Company History
The Hachette Book Group – Two Centuries in the Making
Hachette Book Group (HBG) was created when Hachette Livre, a global publishing company based in France, acquired Time Warner Book Group from Time Warner in 2006. Hachette Livre is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Lagardère, a company that is active worldwide in the areas of communications and media (books, press, audiovisual and distribution/retailing of cultural products).
HBG’s long history dates back to 1826 and it continues to evolve and grow today:
2018
HBG acquires Worthy Publishing, which becomes an imprint of Hachette Nashville (deal closed 9/17/2018). Worthy adds four sub-imprints: Ellie Claire Gifts, Museum of the Bible Books, Worthy Kids/Ideals, and Worthy Inspired. The Hachette Nashville division relocates to Worthy’s offices in Franklin, TN.
2017
HBG acquires a line of titles from Minnesota-based publisher Meadowbrook Press (deal closed 11/6/2017). The titles will be added to the backlist of HBG’s Da Capo Lifelong imprint.
2016
HBG acquires The Perseus Books Group, which becomes the Perseus Books division (deal closed 4/1/2016). Perseus adds five main imprints: Avalon Travel, Basic Books, Da Capo Press, PublicAffairs, and Running Press, as well as offices in Berkeley, CA; Boulder, CO; and Philadelphia, PA.
The Yen Press imprint becomes a joint publishing venture, with Japanese company Kadokawa owning a majority share.
2015
James Patterson launches a new children’s book imprint, jimmy patterson, with the goal of turning kids into lifelong readers. The new jimmy imprint is housed under the Little, Brown and Company division.
Grand Central Life & Style, an imprint of Grand Central Publishing, announces the creation of a new imprint called goop press, an extension of the lifestyle brand founded by Gwyneth Paltrow, to begin publishing in April 2016.
2014
HBG acquires publishing company Black Dog & Leventhal, which becomes an imprint under the Hachette Books division (deal closed 12/31/2014).
A new publishing division called Hachette Books is established on the foundation of the Hyperion list.
Little, Brown and Company announces the creation of a new imprint, Lee Boudreaux Books, which begins publishing in 2015.
2013
Michael Pietsch becomes CEO of Hachette Book Group. (David Young moves to other roles within Hachette Livre).
HBG purchases adult trade publishing imprint Hyperion from The Walt Disney Company (deal closed 7/16/2013).
2012
The Grand Central Publishing division announces the launch of Forever Yours, a new digital-only romance imprint, which begins publishing in February 2012.
The Orbit publishing division announces the creation of Redhook, a new commercial fiction imprint to publish across a range of genres, and in all formats (including digital-only), launching in April 2013.
2011
The Hachette Nashville division announces the creation of a new imprint, Jericho Books, a progressive, non-traditional faith-based imprint, which began publishing in the summer of 2012.
2010
Grand Central Publishing announces the creation of a new practical nonfiction imprint, Grand Central Life & Style, launching in the Fall 2010 season, combining and closing two existing imprints: Springboard Press and Wellness Central.
HBG adopts the agency model of sales: As of April 1, 2010, all ebook titles published by HBG are sold directly to consumers by means of third party agents.
Orbit announces a digital-only short fiction publishing program.
2009
HBG announces the launch of a formal environmental policy in November, one of the strongest and most progressive of any U.S. book publisher, committing the company to dramatically increasing the use of recycled fiber, ending the use of paper that may impact endangered forests, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and a wide range of other initiatives.
HBG launches the Hachette Speakers Bureau (HSB), in association with Greater Talent Network, a leader in the lecture industry.
Little, Brown and Company announces the creation of a new imprint devoted to suspense, thrillers, and crime fiction of all kinds. The imprint, later named Mulholland Books, begins publishing titles in the Spring of 2011.
2008
The company is renamed Hachette Book Group (dropping the USA) and adopts a new corporate logo.
Hachette Book Group Canada, Inc., is established as a subsidiary company to market titles to national accounts in Canada (starting in January 2009). An office in Toronto is opened in September 2008.
The Orbit Division is formed at HBG, comprised of two imprints: the Orbit science fiction and fantasy imprint and the Yen Press graphic novel and manga imprint.
Reagan Arthur Books is created as a new editorial imprint of Little, Brown and Company, to begin publishing in the Fall 2009 season. (The imprint is retired when Reagan Arthur becomes publisher of Little, Brown and Company.)
2007
Warner Books is renamed Grand Central Publishing. Warner Wellness is renamed Wellness Central. Warner Business Books is renamed Business Plus.
Yen Press, a graphic novel and manga imprint, is launched.
Orbit, a science fiction and fantasy imprint, is launched.
2006
David Young becomes chairman & CEO of TWBG; former CEO Larry Kirshbaum retires.
TWBG is acquired by Hachette Livre and renamed Hachette Book Group USA (deal closes 3/31/2006).
Warner Faith is renamed FaithWords. Time Warner Audio Books is renamed Hachette Audio.
2004
Center Street, a heartland-focused imprint, is launched.
2001
Warner Faith, a Christian/inspirational imprint, is launched.
1996
Little, Brown and Company and Warner Books merge to become Time Warner Trade Publishing, later to be renamed Time Warner Book Group (TWBG).
Laurence Kirshbaum is named chairman of Time Warner Trade Publishing.
1992
Little, Brown and Company acquires Macdonald & Co., renames it Little, Brown and Company (UK), and later Time Warner Book Group UK.
1980
Hachette is acquired by Jean-Luc Lagardère.
1970
Warner Communications acquires the Paperback Library and launches Warner Books.
1968
Time Inc. acquires Little, Brown and Company.
1837
Little, Brown and Company is founded.
1826
Louis Hachette founds Hachette.