Harlin Quist

Harlin Quist (died May 13, 2000, age 69) born Harlin Bloomquist was a publisher noted for innovative children's books.

Harlin was born and raised in Virginia, Minnesota, attended Carnegie Tech and began his career in 1958 as an off-Broadway actor and producer. His 1959 production of Chekhov's Ivanov won four Obie awards. He also worked at Crowell-Collier and Dell Publishing until striking out on his own in 1965.

Harlin Quist Books published over sixty children’s books between 1966-1984 in the US and through a partnership in France. He gave the start to some notable authors and illustrators, including Guillermo Mordillo, Albert Cullum, Guy Billout, Nicole Claveloux and Patrick Couratin. These books were praised for their wild, psychedelic illustrations and plots. In 1981 he won a National Book Award for cover design.

In the 1980s he returned to theater and rehabilitated the NorShor Theatre, an Art Deco movie theater in Duluth, Minnesota.