In early April, Douglas Gibson, president of McClelland & Stewart, announced that the respected Canadian nonfiction publishing house Macfarlane Walter & Ross would be closing its doors.
Macfarlane Walter & Ross was founded by John Macfarlane, Jan Walter and Gary Ross in 1988 and was purchased by McClelland and Stewart three years ago from the now defunct Stoddart group. The house published over 60 titles since its inception—a select list that included the bestselling Boom Bust & Echo by David Foot and Daniel Stoffman. Parent firm M&S had been looking for a buyer for the imprint since February, but none was found.
MW&R's assets and the rights to its backlist, current and future titles—including Peter Newman's memoirs and a biography of the late Mordecai Richler—will immediately be transferred to McClelland & Stewart, who will publish the list. While Gary Ross and Jan Walter will finish editing fall titles, they and managing editor Adrienne Guthrie will leave MW&R when the firm's offices close at the end of April.
