World Publishing Company

World Publishing Company
Parent companyTimes Mirror Company (1962–1974)
Collins Publishers (1974–1980)
Statusdefunct 1980; 44 years ago (1980), some assets acquired by Putnam Publishing Group and Simon & Schuster
PredecessorCommercial Bookbinding Co.
Founded1902; 122 years ago (1902)
FounderAlfred H. Cahen
Country of originUnited States
Headquarters locationCleveland
New York City
Key peopleBen Zevin, William Targ
Publication typesBooks
Nonfiction topicsReference, Religion, Politics, Sports, Philosophy
Fiction genresMystery, Popular fiction
ImprintsTower Books

The World Publishing Company was an American publishing company. The company published genre fiction, trade paperbacks, children's literature, nonfiction books, textbooks, Bibles, and dictionaries,[1] primarily from 1940 to 1980. Authors published by World Publishing Company include Ruth Nanda Anshen, Michael Crichton, Simone de Beauvoir, Robert Ludlum, Sam Moskowitz, Ayn Rand, Rex Stout, Gay Talese, and Lin Yutang. Originally headquartered in Cleveland, the company later added an office in New York City. The company's Cleveland headquarters were located in the Caxton Building.[2]

World Publishing was notable for publishing the first edition of Webster's New World Dictionary in 1951,[3] which contained 142,000 entries, said to be the largest American desk dictionary available at the time. The company also had a vibrant children's book division, and published the first edition of Eric Carle's The Very Hungry Caterpillar in 1969.[4]

World Publishing Company is not related to the original owners of the Omaha World-Herald or Tulsa World (also called "World Publishing Co.").

  1. ^ "WORLD PUBLISHING CO.", The Encyclopedia of Cleveland History. Accessed Mar. 3, 2017.
  2. ^ "Caxton Building", Encyclopedia of Cleveland History. Accessed Mar. 2, 2017.
  3. ^ McIntyre, By Michael K."With publication of Webster's 'College 5' dictionary, the book that defined Cleveland editors' work is closed: Michael K. McIntyre's Tipoff", Cleveland Plain Dealer (October 17, 2014).
  4. ^ Silvey, Anita. 100 Best Books for Children (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2004) ISBN 978-0-618-27889-3.