Workman Publishing Company

Workman Publishing Company, Inc.

Company type	Private (until 2021), Subsidiary (since 2021)
Industry	Publishing
Founded	1968 (1968) in New York City, United States
Founder	Peter Workman
Fate	Acquired by Hachette Book Group in 2021
Headquarters	New York City , United States
Area served	United States
Key people	Dan Reynolds (CEO)
Products	Trade books, calendars
Owner	Hachette Book Group (since 2021)
Website	workman.com

Workman Publishing Company, Inc. is a United States-based trade book publisher established by Peter Workman. The company operates several imprints, including Workman, Workman Children's, Workman Calendars, Artisan, Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill, Algonquin Young Readers, Storey Publishing, and Timber Press.

Specializing in nonfiction for both adults and children, Workman is recognized for publishing notable works such as the pregnancy guide What to Expect; educational series like Brain Quest and The Big Fat Notebooks; travel titles including 1,000 Places to See Before You Die and Atlas Obscura; humor books such as The Complete Preppy Handbook; acclaimed cookbooks like The Noma Guide to Fermentation, The French Laundry Cookbook, and The Barbecue Bible; along with fiction works including How the Garcia Girls Lost Their Accents, Water for Elephants, and the Newbery Medal-winning The Girl Who Drank the Moon. Additionally, the publisher produces calendars, most notably the Original Page-a-Day Calendars.

After operating as an independent family-run business for over five decades, Workman was acquired by Hachette Book Group in 2021 for $240 million. Its main office continues to be located at 225 Varick Street, New York City.

History

Following a short stint packaging books for Ballantine, Peter Workman and his wife Carolan launched Workman Publishing in 1968. Their inaugural publication was Richard Hittelman's 28-Day Yoga Exercise Plan, which remains available today. The company’s first appearance on the New York Times bestseller list came in 1975 with B. Kliban's Cat, which paved the way for their entry into calendar publishing through the introduction of the Page-a-Day Calendar in 1979 by creative director Paul Hanson. This calendar series has sold over 100 million units to date.

Workman established a strong foothold in the market with bestselling and culturally significant titles such as The Official Preppy Handbook (1980), What to Expect When You’re Expecting (1984), Brain Quest (1992), and 1,000 Places to See Before You Die (2003). Important launches included brands like The Big Fat Notebooks and Paint by Sticker in 2016, alongside titles such as Atlas Obscura. The company’s approach centers on unconventional yet practical books often incorporating inventive formats—illustrated by the “book-plus” concept seen in How to Kazoo (1983), which came with an actual kazoo, as well as interactive children’s products like the Brain Quest card decks and tear-resistant Indestructibles books.

Workman’s business model thrives on a robust backlist, with approximately 80% of revenue stemming from enduring titles; nearly one-third of its catalog features more than 100,000 copies in circulation. This reflects founder Peter Workman’s dedication to quality and perfect timing, summarized by the company’s unofficial slogan: "no book before its time."

After Peter Workman's passing in 2013, Dan Reynolds—previously President and Publisher of Storey Publishing—was named CEO in 2015. In September 2021, Carolan Workman finalized the sale of the company to Hachette Book Group, marking a major event within the publishing sector.

Imprints

Artisan

Established in 1994 by Peter Workman, Artisan specializes in visually captivating topics including culinary arts, design, crafts, and general nonfiction. The imprint collaborates with influential experts to create books that stand out for their artistic presentation. Among its notable bestsellers are Thomas Keller's The French Laundry Cookbook, The Noma Guide to Fermentation, and Grace Bonney's In the Company of Women. Prominent authors associated with Artisan include Sean Brock, Cheryl Day, Joshua McFadden, and Naomi Duguid.

Algonquin

Founded in 1983 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, Algonquin Books emphasizes high-quality fiction and nonfiction from emerging authors. After being acquired by Workman Publishing in 1989, it maintains operations in both New York City and Chapel Hill. Its catalog boasts bestsellers such as Water for Elephants, A Reliable Wife, and An American Marriage. Additionally, Algonquin administers the PEN/Bellwether Prize for Socially Engaged Fiction, which honors literature addressing social issues.

Algonquin Young Readers

Introduced in 2011 by Peter Workman and Elisabeth Scharlatt as a subdivision of Algonquin, this imprint publishes enduring narrative fiction, nonfiction, picture books, and graphic novels tailored for young audiences. Award-winning works include Kelly Barnhill’s The Girl Who Drank the Moon (recipient of the John Newbery Medal) and Yamilé Mendez’s Furia (winner of the Pura Belpré Award). Noteworthy authors published here include Elizabeth C. Bunce, Samantha Mabry, and Amy Timberlake.

Storey Publishing

John Storey established Storey Publishing in 1983 following his acquisition of Garden Way Publishing. The imprint focuses on illustrated instructional books related to farming, gardening, crafts, cooking, nature, and herbal remedies. Among its popular titles are Rosemary Gladstar's Medicinal Herbs: A Beginner's Guide and Fermented Vegetables. Headquartered in North Adams, Massachusetts, Storey’s roster includes authors such as Julia Rothman and Maia Toll.

Timber

Originally founded in 1978 and later acquired by Workman Publishing in 2006, Timber Press operates out of Portland, Oregon. It produces publications aimed at gardeners, environmental enthusiasts, and readers interested in popular science with a strong emphasis on regional subjects. Significant titles include Douglas Tallamy’s Bringing Nature Home and Marta McDowell’s Beatrix Potter's Gardening Life.