Pushkin Press acquires two indie publishers and unveils new classics list

Pushkin Press has announced plans for a new Pushkin Classics list following the acquisition of two independent publishers, Peter Owen Publishers and Angel Classics.

The first eight titles on the new list will be published in the UK on 3rd August, with roughly two titles a month following. Encompassing fiction and non-fiction, the list will feature new translations as well as covers by Pushkin Press art director Jo Walker.

Some titles are brand new to Pushkin Press, while others have been published before by Pushkin. Many are books that Pushkin brought to a UK audience for the first time, including launch titles The Evenings by Gerard Reve, Binocular Vision by Edith Pearlman, Journey by Moonlight by Antal Szerb and The Spectre of Alexander Wolf by Gaito Gazdanov.

Peter Owens Publishers was founded by Peter Owen in 1951, who championed major but little-known international authors including Hermann Hesse, Shusaku Endo, Anaïs Nin and Tarjei Vesaas. With a list that eventually included 10 Nobel Prize-winning authors, Owen remained dedicated to high-quality literature in translation until his death in 2016.

Angel Classics, originally Angel Books, was founded in 1982 by Antony Wood, with the stated aim of increasing the authenticity and availability of foreign literature in English translation. The list brought many unfamiliar writers to readers in English for the first time, from 19th-century German novellas to Russian post-revolutionary Gothic tales. Antony Wood is himself a prize-winning translator.

Of the acquisition of the two publishers, the publisher states: “Both publishers share Pushkin’s ethos of bringing the very best translated fiction to English-language readers and will eventually see many titles incorporated in the Pushkin Press Classics series. From Peter Owen this will include the work of Hermann Hesse, starting with his best known, most beloved work, Siddhartha, and the only novel by Salvador Dali, Hidden Faces.” Books from Angel Classics will be published as Pushkin Press Classics starting in autumn 2024.

Adam Freudenheim, Pushkin Press publisher and managing director said: “Pushkin Press has been known for its classics publishing – largely in translation – since its inception, so it’s hugely exciting to be launching a Pushkin Classics list to bring all these titles together in one fresh and stylishly designed new series.

“I’ve been aware of Peter Owen as long as I’ve worked in publishing, and I can’t wait for us to release new editions of some of my own favourite books first launched here by this ground-breaking independent publisher. Antony Wood single-handedly created and nurtured Angel Classics for more than 40 years, and I’m honoured that he chose Pushkin Press to carry on his legacy."

Jo Walker, Pushkin Press art director, said: “Creating a series design for such an incredible list has been a great opportunity and it’s been an absolute pleasure working on this project with Adam. Collaborating with many talented artists, including Clare Skeats who is responsible for a lot of the existing illustrations that have been used, we’ve created a design that will hopefully be flexible enough to give this eclectic list a look that will stand the test of time.”

The first eight titles published in the Pushkin Press Classics list, on 3rd August are: 

• The Spectre of Alexander Wolf by Gaito Gazdanov (translated from Russian by Bryan Karetnyk)
• Siddhartha by Hermann Hesse (translated from German by Hilda Rosner) 
• The Unhappiness of Being a Single Man: Essential Stories by Franz Kafka (translated from German by Alexander Starritt) 
• Coin Locker Babies by Ryu Murakami (translated from Japanese by Stephen Snyder) 
• Binocular Vision by Edith Pearlman 
• The Evenings by Gerard Reve (translated from Dutch by Sam Garrett) 
• Journey by Moonlight by Antal Szerb (translated from Hungarian by Len Rix) 
• Beware of Pity by Stefan Zweig (translated from German by Anthea Bell)