Hachette Adds Perseus Books to Combat Amazon

Hachette Book Group is bulking up and diversifying, steps that could improve its long-term negotiating position with Amazon, the giant online retailer.

The publisher said on Tuesday that it had agreed to acquire the Perseus Books Group, the country's sixth-largest trade publisher.

Michael Pietsch, Hachette's chief executive, said in a phone interview that the deal was part of Hachette's "strategic long-term plan to grow in the U.S. market," and was not related to its monthslong standoff with Amazon over e-book pricing.