Prometheus Books
{{short description|American publishing company}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2024}} {{Use American English|date=February 2024}}
{{Infobox publisher
| image =
| parent company =
| founded = {{Start date and age|1969}}
| founder = Paul Kurtz
| status = Active
| distribution =
| topics = Skeptical literature, atheism
| genre =
| country = United States
| headquarters = Amherst, New York
| url = {{URL|http://prometheusbooks.com}}
| imprints = Humanity Books (for academic works in the humanities)
| parent = Rowman & Littlefield
| keypeople = Jonathan Kurtz, President
}}
Prometheus Books is a publishing company founded in August 1969 by the philosopher Paul Kurtz (who was also the founder of the Council for Secular Humanism, Center for Inquiry, and co-founder of the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry).{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2012/10/24/nyregion/paul-kurtz-humanist-and-philosopher-dead-at-86.html|title=Paul Kurtz, Humanist and Philosopher, Dead at 86|last=Weber|first=Bruce|date=2012-10-23|work=The New York Times|access-date=2019-08-22|language=en-US|issn=0362-4331}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/02/us/02beliefs.html|title=Rift at Humanist Center Reveals a Deeper Division|last=Oppenheimer|first=Mark|date=2010-10-01|work=The New York Times|access-date=2019-08-22|language=en-US|issn=0362-4331}} The publisher's name was derived from Prometheus, the Titan from Greek mythology who stole fire from Zeus and gave it to man. This act is often used as a metaphor for bringing knowledge or enlightenment.{{Cite journal|last=Pyne|first=Stephen J.|date=2016-06-05|title=Fire in the mind: changing understandings of fire in Western civilization|journal=Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences|volume=371|issue=1696|pages=20150166|doi=10.1098/rstb.2015.0166|issn=0962-8436|pmc=4874404|pmid=27216523}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.prometheusbooks.com/#About|title=Prometheus Books|website=www.prometheusbooks.com|access-date=2019-08-22}}
Prometheus Books publishes a range of books, focusing on topics such as science, freethought, secularism, humanism, and skepticism. It has published in the "atheism" category since its founding in 1969, and is considered the "grandfather" of atheist publishing in America.{{Cite web|url=https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/industry-news/religion/article/56789-atheists-the-next-generation-unbelief-moves-further-into-the-mainstream.html|title=Atheists, the Next Generation: Unbelief Moves Further into the Mainstream|last=Winston|first=Kimberly|date=April 12, 2013|website=Publishers Weekly|access-date=August 22, 2019}}
Their headquarters is located in Amherst, New York, and they publish worldwide. Jonathan Kurtz was an executive editor of Prometheus.{{cite magazine |last=Frazier |first=Kendrick |author-link=Kendrick Frazier|date=May–June 2020 |title=Promethus Unbound: Publisher of Skeptic, Freethought Books Enters a New Phase |magazine=Skeptical Inquirer |location=Amherst, New York |publisher=Center for Inquiry |volume=44 |issue=3 |pages=6–9}} Rowman & Littlefield acquired Prometheus Books in 2019.
The publisher has roughly 1,700 books currently in print,{{Cite web|url=https://rowman.com/Page/RLPROM19|title=Rowman & Littlefield Acquires Prometheus Books |website=Rowman & Littlefield |access-date=2019-08-22 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200118021052/https://rowman.com/Page/RLPROM19 |archive-date= Jan 18, 2020 }} and publishes approximately 95–100 books per year.{{Cite web|url=https://www.glassdoor.com/Overview/Working-at-Prometheus-Books-EI_IE28555.11,27.htm|title=Working at Prometheus Books|website=Glassdoor|language=en|access-date=2019-08-22}} Since its founding, Prometheus Books has published more than 2,500 books.{{Cite web|url=https://www.authorspublish.com/prometheus-books-accepting-submissions/|title= Prometheus Books: Accepting Submissions |publisher=Authors Publish|language=en-US|access-date=2019-08-22}}
Imprints
Prometheus Books obtained the bulk of the books and manuscripts of Humanities Press International in 1998.{{cite web|url=http://www.iheu.org/node/976|title=Prometheus Books: Spreading Freethought Worldwide|date=2003-11-01|publisher=International Humanist and Ethical Union|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120207140615/http://www.iheu.org/node/976|archive-date=2012-02-07|access-date=2008-10-09}}{{Cite web|url=https://buffalonews.com/1999/05/30/buffalos-brainy-publishing-house-prometheus-books-has-achieved-worldwide-renown-in-its-niche/|title=BUFFALO'S BRAINY PUBLISHING HOUSE PROMETHEUS BOOKS HAS ACHIEVED WORLDWIDE RENOWN IN ITS NICHE|date=1999-05-30|website=The Buffalo News|language=en-us|access-date=2019-08-22}} It has been building and expanding this into a scholarly imprint named Humanity Books. This imprint publishes academic works across a wide spectrum of the humanities and is now distributed by the academic division of Rowman & Littlefield.{{Cite web|url=https://lunch.publishersmarketplace.com/2019/06/people-etc-987/|title=People, Etc.|last=Somers|first=Erin|date=2019-06-19|website=Publishers Lunch|language=en-US|access-date=2019-08-22}}
In March 2005, Prometheus Books launched the science fiction and fantasy imprint Pyr.{{Cite web|url=https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/industry-news/industry-deals/article/78564-prometheus-sells-fiction-imprints-to-start-publishing.html|title=Prometheus Sells Fiction Imprints to Start Publishing |last=Milliot|first=Jim |website=Publishers Weekly |date=November 12, 2018|access-date=August 22, 2019}} In October 2012 it launched the crime fiction imprint Seventh Street Books.{{Cite web|url=https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/industry-news/bea/article/73845-bookexpo-2017-seventh-street-books-marks-fifth-anniversary.html|title=BookExpo 2017: Seventh Street Books Marks Fifth Anniversary|last=Patrick|first=Diane|date=June 1, 2017|website=www.publishersweekly.com|access-date=2019-08-22}} In 2018, it sold both imprints.{{Cite web|url=https://locusmag.com/2018/11/prometheus-sells-pyr-imprint/|title=Prometheus Sells Pyr Imprint|last=locusmag|date=2018-11-12|website=Locus Online|language=en-US|access-date=2019-08-22}}
Lawsuits
Prometheus has been involved in two "major libel lawsuits."{{Cite web|url=https://skepticalinquirer.org/history-of-csicop/|title=History of CSICOP {{!}} Skeptical Inquirer|last=Kreidler|first=Marc|date=2019-02-04|language=en-US|access-date=2019-08-22}} In 1992 Uri Geller sued Victor J. Stenger and Prometheus Books for libel over his book Physics and Psychics.{{Cite book|title=Physics and psychics : the search for a world beyond the senses|last=Stenger, Victor J., 1935-2014.|date=1990|publisher=Prometheus Books|isbn=087975575X|location=Buffalo, N.Y.|oclc=22207643}} The suit was dismissed and Geller was required to pay more than $20,000 in costs to the defendant.{{cite web | url = http://www.csicop.org/articles/uri_dis.html | title = Uri Geller Libel Suit Dismissed | access-date = 2006-12-08 | author = Geller, Uri | work = Committee for Skeptical Inquiry | quote = Self proclaimed "psychic" Uri Geller had to dismiss a multi-million dollar libel suit and has to pay over $20,000 in sanctions in an action he brought against skeptical book publisher Prometheus Books of Amherst, New York. |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20061205032721/http://www.csicop.org/articles/uri_dis.html |archive-date = 2006-12-05}} Geller also sued Prometheus for publishing The Truth About Uri Geller {{Cite book|title=The truth about Uri Geller|date=1982|publisher=Prometheus Books|author1=Randi, James.|isbn=0879751991|edition= Rev.|location=Buffalo, N.Y.|oclc=9164994}} by James Randi, a book that he said was defamatory.{{Cite book|url=https://archive.org/details/exuberantskeptic0000kurt|url-access=registration|page=[https://archive.org/details/exuberantskeptic0000kurt/page/193 193]|quote=prometheus books lawsuit uri geller.|title=Exuberant Skepticism|last=Kurtz|first=Paul|date=2010-10-29|publisher=Prometheus Books|isbn=9781615929702|language=en}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.tricksterbook.com/ArticlesOnline/CSICOPoverview.htm|title=CSICOP and the Skeptics: An Overview by George P. Hansen|website=www.tricksterbook.com|access-date=2019-08-22}}
Book series
- Contemporary Issues in Philosophy Series
- Great Books in Philosophy
- Great Minds Series
- Thomas Taylor Series
Partnerships and sale
In 2013 Prometheus Books partnered with Random House in an effort to increase sales and distribution.{{cite web|url=http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2013/01/15/prometheus-books-is-partnering-up-with-random-house-publisher-services/|title=Prometheus Books is Partnering Up with Random House Publisher Services|last1=Mehta|first1=Hemant|author-link1=Hemant Mehta|date=15 January 2013|website=The Friendly Atheist|publisher=Pantheos Press|access-date=31 August 2013}}
In 2019, it was acquired by Rowman & Littlefield,{{Cite web|url=https://buffalonews.com/2019/06/26/amhersts-prometheus-books-sold-to-maryland-based-publisher/|title=Amherst's Prometheus Books sold to Maryland-based publisher|date=2019-06-26|website=The Buffalo News|language=en-us|access-date=2019-08-22}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/industry-news/industry-deals/article/80495-rowman-littlefield-buys-prometheus-books.html|title=Rowman & Littlefield Buys Prometheus Books|website=Publishers Weekly |first1=Jim |last1=Milliot |date=Jun 19, 2019 |language=en|access-date=2019-08-22}} and Random House ceased sales and distribution of its titles as of June 30, 2019. Its building was sold in early 2019 for over $1 million.{{Cite web|url=https://buffalonews.com/2019/03/11/kurtz-family-sells-amherst-building-that-houses-prometheus-books-for-1-1-million/ |url-access=subscription |first1=Stephen T. |last1=Watson |title=Amherst building that houses Prometheus Books sells for $1.1 million|date=2019-03-11|website=The Buffalo News|language=en-us|access-date=2019-08-22 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190822175307/https://buffalonews.com/2019/03/11/kurtz-family-sells-amherst-building-that-houses-prometheus-books-for-1-1-million/ |archive-date= 2019-08-22 }}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{official|http://prometheusbooks.com}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:Book publishing companies based in New York (state)
Category:Companies based in Erie County, New York
Category:Skeptic organizations