Harper (publisher)
James Harper and his brother John started their book publishing business in New York City in 1817. They called the firm J. & J. Harper. Both men were printers by training before they became publishers. Their two brothers, Joseph Wesley and Fletcher, joined them in the mid-1820s. The company changed its name to Harper & Brothers in 1833. This new name reflected the inclusion of all four siblings in the partnership. The headquarters sat at 331 Pearl Street facing Franklin Square in Lower Manhattan. That location stood near what is now the Manhattan approach to the Brooklyn Bridge.
Harper & Brothers began publishing Harper's New Monthly Magazine in New York City in 1850. The brothers also launched Harper's Weekly starting in June 1857. Harper's Bazar appeared on the 2nd of November 1867, while Harper's Young People arrived in 1879. George B. M. Harvey became president of Harper's on the 16th of November 1899. Harper's New Monthly Magazine ultimately became Harper's Magazine. It is now published by the Harper's Magazine Foundation. Harper's Weekly was absorbed by The Independent in 1916. That publication later merged with The Outlook in 1928. Harper's Bazar sold to William Randolph Hearst in 1913. It became Harper's Bazaar and is now simply Bazaar under the Hearst Corporation.
In 1962, Harper & Brothers merged with Row, Peterson & Company to become Harper & Row. Harper's religion publishing moved to San Francisco and became Harper San Francisco in 1977. This unit is now known as HarperOne. Harper & Row acquired Thomas Y. Crowell Co. during the 1970s. They also purchased J. B. Lippincott & Co. that same decade. Crowell and the trade operations of Lippincott merged into Harper & Row in 1980. In 1988, Harper & Row purchased the religious publisher Zondervan. That deal included its subsidiary Marshall Pickering. Cass Canfield joined Harper & Brothers in 1924 and held various executive positions until he died in 1986. Eugene F. Saxton arrived as an editor in 1925. He published many well-known authors including Edna St. Vincent Millay and Thornton Wilder. Edward Aswell moved to Harper & Brothers as assistant editor in 1935. He eventually became editor-in-chief and persuaded Thomas Wolfe to leave Scribner's.
Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation acquired Harper & Row in 1987. The company then bought William Collins, Sons in 1990. The names of these two national publishing houses combined along with their respective icons. Harper & Row used a torch icon while Collins used a fountain icon. This union created HarperCollins. The company has since expanded its international reach through further acquisitions. The Harper imprint began being used in place of HarperCollins in 2007. After the purchase by News Corporation, HarperCollins launched a new mass-market paperback line. It was known as Harper Paperbacks from 1990 to 2000. The name changed to HarperTorch from 2000 to 2006. It became simply Harper from 2007 to the present day.
Harper has published many significant authors throughout its history. Mark Twain appeared on their list of notable writers. Harper Lee also found a home at this house. E. B. White contributed works that remain widely read today. Other famous names include Agatha Christie and Arthur Conan Doyle. Aldous Huxley and Herman Melville were part of their catalog. Laura Ingalls Wilder wrote stories for young readers here. Maurice Sendak illustrated books for children under this imprint. Shel Silverstein published poetry collections with them. Martin Luther King Jr. released writings through these pages. Barbara Kingsolver and Ursula K. Le Guin added modern voices. Richard Wright and Thornton Wilder shaped American literature. Zane Grey and Howard Pyle brought adventure to readers. Margaret Wise Brown created beloved children's classics. Gwendolyn Brooks and James Baldwin enriched the literary landscape.
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Common questions
When did James Harper and his brother John start their book publishing business in New York City?
James Harper and his brother John started their book publishing business in New York City in 1817. They called the firm J. & J. Harper before adding two other brothers to the partnership.
What magazines did Harper & Brothers launch during the late 19th century?
Harper & Brothers launched Harper's New Monthly Magazine in 1850, Harper's Weekly starting in June 1857, Harper's Bazar on the 2nd of November 1867, and Harper's Young People in 1879. These publications established the company as a major media force in New York City.
How did Harper & Row become part of HarperCollins under Rupert Murdoch?
Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation acquired Harper & Row in 1987 and subsequently bought William Collins, Sons in 1990. The names of these two national publishing houses combined along with their respective icons to create HarperCollins.
Which famous authors have published works through Harper or its imprints?
Harper has published many significant authors including Mark Twain, Harper Lee, E. B. White, Agatha Christie, Arthur Conan Doyle, Aldous Huxley, Herman Melville, Laura Ingalls Wilder, Maurice Sendak, Shel Silverstein, Martin Luther King Jr., Barbara Kingsolver, Ursula K. Le Guin, Richard Wright, Thornton Wilder, Zane Grey, Howard Pyle, Margaret Wise Brown, Gwendolyn Brooks, and James Baldwin.
What happened to Harper's Weekly after it was absorbed by The Independent in 1916?
Harper's Weekly was absorbed by The Independent in 1916 and that publication later merged with The Outlook in 1928. This sequence marked the end of Harper's direct ownership of the weekly magazine title.