“Beauty is the symbol of the morally good.” — Kant
Our questions differ, and so does what we look for. We read to understand ourselves, other people, and the world, and to discover experiences we have not lived and ideas that have never occurred to us.
We also read for the pleasure of a story, the beauty of language, or the curiosity a book awakens in us.
We hope to have the skill to ask the right questions and the creativity of those who know the answers, and to find new ways to bring stories and ideas from around the world.
paradox of abundance
We live with the paradox of abundance: books multiply, but choosing does not necessarily get easier.
A reader may stand in front of a shelf, unsure: What should I read? Where do I start? What suits me? They may buy many books that sit on their shelves, yet read only a few.
A title may promise more than its contents deliver.
That is why we look at what a book offers, the ideas and values it carries, the prior knowledge it requires, and how suitable it is for its reader’s age. We see care for language, translation, editing, design, and printing as part of doing justice to the text and its reader.
The Craft of the Book
We seek out writers and books worthy of publication. We are not concerned with the number of titles, but with the quality of what we publish, and we work on each text until we are satisfied with it.
We take care with translation, editing, design, and printing, down to the finest details of paper, colors, and binding.
For us, publishing means polishing a manuscript until it comes close to perfection.
We strive for creativity, innovation, and uniqueness, and to design books that retain their value over time.
Art and Nurturing Talent
We take on works of art and support the people who create them. We work alongside talented artists, offer them critical feedback, and help fund production and exhibitions. We stand by artists at the start of their careers and give new experiments space to grow and reach their audience.
Paper from Responsibly Managed Forests
The book we hold in our hands began as a tree in a forest, and the forest does not belong to our generation alone. We print most of our books on paper certified by forest conservation organizations. A book made to last, to be read again and again, given as a gift, and passed down, takes from the earth once and gives for a long time.
We call our journey an adventure because we do not know everything we will find along the way. We may discover a book that changes us, an idea that opens a door for us, or beauty in an unexpected place.
What we learn along the way guides our choices and leads us to other books and other questions.
We begin with what we ourselves love to read, and invite you to join us: we read, learn, and seek beauty that deserves to last.
This is the adventure we mean.
Partners
We do not work alone. Behind every book are people who each contribute their expertise and care, and we owe them loyalty and gratitude.
We build our relationships on trust, respect, and keeping our commitments, and work to ensure they last and grow with what we achieve together.
We see writers, publishers, translators, editors, designers, and craftspeople around the world as a community that crosses borders, united by the desire for stories and ideas to reach new readers.