to bake. Unfortunately, I don’t do it much during the summer due to the heat that the oven radiates in my tiny Brooklyn kitchen/living room.

4. Where would you want to live if you could move the Berghahn offices anywhere? Why?
Somewhere by an ocean and mountains. I would say Mid-Coast Maine. Seafood is essential in my life and access to nature activities like hiking and skiing would be great! The longer I live in the city, the more I fantasize about moving to the country.

5. What’s your favorite thing about working at Berghahn?
I love that Berghahn is a small office. Everyone here works really hard and truly cares about the quality of their work. It has been a very easy transition for me since everyone has been so nice and helpful. The short commute isn’t bad either!

Get to Know Berghahn is a recurring interview feature that introduces the hardworking people behind the scenes at Berghahn. This week’s subject is Publicity and Marketing Executive Ben Parker.

1. How long have you been at Berghahn? What did you do before that?
I have been at Berghahn for almost 2 years, it will be my second anniversary here at the end of August. Before that I was at The History Press, based in Stroud.

2. What do you read when you aren’t reading Berghahn books?
Almost exclusively poetry. Mainly contemporary poets, but also people like Yeats and Eliot. I have also started to read my own work in public, at various Oxford venues, as can be seen in the photo.

3. What’s a skill or talent you have that no one at the office knows about?
In my spare time I write poetry, and have published in a number of UK magazines, but people in the office know about that because I drag them along to the readings I do! No one in the office has seen me climb though, and that is my hobby of choice after poetry.

4. Where would you want to live if you could move the Berghahn offices anywhere? Why?
I currently live on the same road as the Berghahn office, so if the office moved my commute would be significantly longer. That said, I’d be happy somewhere warmer and with some decent rocks to climb. The middle of England is not very good for either of those things.

5. What’s your favorite thing about working at Berghahn?
Because the office is quite small I feel that I know everyone here far more than I would at a larger company, which makes the atmosphere an enjoyable one to work in, and I have a real sense of involvement with the books we publish.

Get to Know Berghahn is a recurring interview feature that introduces the hardworking people behind the scenes at Berghahn. This week’s subject is Journals Assistant Kyle Perry.

1. How long have you been at Berghahn? What did you do before that?
I’ve been at my current position for about four months, and before that I was an intern for two. I graduated in May of 2011 and my only job between Skidmore College and Berghahn Books was a brief summer working in the fashion industry. Suffice it to say, that wasn’t my true calling. I’m very happy to be working in the journals department here at Berghahn!

2. What do you read when you aren’t reading Berghahn books?
Normally I’d say fiction, but recently it’s been essay collections. Pulphead by John Jeremiah Sullivan was so amazing it’s almost not fair, and I read Sloane Crosley’s two books, I Was Told There’d Be Cake and How Did You Get This Number? in about three days. I also love Zadie Smith, Colson Whitehead, Dan Chaon, and anything Dave Hill tweets.

3. What’s a skill or talent you have that no one at the office knows about?
I’m really good at Scrabble. I used to know all of the two-letter words, Q words without the U, and had a method of keeping track of the tiles so I always knew what was left in the bag. My mug is even Scrabble-related, but I guess at this point I’m just bragging.

4. Where would you want to live if you could move the Berghahn offices anywhere? Why?
It’s corny, but Brooklyn is where I want to live right now, so I’d stay put. Or maybe the Galápagos Islands. Less people. More penguins.

5. What’s your favorite thing about working at Berghahn?
The people! It’s such a great mix of personalities and everyone is so encouraging and helpful. I feel very lucky to have been welcomed into the Berghahn family.

I also love that the job helped me discover new roles in the publishing process I never would have expected to like. If you’d asked me a year ago if I’d want to get into marketing, I probably would have said no. Now, it’s something I’m extremely excited to continue learning.

Lastly, we work in DUMBO where food trucks apparently have the ability to multiply weekly. That’s wonderful, too.

Get to Know Berghahn is a recurring interview feature that introduces the hardworking people behind the scenes at Berghahn. This week’s subject is Publicity and Marketing Associate Abby Major.

Q: How long have you been at Berghahn? What did you do before that?
A: It’s hard to believe, but I’m celebrating my one year anniversary at Berghahn this month! I started working here about two weeks after graduating from Wesleyan University in May 2011. I had just received my BA in Wesleyan’s College of Social Sciences program when I moved to New York and joined the company. It was quite an adventure and a lot of change all at once, but I was warmly welcomed by everyone in the office, despite being the youngest and newest member of the team!

Q: What do you read when you aren’t reading Berghahn books?
A: Unsurprisingly, I do a lot of reading, and my taste in books is pretty eclectic – I’m happy to switch from historical fiction to a biography to science fiction and fantasy depending on my mood (I keep a running list of what I want to read, so I always have a few suggestions as soon as I finish something). After studying history, economics, and political science in school, I’m still enjoying the freedom to read mostly fiction in my spare time. I’ve also been trying to take advantage of the free digitized classics, and that’s helped me try some new things I probably wouldn’t have otherwise picked up.

Q: What’s a skill or talent you have that no one at the office knows about?
A; Well, the office already knows how good I am at brewing a strong pot of coffee in the morning, so that’s not much of a secret…. I guess I need to take up an instrument or learn to juggle by the next interview.

Q: Where would you want to live if you could move the Berghahn offices anywhere? Why?
A: It’s no secret at Berghahn that this country girl is still not sure how she feels about the hustle and bustle of New York City (though I really can’t complain with our new Brooklyn location – Trees! Water!), so I think I’d suggest we relocate somewhere a bit more rural. Maybe we could open a satellite office in dairy country in central Pennsylvania where I grew up. Farm fresh milk for our morning coffee… who wouldn’t want that?

Q: What’s your favorite thing about working at Berghahn?
A: The Berghahn Books family is made up of wonderful people, and I feel really lucky to work with them every day. Everyone here is really passionate and dedicated to what we do, and I think that shows in the quality of what we produce. Because of our size, it is truly a collaborative process, and you are able to see exactly how all the pieces come together and how impossible it would be without each contribution. Of course, my co-workers would probably prefer if the office weren’t small enough for me to holler questions to them instead of sending an email!