The Man Behind the Press, Floyd Pearce

Floyd worked as a bookbinder for the Cardoza Bookbinding Company in San Francisco for 15 years. In about 1960, he set up a printing shop (letterpress) in the basement of his home in San Francisco and started printing books at his Pterodactyl Press. The Press primarily publishes modern poetry. He studied the many fine books in the Special Collections at the San Francisco Library and the Bancroft Library in Berkeley. His mentors were Bob Grabhorn and Valenti Angelo, and other fine printers in the Bay Area.

Awards include:
Best Book of Poetry by a Pacific Coast Poet for "King of the Golden River", by William Dickey;
Award of Merit, Honor Book, Chicago Book Clinic for "Joy", by William Dickey
Award of Merit, Honor Book, Chicago Book Clinic for "Himmler Files" by W. D. Snodgrass
Three Pushcart Prizes

Numerous newspaper articles and feature articles in "Iowan Magazine" and "Country Living".

Books from the Press have been reviewed by: "Poetry (Chicago)", "New England Review", "Wall Street Journal", "San Francisco Examiner", "Des Moines Register", "San Jose Call-Bulletin", etc.

The Pterodactyl Press is listed in numerous publishing resource books; Floyd’s listings include: "Who’s Who in U. S. Editors, Writers and Poets", the "International Who’s Who in Literature", and the forthcoming "Who’s Who in Publishing".

Michael Carey, Ann Struthers, James Hearst and Dennis Hansen have been published in the Press’ Iowa Poets Series.

The Press has published books by several Pulitzer and National Book Award recipients. These include: Mona Van Duyn, W. D. Snodgrass, William Dickey.

Floyd edited 2 books of oral interviews of farm laborers: "Hired Hands books One and Two". The project was undertaken by the Hired Hands Committee in Cumberland, Iowa. Partial funding was by Humanities Iowa and the National Endowment for the Humanities. The interviews cover technical, social and economic conditions in the rural Midwest for almost the entire 20th century. Humanities Iowa awarded the project a Citation of Merit.

Floyd researches, writes and publishes local history. His principal interests are the Iowa Underground Railroad, Mormon Trails, and early settlements in southwest Iowa.

Floyd's most recent publications include his first children's book [letterpress], "Marcel and the Dirtball" - story by Anne Ellis and wood blocks by Monica Leo, and a 100 page spiral bound rhubarb cookbook. A Christmas booklet [laser printer] by Mary Swander is underway. To see what other publications the press has made, visit the Booklist

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