Brooks, Paul, 1909-1998

Born in New York City, Paul Brooks received in 1931 his bachelor's degree from Harvard University, where he was the editor of the Harvard Lampoon. Soon after graduation, he became an employee at the publishing company Houghton Mifflin in Boston and remained with the company for 40 years. He was editor-in-chief of Houghton Mifflin's General Book Department from 1943 until his retirement in 1969. He wrote Two Park Street: A Publishing Memoir, containing anecdotes about his experiences editing the works of Rachel Carson, Roger Tory Peterson, Winston Churchill, Arthur Schlesinger Jr., and James Agee, among others. Paul Brooks suggested the title Silent Spring for Rachel Carson's famous book.

In addition to his career as an editor, Brooks was also a prolific author of books and articles. He won the 1965 John Burroughs Medal for his 1964 book Roadless Area.

A passionate environmental activist, Brooks traveled extensively with his wife, Susan (Susie), and took leadership roles in numerous organizations, such as the Sierra Club and Massachusetts Audubon Society. He was asked to lecture all over the United States throughout his career.