Knowledge for Generations: Wiley and the Global Publishing Industry (Hardcover)

by Robert E. Wright (Author), Timothy C. Jacobson (Author), George David Smith (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Review
"...Anyone interested in history and publishing needs this book. The reader is provided an intimate view of historical context juxtaposed with Wiley Publishing's growth as a company. It's also a delight to be privy to the Wiley family tree, a tree that spawned two centuries worth of books." (HuffingtonPost.com, February 18, 2007)

Product Description
A lively history of one of America's oldest publishing houses, published in conjunction with Wiley's bicentennial

Founded in New York City when Thomas Jefferson was president, Wiley has been a significant player in the publishing industry for two centuries. Now, on the occasion of Wiley's bicentennial, a distinguished team of authors brings Wiley's rich history to life, showing how the company has reacted to trends within the publishing industry as well as to larger economic, social, and cultural forces. Knowledge for Generations sheds light on the long-term strengths and weaknesses of Wiley's business, illuminates the continuities and changes over time, and shows how family ownership has influenced the company's strategies, values, and corporate culture. Drawing on unrestricted access to company archives and interviews with key executives, the authors capture a story of sustained business success, intriguing personalities, and dramatic changes in the industry. Illustrated throughout with illuminating photographs and graphics, Knowledge for Generations is a must-read for anyone interested in the history of publishing.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 568 pages
• Publisher: Wiley (January 9, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0471757217
• ISBN-13: 978-0471757214
• Product Dimensions: 10.9 x 9.9 x 1.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.5 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,603,174 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars John Wiley & Sons' richly illustrated corporate history , August 19, 2008

By	Rolf Dobelli "getAbstract.com" (Switzerland) - See all my reviews (TOP 50 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

Thomas Jefferson was president when John Wiley & Sons, the giant publishing house, was founded in 1807, so long ago that many people read its books by candlelight. Of course, other firms have published classics by James Fenimore Cooper, Herman Melville, Washington Irving and Edgar Allen Poe, but few others did so when these immortals were alive. In the early 1800s, Cooper, Irving and other literati met to discuss their latest works at the "Den," Wiley's Manhattan writers' retreat. If you read, went to school, use technology, travel, or work in business, science or medicine, Wiley has touched your life. Perhaps you used CliffsNotes in college, Frommer's guides on vacation, Weight Watchers books to lose weight and Betty Crocker cookbooks to gain it. Wiley is now the world's leading publisher of scholarly, scientific and technical journals and books. You would expect a major publishing company to issue an outstanding book about its first 200 years - and, indeed, it has, a handsome, oversized corporate biography. getAbstract recommends this well-designed, lavishly illustrated and expertly written insider's view.

4.0 out of 5 stars Amazing look into 200 years of publishing, August 15, 2008

By	David L. Hancock "David L. Hancock" (Garden City, NY USA) - See all my reviews

This is an amazing look into 200 years history of publishing! Great coffee table book for those of us who love publishing!

A little overwhelming at first, but definitely high quality and high value.