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Barthold Fles (February 7, 1902 – December 19, 1989) was a Dutch-American literary agent, author, translator, editor and publisher.〔Bleiler EF: ''The Guide to Supernatural Fiction'', page 189. Kent, Ohio: Kent State University Press, 1983.〕 Among his many clients were Elias Canetti, Raymond Loewy, Heinrich Mann, Joseph Roth, Felix Salten, Ignazio Silone, Bruno Walter and Arnold Zweig. ==Life and career== Barthold "Bart" Fles was born in Amsterdam into an assimilating Jewish family. His father, Louis Fles, was a successful businessman and an activist against religion. Barthold had a tense relationship with his father, who wanted him into his business, while the young Fles was mostly interested in reading. Barthold read in Dutch, German, English, and French, anytime and at a tremendous pace. He did study business at a vocational school and found employment at De Lange publishers. In 1923 he left for the United States.〔 In New York Fles found temporary employment as a violinist, painting apartments, selling vacuum cleaners and working for publishers.〔Spoor Andrew: (Een literaire vroedvrouw; Briefwisseling van Heinrich Mann en zijn Amerikaanse uitgever ) (English: A literary midwife; Letter exchange of Heinrich Mann and his American Publisher). ''NRC Handelsblad'' 1994-05-06. Accessed 2008-07-15.〕 In 1933, he established a literary agency in Manhattan, New York. Initially many of his clients were German refugees and other foreign authors.〔Rietra M: "Muß man dann immer postwendend Geld senden um überhaubt mit Ihnen verkehren zu können? Joseph Roth und Barthold Fles in Briefen", in Onderdelinden S: "Interbellum un Exil", page 199. Rodopi Publishers, 1991.〕〔Ester, H: ("Correspondentie Heinrich Mann-Barthold Fles: Soms waait er een gure wind uit de brieven, dan kan er geen groet vanaf" ), ''Trouw'', September 30, 1993〕 He organized evenings for these authors in New York, in order to get them acquainted with the American book market.〔Groth, M: "The Road to New York: The Emigration of Berlin Journalists, 1933-1945", page 248. K. G. Saur, 1988.〕 From the 1940s onwards, however, most of his clientele was from the United States.〔Cazden, R: "German Exile Literature in America, 1933-1950", page 147. American Library Association, 1970.〕 In 1936 Barthold married Ruth Grünwald, a dancer at the Metropolitan Opera who had been just one year in the United States. Ruth assisted Barthold at his literary agency. Later she left him. Fles was a special figure in the lives of many of his clients. He kept closely in touch, encouraged his authors to concentrate on their art, and arranged fellowships with literary funds.〔 Still, some clients moved on to larger agencies, or were later represented by publishing houses, lawyers, or by themselves, often after long relationships. An exception was Anaïs Nin who left him soon after she joined his client circle, citing unorganized business conduct as a reason.〔Nin A: Fire. Harvest ,1996. ISBN 978-0-15-600390-2.〕 "Bonjour, friend, and good-bye, literary agent", she wrote to him.〔 In biographical notes on Fles, however, she stated that he had refused to take on her boyfriend Henry Miller.〔 Miller himself also had hard feelings, calling Fles dishonest and part of the publishing establishment. Fles was influential during several decades in getting blacklisted authors published.〔 Although he had no children of his own, Barthold Fles wrote two juvenile books: ''Slavonic rhapsody: the life of Antonín Dvořák'' (1948) under the pseudonym Jan van Straaten (Van Straaten being his mother's maiden name), and ''East Germany'' (1973). He also wrote introductions to compilations and many articles and translated several books from German to English. Among the translations was another children's book, Bambi's Children by Felix Salten.〔Lewis Buell E: (A Fine Sequel to That Modern Classic, "Bambi" ). ''New York Times'' December 3, 1939: BR105.〕 His non-fictional writings and his translations received considerable praise, except for his book on Germany. This book was clearly outside his (music and literature) expertise and sealed his writing for publication, set aside an intro to ''More by Dell Shannon'' (1982) by his prolific client Elizabeth Linington.〔Shannon, D (Linington, E): "More by Shannon". Doubleday, 1982.〕 In 1986, at the age of 84, Fles closed his agency. Subsequently he returned to his native Netherlands,〔"Agent Barthold Fles to retire to artists' colony near Amsterdam." Publishers Weekly 228 (Nov. 29, 1985): p. 14〕 where he spent his last three years in Laren's Rosa Spier home for retired artists.〔〔"Barthold Fles (Obituary)". Publishers Weekly 237 (Jan 12, 1990): 19.〕 At Rosa Spier he was approached by Madeleine Rietra, a Dutch expert on German literature, who posthumously published his letter exchange with clients Joseph Roth (bookchapter in 1991)〔 and Heinrich Mann (book in 1993),〔Heinrich Mann: "Briefwechsel mit Barthold Fles". Aufbau, 1993.〕 along with commentaries and biographical notes. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Barthold Fles」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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