Bilingual Press

Bilingual Press, originally known as Bilingual Review Press, is an American scholarly and literary publisher focused on Spanish-English bilingualism, Hispanic and Latino American writing, Chicano and Chicana literature, and Latin American studies. The press was created in 1973 as the publishing operation for The Bilingual Review/La revista bilingüe, an academic and literary journal devoted to bilingual studies, Hispanic literature, and the cultural relationship between Spanish- and English-language communities. The journal’s first issue appeared in 1974. The organization began in New York within the Department of Romance Languages at City College of New York. It subsequently moved to York College in 1975 and later to the State University of New York at Binghamton. In 1986, its operations relocated to Arizona State University after founder Gary D. Keller joined the newly established Hispanic Research Center. The press is based in Tempe and functions as an autonomous publishing entity associated with the center, which supplies institutional support services. Bilingual Press publishes books in English, Spanish, and bilingual formats. Its list includes literary fiction, poetry, essays, literary criticism, translations, scholarly monographs, and works concerning Chicano, Chicana, Hispanic American, and Latin American studies. The press has issued books by both emerging and established writers, including Virgil Suárez, Rafael C. Castillo, Alfred Arteaga, Sandra Cisneros, Daniel Olivas, and Rolando Hinojosa. Its publishing program combines original works with the preservation and recirculation of important literature that might otherwise become unavailable. The press also operates as a distributor. Through its distribution activities, it has helped keep books from other specialist publishers in circulation, including works by or about major Latin American authors. Its distribution catalogue has included reissued or otherwise hard-to-find titles associated with writers such as Carlos Fuentes, Isabel Allende, and Jorge Luis Borges. Bilingual Press is also identified as the exclusive distribution agency for Latin American Literary Review Press, whose list emphasizes English translations, literary criticism, and bilingual creative writing about Latin American literature. A distinctive part of the catalogue is the Clásicos Chicanos/Chicano Classics imprint, which concentrates on significant Chicano and Chicana literary works. The broader backlist contains more than 150 titles published under the press’s imprint in English, Spanish, or bilingual editions, while annual output has generally been described as approximately eight to ten new titles. Distribution activities have extended to more than one thousand additional releases from other presses. The press’s funding model combines book and journal sales with grants from federal and private sources. Support has included funding from the National Endowment for the Arts. Rather than operating as a mass-market trade publisher, Bilingual Press serves a specialized academic, literary, and cultural mission: publishing scholarship and creative work that connects Hispanic, Latino, Chicano, Spanish-language, and English-language traditions. Its relationship with Arizona State University and the Hispanic Research Center gives it an institutional base while allowing it to maintain a focused independent publishing program.

Bilingual Press was established in 1973 by Gary D. Keller as the publishing arm of The Bilingual Review/La revista bilingüe. The journal was conceived as an academic and literary forum for Spanish-English bilingualism, bilingual education and studies, Hispanic literature, and related cultural research. Its first issue appeared in 1974, giving the new press a periodical foundation as well as a specialized intellectual identity. The organization’s earliest base was the Department of Romance Languages at City College of New York. In 1975, its operations moved to York College, and they later continued at the State University of New York at Binghamton. These moves reflected the press’s close relationship with academic institutions and its dependence on university-based scholarly networks. In 1986, Keller transferred to Arizona State University to work with its newly established Hispanic Research Center, and the press moved with him to Tempe, Arizona. At Arizona State, Bilingual Press became an autonomous sub-entity associated with the Hispanic Research Center. The center provides support services, while the press maintains its own publishing and distribution activities. Its financial support has included publication revenues and grants from federal and private organizations, including the National Endowment for the Arts. This combination has allowed it to sustain a specialized programme that would be difficult to support through conventional commercial publishing alone. The press’s catalogue extends across scholarly and creative publishing. It issues research and criticism on Hispanic, Latino, Chicano, Chicana, Spanish, and Latin American subjects, alongside novels, poetry, essays, translations, and bilingual literary editions. Its authors have included both established and emerging writers, among them Virgil Suárez, Rafael C. Castillo, Alfred Arteaga, Sandra Cisneros, Daniel Olivas, and Rolando Hinojosa. The list therefore connects academic studies with creative literature and cultural documentation. Preservation and access are important parts of the publishing model. Through its own imprint and its distribution relationships, Bilingual Press has helped return older or unavailable works to circulation. Its catalogue and distribution work have included titles associated with major Latin American authors such as Carlos Fuentes, Isabel Allende, and Jorge Luis Borges. The Clásicos Chicanos/Chicano Classics imprint gives particular emphasis to notable Chicano and Chicana writing. The press also serves as the sole distribution agency for Latin American Literary Review Press, a publishing series founded in 1980. That series specializes in English translations, Latin American literary criticism, and bilingual creative writing. Examples associated with the distributed list include Miguel Ángel Asturias’s Legends of Guatemala and Giannina Braschi’s Yo-Yo Boing!. This distribution role broadens the press’s influence beyond books it publishes directly. By the late 2000s, Bilingual Press had accumulated a backlist of more than 150 titles under its own imprint and was publishing approximately eight to ten new titles per year. Its wider distribution catalogue was reported to contain more than one thousand releases. The press remains best understood as a university-affiliated specialist publisher rather than a general-interest commercial house: its mission is to support bilingual scholarship, publish Hispanic and Latin American literature, and preserve Chicano and related literary traditions for academic and general readers.

• 2008

  Distribution catalogue exceeds one thousand releases

  [1]Bilingual Review Pressen.wikipedia.org

  The press was reported to distribute more than one thousand titles from other publishers, alongside a backlist of more than 150 books under its own imprint.

• 1986

  Press relocates to Arizona State University

  [1]Bilingual Review Pressen.wikipedia.org

  Following Keller’s move to Arizona State University’s Hispanic Research Center, Bilingual Review Press established its long-term base in Tempe.

• 1980

  Latin American Literary Review Press is established

  [1]Bilingual Review Pressen.wikipedia.org

  The related publishing series was founded to issue translations, criticism, and bilingual creative writing on Latin American literature; Bilingual Press later became its sole distribution agency.

• 1975

  Operations move to York College

  [1]Bilingual Review Pressen.wikipedia.org

  The press moved from its original City College of New York base to York College.

• 1974

  First issue of The Bilingual Review appears

  [1]Bilingual Review Pressen.wikipedia.org

  The associated academic and literary journal began publication with a focus on Spanish-English bilingualism, Hispanic literature, and bilingual studies.

• 1973

  Press founded in support of a bilingual journal

  [1]Bilingual Review Pressen.wikipedia.org

  Gary D. Keller established the publishing operation that became Bilingual Review Press to support The Bilingual Review/La revista bilingüe.

A specialist university-affiliated press combining bilingual scholarship, Hispanic and Latin American literary publishing, Chicano and Chicana cultural preservation, and distribution of related academic and literary titles.

• Academic and literary journal · 1974

  The Bilingual Review/La revista bilingüe

  The journal that gave rise to Bilingual Review Press publishes scholarship and literary material concerning Spanish-English bilingualism, Hispanic literature, bilingual studies, and related cultural questions. Its launch in 1974 established the press’s central connection between academic research and literary expression.

• Scholarly and literary books · 1973

  Bilingual Press/Editorial Bilingüe book list

  The main book programme publishes fiction, poetry, essays, literary criticism, translations, scholarly studies, and bilingual editions. The list concentrates on Hispanic and Latin American authors and researchers, with particular attention to Latino, Chicano, and Chicana cultural and literary traditions.

• Chicano and Chicana literature

  Clásicos Chicanos/Chicano Classics

  This imprint focuses on notable works of Chicano and Chicana literature. It supports the preservation and continued availability of writing associated with Mexican American and broader Chicano literary histories, complementing the press’s academic and bilingual publishing programme.

• Specialist book distribution · 1980

  Latin American Literary Review Press distribution

  Bilingual Press serves as the sole distributive agency for Latin American Literary Review Press. The distributed series includes English translations, literary criticism, and bilingual creative writing relating to Latin American literature, expanding Bilingual Press’s role beyond its own publishing list.

• 1986

  Relocation and integration with Arizona State University’s Hispanic Research CenterStrategy

  Background

  The press had previously operated through several academic institutions in New York State. Gary D. Keller’s move to Arizona State University and the creation of its Hispanic Research Center provided a new institutional base.

  Action taken

  Bilingual Review Press moved its operations to Arizona State University in Tempe and operated as an autonomous entity associated with the Hispanic Research Center.

  Aftermath

  The relocation gave the press a continuing university setting and access to institutional support services while preserving its specialist publishing mission.

  Source

• 1980

  Distribution partnership with Latin American Literary Review PressStrategy

  Background

  Latin American Literary Review Press was established as a specialist series for translations, criticism, and bilingual creative writing on Latin American literature.

  Action taken

  Bilingual Press became the sole distribution agency for the series and its related publications.

  Aftermath

  The arrangement broadened Bilingual Press’s catalogue and distribution role beyond books issued directly under its own imprint.

  Source

1. 1Bilingual Review Pressen.wikipedia.org
2. 2Bilingual Press official websitebilingualpress.clas.asu.edu