Most readers are familiar with the big publishing houses, like Penguin Random House and HarperCollins, but there are thousands of independent, small publishing houses in the US and abroad committed to publishing diverse and debut voices, unconventional narratives, and works in translation, as well as hosting workshops and community programs. In honor of National Small Press Month, and with no small amount of hand-wringing — there are so many excellent choices — we present 24 of our favorite indie presses.
House of Anansi Press, founded in 1967, focuses exclusively on Canadian authors and French Canadian works in translation. House of Anansi also specializes in discovering and developing new literary talents in poetry, drama, fiction, and nonfiction. Recent offerings include Tokyo Digs a Garden, The Outlander, and The Sisters Brothers.
Located in Portland, Oregon, Hawthorne Books specializes in literary fiction and nonfiction, with a special emphasis on narratives that straddle the lines between essay, memoir, and fiction. Recent offerings include Narrow River, Wide Sky, True Portland, and Call Me Home.
McSweeney’s is a nonprofit publishing company based in San Francisco. In addition to operating a (truly hilarious) humor site, McSweeney’s publishes a quarterly journal and several books a year, with a focus on unconventional and ambitious new writing. Recent offerings include A Load of Hooey, Sorry to Disrupt the Peace, and White Girls.
This venerable small press began in 1917 as the Atlantic Monthly Press, merging much later with the small but groundbreaking Grove Press to become Grove Atlantic. The press publishes four imprints, Grove Press, Atlantic Monthly Press, Black Cat, and The Mysterious Press, and has many award-winning authors and titles to its credit. Recent offerings include History of Wolves, Freshwater, and Hotel Silence.
Founded in 1994, Counterpoint publishes Counterpoint and Soft Skull Press. Counterpoint’s books run the gamut from literary fiction to graphic novels and philosophy, but are unified by the press’s focus on literary voice and cutting-edge themes and forms. Recent offerings include Heart Berries, Gifted, and The Job of the Wasp.
According to its website, “Microcosm is a vertically integrated publishing house that equips readers to make positive changes in their lives and in the world around them.” Microcosm’s emphasis on DIY, bicycling, and social justice helps to make it one of our customers’ favorite publishers. Recent offerings include Make Your Place, This Is Portland, and Unf#ck Your Brain.
Akashic’s slogan is “Reverse-gentrification of the literary world.” A Brooklyn-based press, its focus is on urban literary fiction and political nonfiction, as well as authors disinterested in or ignored by mainstream media and publishers. Recent offerings include An Unkindness of Ghosts, Go the F**k to Sleep, and Havana Libre.
Catapult, which launched in 2015, is committed to celebrating life in all its guises through extraordinary storytelling in fiction and nonfiction forms, including short stories and graphic novels. Recent offerings include Edisto, Large Animals, and The Middlepause.
Milkweed Editions "seeks to be a site of metamorphosis in the literary ecosystem." A nonprofit that focuses on debut and experimental writers, Milkweed publishes literary fiction, nonfiction, and poetry for young readers and adults. Recent offerings include Four Reincarnations, The Orange Grove, and Island Home.