Published books for the Episcopalian church. Had near monopoly on Sunday School books, prayerbooks, hymnals, etc. Theological works included Brown's On the Thirty-nine Articles and Staunton's Theological Dictionary.

Occassionally published a religious novel, such as Shiloh by M.L. Jay.

Most successful was Farrar's Life of Christ which found a general audience beyond the Episcopalian church and became a major best-seller.

Company incorporated in 1901 with Edward P. Dutton president, George D. Dutton, nephew of the founder, as secretary, and John Macrae as Vice President.

Dutton issued American editions of London publisher George Routledge & Sons' "Morley's Universal Library" and "New Universal Library" and "Muses' Library".

From this, Macrae negotiated with English publisher J.M. Dent for a co-operative effort to compile and publish a 1,000 volume library of the world's greatest works. The result was "Everyman's Library", starting 1906.

The association with J.M. Dent also led to Dutton's acquistion of the American rights to "Everyman's Encyclopedia", the "Temple Shakespeare" and "Temple Classics".

John Macrae was, with these successes, virtually running the acquisition list. He acquired rights to such London authors as Arnold Bennett, Anatole France, Romain Rolland, Samuel Butler, W.H. Hudson, G.K. Chesteron, George Gissing, A.A. Milne, Mary Webb. Best sellers were topped by Albert Payson Terhune's Lad, A Dog, and Blasco Ibanez's The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, one of the best-selling books of the 1920's by any publisher.

Macrae fought hard to block the rise of book clubs in the 1920's.

Richard Robert Donnelley had several starts and restarts before he hit his stride in publishing. He began with two partners as CHURCH, GOODMAN, & DONNELLY, and successfully produced non-fiction works for academia and churches.

In 1870, seeing the success of Henry Holt and his little books in the "Riverside Press" series, Donnelley incorporated the Lakeside Publishing and Printing Co. to get in on the action. He grew quickly but the Chicago Fire of 1871 completely destroyed his facilities and stock.

He re-incorporated as R.R. Donnelley, Steam Printer, with Lakeside Press as a division. That buisness was wiped out by the economic Panic of 73.

His manager, Alex T. Loyd, suggested he try reprinting hardback fiction in paperbound format, an idea that had succeeded briefly int eh 1840's and was again being tried by New York newspapers as "supplements". So Donnelley re-incorporated agains, this time as DONNELLY & LOYD. He named his paperbound series, "Lakeside Library".

The little books, issued twice a month then weekly, many illustrated with wood cuts, were sold for 10 cents each via subscriptions and newsstands and were an immediate hit. So huge did the business become and so many imitators were attracted to it, that Donnelley is given credit for launching the "Second Paperback Revolution".

By 1877, there were so many publishers issuing hteir own versions fo the Lakeside Library that Donnelley decided to sell and get out. It was purchased by real estate developer Norman T. Gasselte, who incorporated it as DONNELLY, GASSELTE & LOYD.

In 1879, "Lakeside Library" was sold to George Munro.

That same year, Donnelley had a change of heart and re-purchased the firm. In 1880 he published the Chicago Directory under the name of the CHICAGO DIRECTORY CO. His son Reuben joined the firm and renamed it the REUBEN H. DONNELLEY CORPORATION.

In 1882, Donnelley, Gasselte & Loyd and Reuben H. Donnelley merged as R.R. DONNELLY & SONS. It printed the Chicago Telephone Directory.

In 1903, the other son, Thomas Elliott, issued the "Lakeside Classics" series.

Francis F. Browne founded both the publishing house and the magazine, "Dial".

Sons Waldo R. and Herbert S. Browne later joined him.

San Francisco publisher issued books by unknown but talented authors in attractive formats.

Issued the "The Lark", created and edited by Gelett Burgess.

Published the "Lark Classics" series, featuring reprints of Kipling and Stevenson and others.

Most successful book was Doxey's Guide to San Francisco.

He went bankrupt in 1889.

In 1880, at the age of 18, Frank Nelson Doubleday went to work at Scribner's. In 1887, he started subscription selling through Scribner's Magazine, the first being the "Outward Bound Edition" of Kipling's works.

Feuding between Scribner and Doubleday led the latter to quit and begin his own company. When news got around, publisher S.S. McClure, whom Doubleday had met earlier, offered him a partnership, to be called DOUBLEDAY, McCLURE & CO. (McCLure continued to operate as a separate company.)

Doubleday contacted his friend, Rudyard Kipling, who promised to let Doubleday, McClure & Co. publish his next book The Day's Work. President McKinley (or his advisor, Senator Mark Hanna) selected the new firm to pulish to collected speeches of McKinley, a job paid for by the National Republican Campaign Committee. Doubleday did the job and delivered the entire press run to Hanna who evidently destroyed all the books in bizarre secrecy.

Released an "Author's Edition" of Kipling's works.

Frank Norris' McTeague.

Formed a strong friendship with Mark Twain.

Frank Nelson Doubleday ended his partnership with S.S. McClure (See 1892---Doubleday, McClure) to form one with Walter Hines Page, former editor of "Atlantic" and editor at McClure. Doubleday brought to this new partnership most of the titles and authors he had acquired at Doubleday, McClure & Co., including Mark Twain.

In 1908, McClure decided to retire, so he offered his firm to Doubleday, who quickly agreed to purchase it. Authors who came from McClure included Joseph Conrad, Booth Tarkington, Conan Doyle, Stewart Edward White, and Kate Douglas Wiggins.

In 1912, Doubleday purchased BAKER & TAYLOR. Started two magazines, "World's Work" and "Country Life in America".

In 1910, Doubleday moved the firm to Garden City and built the huge ultra-modern Country Life Press, complete with swimming pools, tennis courts, gyms, and gardens for employees. Thus, Doubleday became the only major publisher to have its own press.

1920, Doubleday purchased an English publishing house, William Heinemann, founded in 1898. Doubleday established a chain of retail bookstores that included some of the most prestigious shops in America.

1926, purchased LITERARY GUILD.

1928, Doubleday, Page & Co. merged with George Doran & Co. The new firm was named DOUBLEDAY, DORAN & CO. (Because the Canadian branch was headed by S.B. Gundy, in Canada the new company was known as DOUBLEDAY, DORAN & GUNDY, LTD.) The merger also incorporated the publishing houses established by son Nelson Doubleday, who was for all practical purposes now operating his father's business: Nelson Doubleday, Inc, Garden City Publishing Co., Star Dollar Books. The name Page was dropped in the merger. Some sources say Page was forced out, others say he quit to become Vice President at AT &T. George Doran complained in later years that as a "merger" it was a failure; it was successful as a swallowing and digesting of his publishing house by the Doubleday family.

The Doubleday empire included many imprints. A few of these:

1910---NELSON DOUBLEDAY, INC Founded by the 21 year-old son of Frank Nelson Doubleday. When he was only eight years old he suggested his father publish Kipling's Just So Stories after reading one in St. Nicholas Magazine. One day in 1910 his father was complaining about the cost of destroying unsold magazines when Nelson suggested he could sell them at a discount as "Deferred Subscriptions", expired magazines sent to subscribers by second-class mail. The business, established as Nelson Doubleday, Inc., was successful. Nelson thought it only natural to use his magazine subscriber list to peddle books. His first was a book on etiquette. When the post office raised second-class postage rates, Nelson closed down the expired-magazine business but continued to sell books on a "pay no money now" subscription format. In 1926, Doubleday Page & Co. purchased the LITERARY GUILD book club and turned its operation over to Nelson Doubleday, Inc. Nelson eventually became the head of his father's company, at which time he merged his book club business as an imprint.

1925---GARDEN CITY PUBLISHING CO. This was another imprint originally established as a separate firm by Nelson Doubleday, who was interesting pursuing the reprint market. Most of Garden City's books were reprints of books first offered by Doubleday, Page, printed from the original plates but on cheaper paper and sold for $1.00.

1929---RIMINGTON & HOOPER Headed by R. Critchell Rimington, this imprint was for high quality limited editions. One of its most admired editions was the famous Currier & Ives book of prints.

1944---BLAKISTON CO. For medical and scientific books. Sold in 1947 to McGraw-Hill. (See Blakiston, 1843.)

1939---BLUE RIBBON BOOKS Purchased from Reynal & Hitchcock (See 1933). The reprint publisher for Doubleday.

1939---TRIANGLE BOOKS Purchased from Reynal & Hitchcock. (See 1933). Sold inexpensive books through chainstores.

IMAGE BOOKS Catholic Books.

ANCHOR BOOKS Quality paperbacks sold in bookstores. This imprint was headed by Jason Epstein who left to establish Vintage Books for Random House.

ZENITH BOOKS Hardback and paperback books aimed at 7th and 8th grade minorities. First title: Island in the Sun. Headed by Charles Harris, founder of Howard University Press.

NEW HOME LIBRARY For Home Correspondence study.

SUN DIAL High Quality Reprints.

HALCYON PRESS/DELUXE EDITIONS Reprints sold in higher class department stores.

1928---BOOK CLUBS Doubleday operated more than 15 books clubs, most founded by Nelson. The first was the CRIME CLUB, 1928. Its first titles included Humor and Homicide, Some Like Them Tough, Damsel in Distress, Chase and Adventure, Character and Atmosphere, Favorite Sleuth, and Something Special. Other book clubs include: Literary Guild Romance Library Junior Literary Guild Dollar Book Club Book League of America Family Reading Club Home Book Club Mystery Guild

When Frank Nelson Doubleday died in 1934, his son Nelson took over and continued to expand the business with a textbook division. Son Nelson died in 1949. The company continued to be a closely held family affair.


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