Lyle Hugh Munson (c. 1918 – November 1, 1973) was an American intelligence agent and then, later, a book publisher and distributor under the corporate name The Bookmailer, Inc.. Based in the New York area, his company was known particularly for offering anti-communist and right-wing works. Robert W. Welch Jr., the head of the John Birch Society, considered him a "good friend".

Biography

He was born Lyle Hugh Munson[1] to Ruth Munson. He had a brother, David.[2]

Intelligence

Munson worked for the Office of Strategic Services starting in 1940,[3][2] and in the CIA's[2] psychological warfare division. In 1949, he testified before the Senate Internal Security Subcommittee.[4] He stopped being an intelligence agent in 1951.[2] He was involved in the case of diplomat John Paton Davies Jr. and his 1954 dismissal. After leaving the CIA, he became president of the Swen Publications Company.[2]

Bookmailer

Munson was the head of The Bookmailer, a small right-wing publishing house.[2] During the 29 years of its existence, Bookmailer published around fifty books on its own,[5] in addition to distributing books published by small publishers. They were based in New York City, changing offices after an April 18, 1961, burglary.[6] In 1964, they moved to Linden, New Jersey.[7][8] The company was 20% owned by P. C. Beezley. Sales circa 1960 were about 200,000 volumes per year,[1] and grew to around 2 million in 1961 off of a wave of interest in anti-communist material.[9] Employees included Herbert Romerstein.[10] Munson was editor of Bookmailer's publication "For the Skeptic", which was a collection of readings aimed to "help you to understand the mechanics of the Communist spy apparatus and its successes"; this was promoted by the John Birch Society.[2]

Robert W. Welch Jr., the head of the John Birch Society, considered him a "good friend", appreciating his publishing of anti-communist material.[2]

According to Russell Kirk, Bookmailer advertising was turned down by conservative journal Modern Age because his advertising agent had a Jewish name.[11]

Books published

Personal life

Munson and his wife, Anne, moved from New Jersey to Mattoon, Illinois less than a year before his death. After he passed, Anne started her own by-mail bookselling operation, Munson Books.[5] They had two children.[2]

Death

Munson died November 1, 1973, at the age of 55. He retired shortly before his death.[2]

References

  1. ^ a b c Beezley v. Commissioner, 27 T.C.M. 1015 (T.C. September 19, 1968).
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j "Lyle H. Munson, 55, Publisher Of Right-Wing Books, Is Dead". The New York Times. November 2, 1973. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved February 6, 2025.
  3. ^ Kahn, Ely Jacques (1976). The China Hands: America's Foreign Service Officers and what Befell Them. Penguin Books. ISBN 9780140043013.
  4. ^ Life-Lines, volume 14, 1972
  5. ^ a b Smith, Linda (January 8, 1976). "Widow starts business, takes newspaper route". Journal Gazette. Retrieved June 30, 2020.
  6. ^ The Weekly Crusader, volume 3 (1962) page 14
  7. ^ Publishers Weekly, Volume 186 (1964) page 59
  8. ^ a b Tactics, Volume 6, Issue 9, 20 September 1969
  9. ^ Knebel, Fletcher (December 17, 1961). "Big Boom in the Publishing World: Anti-Red Books are Best-Sellers". Des Moines Register.
  10. ^ a b "Herbert Romerstein (RIP)".
  11. ^ Imaginative Conservatism: The Letters of Russell Kirk
  12. ^ "No Army - No Navy - No Air Force". The Star (Port St. Joe, Florida). April 5, 1962. Retrieved June 30, 2020.
  13. ^ Michael, George (January 21, 2010). "Blueprints and Fantasies: A Review and Analysis of Extremist Fiction". Studies in Conflict & Terrorism. 33 (2): 149–170. doi:10.1080/10576100903488451. ISSN 1057-610X.
  14. ^ The Blue Book of The John Birch Society (Fifth Edition) By Robert Welch
  15. ^ Congressional Record
Allikas: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bookmailer
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