Short answers, pulled from the story.
Sir Stanley Unwin purchased a controlling interest in George Allen & Co on the 4th of August 1914. This transaction merged two firms into what became known as George Allen & Unwin.
Rayner S. Unwin and Philip helped their father run the firm for decades. Early leadership relied heavily on family members to maintain operations.
The firm published The Hobbit in 1937 and followed with The Lord of the Rings between 1954 and 1955. These titles transformed the company's reputation globally.
Authors featured included Marx, Trotsky, Freud, and Alan Wood alongside Chinese translations by Arthur Walley. Russian and Indian writers also contributed to this diverse collection.
HarperCollins purchased the firm in 1990 despite objections from Rayner Unwin. He remained the largest shareholder during this controversial sale.
Allen & Unwin refused to publish Silent Invasion due to legal concerns regarding potential targeting by Beijing and its proxies in Australia. This decision highlighted geopolitical tensions affecting local publishing decisions.