Discover the history of publishing
Publishers Weekly has chronicled and shaped the history of book publishing and bookselling for nearly 150 years, and tells the story of American history through it's books and those who created them
Founded in 1872 and published continuously since then, Publishers Weekly represents the authoritative voice for U.S. publishing industry news and book reviews, with ongoing coverage of the British and international book trade.
The complete archive includes up to 400,000 book reviews, 5,000 author profiles/interviews and, beginning in 1895, bestseller lists.
Documenting the trajectory of thousands of authors’ careers—from debut book reviews to rights sales and even record-shattering advances—Publishers Weekly both reflected and drove cultural change.
The PW Archive includes access to 7,597 past issues and 676,133 pages, including all advertising, making the Publishers Weekly archive an exemplary resource for scholars, academics, researchers, historians and fans of books or American history.
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Stories about JD Salinger (April 24, 1987), Herman Melville (November 16, 1929), and Harper Lee (May 8, 1961) are among the thousands about major authors that have appeared in Publishers Weekly. Click any of the images below for the full articles.
Hundreds of thousands of books have been announced, reviewed, and advertised in the pages of Publishers Weekly. In the archives, you'll discover first mentions of titles that went on to become legendary. Click any of the images below for the full articles.
Publishers Weekly has been published through 28 presidential administrations, spanning 1872 to the present. From an editorial reflecting on the life of President Kennedy (December 2, 1963), the announcement of a new biography of President Roosevelt (January 8, 1916), to a report about a booksellers' trip to the White House (May 19, 1975), American presidents are no strangers to the pages of PW. Click any of the images below for the full articles.
