anche ▁was ▁known ▁to ▁as ▁a ▁super b ▁editor , ▁Alfred ▁was ▁always ▁interested ▁in ▁more ▁of ▁the ▁sales ▁side ▁than ▁in ▁editing . ▁ ▁Kn opf ▁also ▁published ▁many ▁American ▁authors , ▁including ▁Con rad ▁A iken , ▁James ▁Bald win , ▁James ▁M . ▁C ain , ▁The odore ▁Dre iser , ▁Sh ir ley ▁Ann ▁Gra u , ▁D ashi ell ▁Hamm ett , ▁Lang ston ▁Hugh es , ▁V ach el ▁L inds ay , ▁H . L . ▁Men cken , ▁George ▁Jean ▁Nathan , ▁John ▁Up di ke , ▁and ▁Kn opf ' s ▁own ▁favorite , ▁W illa ▁C ather . ▁From ▁ 1 9 2 4 ▁to ▁ 1 9 3 4 , ▁he ▁published ▁the ▁famous ▁literary ▁magazine ▁founded ▁by ▁Men cken ▁and ▁Nathan , ▁The ▁American ▁Mercur y . ▁He ▁often ▁developed ▁a ▁personal ▁friendship ▁with ▁his ▁authors . ▁Kn opf ' s ▁personal ▁interest ▁in ▁the ▁fields ▁of ▁history , ▁soci ology , ▁and ▁science ▁led ▁to ▁close ▁friend ships ▁in ▁the ▁academic ▁community ▁with ▁such ▁noted ▁histor ians ▁as ▁Richard ▁Hof stad ter , ▁Arthur ▁Schles inger , ▁Jr ., ▁and ▁Samuel ▁Eli ot ▁Mor ison . ▁A ▁prominent ▁Republican ▁until ▁Water gate , ▁Kn opf ▁often ▁drew ▁legisl ators ▁into ▁length y ▁correspond ence ▁by ▁mail . ▁He ▁was ▁also ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁Pe ab ody ▁Awards ▁Board ▁of ▁Jur ors ▁from ▁ 1 9 4 0 ▁to ▁ 1 9 4 6 . ▁ ▁Kn opf ▁himself ▁was