author
Paul M. (Paul Merrick) Hollister
1890–1970
A writer with one foot in history and the other in modern media, he moved from journalism and advertising into books that made American design, architecture, and wartime intrigue feel vivid and accessible. His work ranges from colonial houses and lettering to a study of German espionage in the United States during World War I.
2 Audiobooks
Famous Colonial Houses
by Paul M. (Paul Merrick) Hollister
The German Secret Service in America 1914-1918
by John Price Jones, Paul M. (Paul Merrick) Hollister
About the author
Born in 1890, Paul Merrick Hollister was an American author and advertising executive whose career crossed journalism, design, publishing, radio, and film publicity. Early in his career he wrote for The Harvard Crimson, and later he worked with major advertising and entertainment organizations including H. K. McCann, Batten, Barton, Durstine & Osborn, Columbia Broadcasting System, and RKO Pictures.
As a writer, Hollister showed a wide curiosity about American culture and visual style. His books include Famous Colonial Houses and American Alphabets, the latter reflecting his interest in lettering and book design. He also wrote The German Secret Service in America: 1914-1918, bringing together his historical interests and his skill for telling a lively nonfiction story.
He died in 1970. Taken together, his work suggests a versatile man who was comfortable both behind the scenes in media and on the page, explaining architecture, typography, and history for general readers.