NEW YORK — April 11, 2016 — OR Books, an independent publisher based in New York City, is pleased to announce that it has acquired the London-based Serif Books.
Serif Books was founded and run by Stephen Hayward, who died in October of last year. The Serif list reflects Stephen's eclectic, cosmopolitan taste. It spans cookery, travel, history, politics and fiction. Authors include Frances Bissell, E.H. Carr, Tony Lane, Federico Garcia Lorca, Eduard de Pomiane, J.M. Synge and Evelyn Waugh.
OR Books was founded by John Oakes and Colin Robinson in 2009 with the intention of promoting progressive change in politics, culture and the business of publishing. Its list features writers including Julian Assange, Carmen Boullosa, Patrick Cockburn, Norman Finkelstein, Gordon Lish, Mike Marqusee, Bill McKibben, Walter Mosley, Eileen Myles and Yoko Ono. OR specializes in selling e-books and print-on-demand paperbacks direct to customers, as well as to bookstores.
OR will maintain the Serif Books' imprint and will continue to publish new books under it. OR will also bring its expertise in global marketing, especially online, to the Serif list. Contracts with existing Serif authors will be honored by OR.
Colin Robinson, co-publisher at OR Books writes "I knew Serif's founder and publisher, Stephen Hayward, over many years. I always admired his approach to publishing and share his commitment to progressive books that are intelligent, well-written and of international appeal, as well as carefully edited and elegantly designed. These are values that my fellow co-publisher, John Oakes, and I have tried to sustain over the six years since we first set up OR. We're delighted to be able to bring the Serif list under OR's wing and aim to develop the imprint in the adventurous, lively spirit with which Stephen ran it."
Vicky Hayward, Stephen's sister and heir writes: "It was Stephen's wish that we find a good home for Serif's books, and we believe we have. We're confident that OR is a publishing house that reflects Serif's ethos and will continue its commitment to fine writing and progressive values. We look forward to seeing Serif Books develop and reach a worldwide readership, alongside OR's own books."