lecturas de fin de semana [ 21 ] / 'the generous millionaire who saved "granta"'

Hoy es festivo en Catalunya y decido reproducir un texto que tenía ganas de poner en mis lecturas de fin de semana desde hace un par de meses pero que siempre terminaba desplazando porque se me atravesaban documentos sobre coyunturas específicas que si no publicaba en ese momento habría tenido que descartar porque al cabo de unos días perderían su importancia como tema de discusión —aunque no su vigencia—. Aprovechando la reciente publicación de la segunda versión del volumen Best of Young American Novelists —a la cual me referí hace un par de meses—, reproduzco un reportaje que hizo el semanario británico The Observer en 2005 acerca tanto de las razones que llevaron a la millonaria sueca Sigrid Rausing a comprar la revista y editorial Granta, como de los cambios que ha sufrido tras el cambio de dueños una de las publicaciones más importantes en el campo de la narrativa contemporánea.

Sin lugar a dudas la compra de Granta por parte de Sigrid Rausing plantea una reflexión con respecto al cambio de status de publicaciones independientes con una larga tradición cuando pasan a manos de influyentes conglomerados económicos. Yo sólo espero que en sus futuros números de la revista Granta siga siendo la publicación en la que salgan a la luz autores como Kazuo Ishiguro, Salman Rushdie, Julian Barnes, Ryszard Kapuscinski, Martin Amis, Raymond Carver, Hanif Kureishi, Ian McEwan y Zadie Smith.

The generous millionaire who saved Granta

Her fortune came from milk cartons, and she has already given £60m away. Who is Sigrid Rausing? Mark Townsend and David Smith report

Sunday October 9, 2005
The Observer

When asked to share their three little wishes, most people might mention happiness; the dream home, a decent job. Some will want to fall in love. Sigrid Rausing, one suspects, sets her ambitions a little higher. After all this is a woman intent on helping the starving and bringing peace to the world.

But then again Rausing can afford such lofty goals. Her billionaire father's name regularly appears near the summit of UK rich lists. For her part, Rausing seems content to assume the mantle of one of Britain's most generous philanthropists. She has already distributed £60 million of her money to the less fortunate. Another £12.5m will be given away by her during 2005. Next year it will rise to £15m.

Now, though, she has developed new aspirations; last week the secretive Swede emerged as the new darling of Britain's literati, at the same time joining the long queue of philanthropists who have used their wealth to support the arts.

For Rausing has acquired Granta magazine and its publishing arm, Granta Books, surprising much of the British literary world. The one-time Cambridge University student newspaper famous for launching the careers of writers such as AA Milne, Stevie Smith and the poets Sylvia Plath and Ted Hughes is now owned by one of the richest women in the world. In fact, Rausing may have saved for the nation what is widely regarded as Britain's most cherished literary journal, which although recording a profit of £168,000 last year has struggled on occasion during its 116-year history.

Yet who actually is Rausing? And how exactly could an unassuming 43-year-old Swedish woman with a PhD in Estonian anthropology afford to buy the famous Granta empire?

The answer lies in cardboard milk cartons. Rausing is the heir to the Tetra-Pak packaging phenomenon which her grandfather Ruben invented 53 years ago. It seems remarkable that cartons that could be pulled open at the side would be such a worldwide hit, but hundreds of billions have been sold. Rausing's father Hans himself has a fortune estimated at £4.95 billion after selling his share of the family business to his brother nine years ago.

While her wealth remains undisputed, the debate over her credentials is only just beginning. Is she really the new saviour of UK writing? Or merely the latest example of the rich adopting cultural playthings? Hopes have been buoyed by Rausing's characteristically succinct statement on her purchase of the company for an undisclosed sum, in which she announced that she intended to keep the magazine's 'unrivalled' position as a showcase for new writing.

Yesterday, those asked for the views on Granta's new proprietor admitted they had never heard of her. But all welcomed Rausing with open arms. Author Julian Barnes, shortlisted for the Man Booker Prize, to be awarded tomorrow night, led the tributes. Elsewhere, former judges of the Booker Prize said Britain should encourage more philanthropy into the country, likening Rausing's acquisition of Granta to that of the owner of The New York Book Review, Rea Hederman, and the philanthropists whose funding helped create the artistic climate that led to the flowering of the Renaissance. 'Big philanthropic families have always kept high art afloat and long may it last,' said professor Lisa Jardine of Queen Mary, University of London, a former chairwoman of the Booker Prize judging panel.

She added: 'There are not enough philanthropists keeping the arts afloat in Britain and that's a tragedy. Public funders such as the Arts Council are being cut to the bone and the money is going to sport instead. We need philanthropists and long may they reign.'

Barnes said he too was an admirer of the philanthropy, observing that it was all too rare in publishing. 'I have been an admirer of and contributor to Granta over the years,' he said. 'Granta is a force for good in British letters and one of the few remaining places where you can place a short story in this country. It's very strong editorially and I don't have a bad word to say about it. It's been looking to fall from one benevolent owner to another and that seems to have happened.'

However Barnes admitted that he did not know who Rausing was. It was a view shared by most. When they learn of her secretive lifestyle they will be even more intrigued. Rausing is a most unusual heiress; often spotted without a trace of make-up with her only jewellery a wedding ring, she is variously described as modest and demure. She is also a Swede who has fallen in love with Britain.

For proof one must look no further than her East Sussex rural retreat, discreet summers spent in a 40,000-acre estate in the Scottish Highlands and Aubrey House, near Holland Park, west London, which when bought eight years ago cost £20m but came with an enviably-sized chunk of land.

But it is her charitable giving that stands out - most usually for causes that would shame governments the world over. Burmese refugees, sex-trafficked woman in Albania, slum dwellers in Kenya are all included. As are victims of domestic violence in Dorset.

She is also becoming an increasingly obvious literary presence. Earlier this year Rausing set up the publishing house Portobello Books, with her second husband, Oscar-winning film producer Eric Abraham. To many it is a breath of fresh air, the emphasis on intimacy with its authors and its operating style a counterweight to the cutbacks and 'play it safe' mentality critics say is apparent among bigger rivals. Already fears Granta could be merged with Portobello Books have been dispelled.

Joel Rickett, deputy editor of The Bookseller, said that Granta Books had survived as a beacon for the innovative over the past few years. 'They've kept publishing interesting books but haven't been completely uncommercial, marketing well despite their small resources. It's nice to see them retain their independence with the backing of someone who understands their ethos,' he said.

It is an ethos certain to see the continuation of publishing of the Best Young British Novelists. Among the talents Granta has showcased are Iain Banks, Martin Amis, Monica Ali and Zadie Smith. Thanks to Rausing, thousands will know where to find the next big thing.

Big fortunes, big hearts

The Aga Khan has so much money that he could buy Granta without knowing any of it was missing. But even with a famed line in racehorses, the spiritual head of Ismaili Islam gives a huge amount his fortune away. As well as funding causes in the developing world, he is a passionate patron of Islamic art and literature.

Before he got very, very rich, Sir Tom Farmer was better known for spare tyres than spare cash. But the self-made multi-millionaire founder of Kwik-Fit has been a major contributor to causes ranging from education schemes to tsunami relief, alongside important artistic projects. He chairs the Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme and heads the New York Museum of Modern art.