HarperCollins

HarperCollins is a major publishing house that was formed by the merger of Harper & Row and William Collins, Sons in 1990. The company has a long history, with roots dating back to the early 19th century, when J. and J. Harper and William Collins, Sons were founded in New York City and Glasgow, respectively. Over the years, HarperCollins has published works by renowned authors such as George Orwell, Virginia Woolf, and C.S. Lewis, and has become a leading publisher of fiction and non-fiction books, including titles from HarperOne, Avon Books, and William Morrow and Company. Today, HarperCollins is a subsidiary of News Corp and operates in several countries, including the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, with notable authors like J.K. Rowling, John Grisham, and Neil Gaiman.

History

The history of HarperCollins dates back to 1817, when J. and J. Harper was founded by James Harper and his brother John Harper in New York City. The company published its first book, The New York and Erie Rail Road Guide, in 1851, and went on to publish works by notable authors such as Charles Dickens, Thomas Hardy, and Mark Twain. Meanwhile, William Collins, Sons was founded in Glasgow in 1824 by William Collins (publisher), and published works by authors such as Walter Scott, Robert Louis Stevenson, and H.G. Wells. The two companies merged in 1990 to form HarperCollins, with Rupert Murdoch's News Corp acquiring the company in 1987. HarperCollins has since become a leading publisher of books, with notable imprints like Harper, Collins, and Fourth Estate, and authors like Toni Morrison, Michael Crichton, and Isabel Allende.

Imprints and divisions

HarperCollins has several imprints and divisions, including Harper, Avon Books, William Morrow and Company, and HarperOne, which publish a wide range of books, from fiction and non-fiction to children's books and cookbooks. The company also has a number of international divisions, including HarperCollins Canada, HarperCollins Australia, and HarperCollins New Zealand, which publish books by local authors such as Margaret Atwood, Alice Munro, and Katherine Mansfield. Additionally, HarperCollins has a number of digital imprints, including HarperTeen and HarperImpulse, which publish e-books and other digital content by authors like Suzanne Collins, Veronica Roth, and Cassandra Clare. Other notable imprints include Greenwillow Books, Katherine Tegen Books, and Balzer + Bray, which publish books by authors like Lloyd Alexander, Philip Pullman, and Libba Bray.

Notable publications

HarperCollins has published a number of notable books over the years, including To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien, and The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. The company has also published works by renowned authors such as George Orwell, Virginia Woolf, and C.S. Lewis, as well as more recent bestsellers like The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson, The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah, and The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas. HarperCollins has also published a number of award-winning books, including Pulitzer Prize winners like The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Díaz and The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt, as well as National Book Award winners like The Corrections by Jonathan Franzen and The Round House by Louise Erdrich. Other notable publications include The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood, The Power by Naomi Alderman, and The Poppy War by R.F. Kuang.

Business operations

HarperCollins is a global company with operations in several countries, including the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. The company is headquartered in New York City and is led by Brian Murray (publisher), who has been CEO since 2008. HarperCollins has a number of different business units, including its trade publishing division, which publishes books for the general public, and its HarperCollins Christian Publishing division, which publishes Christian books and Bibles. The company also has a number of digital initiatives, including its HarperCollins Publishers website and its HarperTeen and HarperImpulse digital imprints, which publish e-books and other digital content by authors like John Green, Rainbow Rowell, and Sarah J. Maas. HarperCollins has partnerships with companies like Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Apple, and has a strong presence at book festivals like BookExpo America and London Book Fair.

Controversies and legal issues

HarperCollins has been involved in a number of controversies and legal issues over the years, including a lawsuit with Google over the company's Google Books project, which allows users to search and preview books online. The company has also been criticized for its e-book pricing policies, which some authors and publishers have argued are unfair. In 2011, HarperCollins was involved in a controversy over its decision to limit the number of times that its e-books could be lent by libraries, which some librarians and authors argued would restrict access to books. The company has also faced criticism for its handling of copyright and intellectual property issues, including a lawsuit with Open Road Integrated Media over the rights to publish e-book versions of certain titles. Other notable controversies include the company's involvement in the Hachette Book Group and Amazon dispute, and its response to the Sony hacking scandal. HarperCollins has also been involved in lawsuits with authors like Jeanette Winterson and Donna Tartt over issues like royalties and contract disputes.