W. W. Norton & Company

W. W. Norton & Company
Company type	Employee-owned company
Industry	Publishing
Founded	1923; 103 years ago
Founder	William Warder Norton, Mary Dows Herter Norton
Headquarters	New York City, United States
Area served	Worldwide
Key people	Julia A. Reidhead (President and CEO)
Products	Books, academic literature, Norton Anthologies, Norton Critical Editions
Owner	Employees (since early 1960s)
Website	wwnorton.com

W. W. Norton & Company is a United States-based publishing house with its main office located in New York City. Established in 1923 by William Warder Norton alongside his spouse Mary Dows Herter Norton, the firm has been under full employee ownership since the early 1960s. It is widely recognized for its Norton Anthologies, particularly the The Norton Anthology of English Literature, as well as the Norton Critical Editions series, both of which are integral to academic literature programs.

History and overview

The company was founded by William Warder Norton, who initially held the position of president. During the 1960s, ownership shifted when Mary Norton allocated the majority of her shares to prominent editors and managers within the company, establishing employee ownership. Leadership has evolved over time, beginning with Storer D. Lunt in 1945, followed by George Brockway (1957–1976), Donald S. Lamm (1976–1994), W. Drake McFeely (1994–2017), and presently Julia A. Reidhead (2017–present), who previously served as vice president and publishing director for Norton's College division and acted as editor for the Norton Anthologies.

The publishing house operates several imprints: Norton Professional Books, which specializes in topics such as mental health, wellness, architecture, design, and education; Countryman Press, known for lifestyle and instructional publications including guides on healthy living, cooking, and hiking; Liveright, dedicated to classic 20th-century literature and contemporary works; and Norton Young Readers, aimed at audiences ranging from preschoolers to young adults.

In 2023, W. W. Norton celebrated its 100th anniversary, highlighting its enduring role as an independent publisher within a competitive industry.

Norton Anthologies

The Norton Anthologies assemble essential literary works from various traditions; their flagship volume is the Norton Anthology of English Literature, currently in its tenth edition (2018). These collections provide introductory notes on authors, contextual overviews of historical periods, and comprehensive annotations designed to support both scholarly and professional study.

Norton Critical Editions

Similar in scope to Oxford World's Classics and Penguin Classics, the Norton Critical Editions reissue canonical literature along with selected nonfiction titles. They are unique in serving as sourcebooks by including supplementary contextual materials and critical essays alongside the primary text. Reader-friendly footnotes offer detailed commentary throughout.

The States and the Nation

Created for the United States Bicentennial, the The States and the Nation series comprises 51 volumes—one dedicated to each state plus the District of Columbia. This culturally significant publishing project was overseen by the American Association for State and Local History with financial support from the National Endowment for the Humanities.

Notable authors

External links

W.W. Norton & Company archives, 1923-1967 housed at the Rare Book & Manuscript Library