W.W. Norton is to publish a new line of books in association with Outside magazine, according to an announcement by W. Drake McFeely, Norton president, and Outside chairman and editor-in-chief Larry Burke.
The imprint, to be called Outside Books, will concentrate on books about active living and the outdoors; its general editor will be John Barstow, a Norton editor based in Vermont.
Burke said that such Norton books as The Perfect Storm by Sebastian Junger and The Voyage of the Narwhal by Andrea Barrett, both by frequent Outside contributors, showed that the publisher "has a vision for its books that matches our own." McFeely, noting the publication has received National Magazine Awards for Excellence three years in a row, said it won because "the writing is absolutely terrific." The new imprint "will combine our strengths and address the growing demand for books related to adventure and the outdoors," he added.
The first book in the imprint, to appear in fall 2000, will be Great Explorations, a collection of notable 20th-century adventure nonfiction. Also in the works are the first three titles in a series of full-color, sport-specific travel guides. The books will be cross-promoted in the magazine and also marketed through specialty retailers that sell Outside.
