Who founded Ballantine Books?
Ballantine Books was founded in 1952 by Ian Ballantine and his wife, Betty Ballantine. Ian Ballantine had previously helped start Bantam Books before launching Ballantine on his own.
Questions about Ballantine Books
Short answers, pulled from the story.
What was the first book published by Ballantine Books?
The first book published by Ballantine Books was Cameron Hawley's Executive Suite in 1952. Ballantine released it as a 35 cent paperback the same day Houghton Mifflin released a $3.00 hardcover edition.
Why did Ballantine Books compete with Ace Books over Tolkien?
Ballantine Books and Ace Books competed in the early 1960s for the paperback rights to J. R. R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings. Ballantine won the fight after printing a back cover message from Tolkien urging readers to buy its edition and boycott Ace's unauthorized version.
How many copies did Ballantine Books sell of its Star Wars novelization?
Ballantine Books sold 3.5 million copies of its 1976 Star Wars novelization in the first three months alone. The book, ghostwritten by Alan Dean Foster and credited to George Lucas, reached shelves before the film itself.
Who owns Ballantine Books today?
Ballantine Books is a subsidiary of the German media conglomerate Bertelsmann. Random House acquired Ballantine in 1973, and Bertelsmann acquired Random House in 1998.
What awards has Ballantine Books won?
Ballantine Books has won the Locus Award for Best Publisher multiple times. It won the inaugural award and 12 further Locus wins in the years since.