Red Wheel/Weiser
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Publishing |
| Predecessor | Samuel Weiser, Inc. |
| Founded | 1956 |
| Headquarters | Newburyport , United States |
Area served | United States |
| Products | Books (occult, New Age, spirituality, sociology, parenting, business literature) |
Red Wheel/Weiser, previously operating under the names RedWheel/Weiser/Conari and Samuel Weiser, Inc., is an American publishing house that concentrates on books within the occult and New Age spheres. It holds the position of the second-largest U.S. publisher in this specialized field, trailing only Llewellyn Worldwide, and stands as one of the longest-established companies devoted to this sector. Each year, the firm issues between 60 and 75 new publications and maintains a substantial collection of both original works and rare public domain occult literature.
Weiser Books
Originating in 1956 as Samuel Weiser, Inc., this primary imprint was launched at a time when few publishers addressed occult themes. It evolved from the New York-based Weiser Antiquarian Books retailer and concentrates on subjects such as occultism, astrology, esotericism, Eastern spiritual traditions, Wicca, and related disciplines. This imprint manages an extensive backlist alongside its newly acquired titles.
Red Wheel
Created in 2000 to focus on spiritually themed or occult self-help and instructional books, this imprint coincided with the company’s transition from Samuel Weiser, Inc. to RedWheel/Weiser.
Conari Books
Originally founded in Berkeley, California, in 1989 and acquired in 2002, Conari specializes in sociology and parenting works that incorporate spiritual or New Age viewpoints. In 2019, ownership of Conari shifted to Mango Publishing.
Turning Stone Press
Established in 2012, Turning Stone operates as a self-publishing imprint through partnerships with Hampton Roads Publishing Company and Hierophant Publishing.
Disinformation Books
Formed in 1997 as the publishing division of Disinformation, this imprint was brought under Red Wheel/Weiser’s umbrella in 2012.
Career Press
Founded by Ron Fry in 1985 with a focus on business literature, Career Press became part of Red Wheel/Weiser following its acquisition in 2017.
New Page Books
Introduced in 1999 as Career Press’s general nonfiction imprint, New Page Books serves to broaden the parent company’s range of offerings.
Phanes Press
Established by David Fideler in 1985 and acquired by Red Wheel/Weiser Conari in 2004, Phanes Press concentrated on publishing materials related to Western spiritual, philosophical, and cultural traditions. Known for significant works such as The Pythagorean Sourcebook and Awakening Osiris, Phanes functioned as a small-scale publisher with a catalog of 52 titles at acquisition. Its subjects included alchemy, Sufism, Gnosticism, and Neoplatonism. After being acquired, Phanes’ titles were incorporated into the Weiser Books imprint to strengthen Red Wheel/Weiser’s presence within specialized spiritual and esoteric markets.
Prominent publications from Phanes included:
- Blackfoot Physics by F. David Peat
- The Manual of Harmonics by Nicomachus of Gerasa
- The Pagan Dream of the Renaissance by Joscelyn Godwin
- The Voice of the Earth by Theodore Roszak
Location
Historically headquartered in Boston and York Beach, Maine, the company moved its editorial operations to San Francisco in 2006. Meanwhile, sales and marketing functions were relocated to Newburyport, Massachusetts.
Notable authors
References
- 2007 Writer's Market, authored by Robert Lee Brewer and Joanna Masterson. (2006)
- Jeff Herman's Guide To Book Publishers, Editors & Literary Agents 2007, by Jeff Herman. (2006)