About Frontlist

Opening on the web in April 1997, Frontlist Books started as an online-only bookshop dedcated to providing the best access to and information about new scholarly books in the humanities and social sciences along with new titles of literary merit. Founded by Marc Brodsky, then Sales Manager at Duke University Press and backed by a career in the book business that began in 1975 at the Harvard Bookstore, Frontlist grew out of a desire to provide a fine scholarly shop to those who no longer had the opportunity to visit one in their own community.

From 1997 to 2002 Frontlist focused on presenting the best new books in literary and cultural studies, feminist theory, cinema studies, queer theory, gay and lesbian studies, and related fields. The shop served a dedicated clientele that had come to rely on Frontlist for timely information about the most interesting books in these fields as they were due to be published.

In September 2002, after months of planning, Frontlist launched a new joint website with a new partner, the Seminary Co-op Bookstores of Chicago. As one of the few remaining and premier brick and mortar scholarly bookshops, it seemed a logical pairing. Seminary needed an improved web presence, while Frontlist customers would potentially benefit from the books--over 100,000 at any given time--on the shelves at Seminary. Books could ship more quickly; Frontlist, still a one-person shop, could get out of the shipping business.

With the partnership ending at the end of September 2004, Frontlist was again on its own.Although Frontlist's primary focus was still on scholarly and literary titles, its association with Seminary had allowed it to offer a full range of books to its customers. The Fall of 2004 proved to be difficult for Frontlist as it tried to maintain the integrity of its database (a mixed blessing of an inheritance from its partnership with Seminary) while continuing to offer the best in customer service to its customers. By January 2005 it became clear that this was not possible under the current scheme. Looking at book records one at a time, both as part of a selection process and a classification process was no longer tenable . . . and hadn't been for some time. The decision was made to close for six weeks beginning on February 1 and to undertake the task of providing a new way to bring new book information into the system and to update current records-- to automate the process while still maintaining as much control as possible over what is offered at the site and providing as much information as possible about the books that remain the focus of the site. this is a big job for such a small shop.

On March 24, 2005, Frontlist reopens, again primarily a one-person shop committed to presenting the best new books to a scholarly audience, as well as serving that community's need, and that of other readers, for more general titles. My commitment remains that of offering an e-commerce option that is both personal and direct, supported by almost 30 years expertise in all aspects of the book business. The site itself offers powerful options for both finding what you want as well as seeing titles of interest about which you do not yet know. It offers navigational options unmatched at other booksites.

I hope you enjoy your visit and want to come back.

Thanks very much.

Frontlist Books

Web Site Designed by Affordable Web Design
Minneapolis Web Design