Touched with Fire

John Tebbel was a journalist, educator, and media historian whose major work chronicled the history of American book publishing from the colonial era to the late 20th century. A newspaperman by training, Mr. Tebbel worked in nearly every aspect of publishing, as a reporter, journalism professor, magazine and book editor, historical novelist and the author of more than two dozen nonfiction books. A former chairman of New York University's journalism department, he was also the first director of the university's Graduate Institute of Book Publishing, founded in 1958. Tebbel’s best-known work was "A History of Book Publishing in the United States" (Bowker), a 20-year undertaking published in four volumes from 1972 to 1980. His other books include "An American Dynasty: The Story of the McCormicks, Medills and Pattersons" (1947), "The Life and Good Times of William Randolph Hearst" (1952), "The American Magazine: A Compact History" (1969) and the novels "Touched With Fire" (1952) and "A Voice in the Streets" (1954).