Red Wheel Weiser Conari
Encyclopedia
Red Wheel Weiser Conari, also known in different periods in its history as RedWheel/Weiser, LLC and Samuel Weiser, Inc., is a book
publisher with three imprint
s: Red Wheel, Weiser Books and Conari Books. It is America's second-largest publisher of occult
and New Age
books, behind Llewellyn Worldwide
, and is also one of the oldest American publishers to concentrate exclusively on that genre
. It publishes on average 60-75 new titles per year and maintains a large backlist
, partly of books that it originally published, and partly of older public domain
rare occult books.
, esoteric subjects, Eastern religions, Wicca
and related topics.
Marcello Motta of the O.T.O.
in Memphis, Tennessee, sued Samuel Weiser unsuccessfully for breach of copyright of the works of Aleister Crowley
.
and how-to
books, and at that time the company name was changed from Samuel Weiser, Inc. to RedWheel/Weiser, with several other variations being commonly seen, including Weiser, Inc.
, dating back to 1989. This imprint focuses on books that view sociology
and parenting
issues through a spiritual or New Age perspective.
and in York Beach, Maine for most of its history. In 2006, the editorial department moved to San Francisco and the sales and marketing department moved to Newburyport, Massachusetts
.
Book
A book is a set or collection of written, printed, illustrated, or blank sheets, made of hot lava, paper, parchment, or other materials, usually fastened together to hinge at one side. A single sheet within a book is called a leaf or leaflet, and each side of a leaf is called a page...
publisher with three imprint
Imprint
In the publishing industry, an imprint can mean several different things:* As a piece of bibliographic information about a book, it refers to the name and address of the book's publisher and its date of publication as given at the foot or on the verso of its title page.* It can mean a trade name...
s: Red Wheel, Weiser Books and Conari Books. It is America's second-largest publisher of occult
Occult
The word occult comes from the Latin word occultus , referring to "knowledge of the hidden". In the medical sense it is used to refer to a structure or process that is hidden, e.g...
and New Age
New Age
The New Age movement is a Western spiritual movement that developed in the second half of the 20th century. Its central precepts have been described as "drawing on both Eastern and Western spiritual and metaphysical traditions and then infusing them with influences from self-help and motivational...
books, behind Llewellyn Worldwide
Llewellyn Worldwide
Llewellyn Worldwide is a New Age publisher, currently based in Woodbury, Minnesota, a suburb of St. Paul. Llewellyn's mission is to "serve the trade and consumers worldwide with options and tools for exploring new worlds of mind & spirit, thereby aiding in the quests of expanded human potential,...
, and is also one of the oldest American publishers to concentrate exclusively on that genre
Genre
Genre , Greek: genos, γένος) is the term for any category of literature or other forms of art or culture, e.g. music, and in general, any type of discourse, whether written or spoken, audial or visual, based on some set of stylistic criteria. Genres are formed by conventions that change over time...
. It publishes on average 60-75 new titles per year and maintains a large backlist
Backlist
A backlist is a list of older books available from a publisher, as opposed to titles newly published .Building a strong backlist has traditionally been seen as the way to produce a profitable publishing house, as the most expensive aspects of the publishing process have already been paid for and...
, partly of books that it originally published, and partly of older public domain
Public domain
Works are in the public domain if the intellectual property rights have expired, if the intellectual property rights are forfeited, or if they are not covered by intellectual property rights at all...
rare occult books.
Weiser Books
This main imprint is also the oldest. It was founded as Samuel Weiser, Inc. in 1956, a time when few other publishers were willing to tackle occult subjects. This imprint publishes the backlist and continues to acquire books on occultism, astrologyAstrology
Astrology consists of a number of belief systems which hold that there is a relationship between astronomical phenomena and events in the human world...
, esoteric subjects, Eastern religions, Wicca
Wicca
Wicca , is a modern Pagan religious movement. Developing in England in the first half of the 20th century, Wicca was popularised in the 1950s and early 1960s by a Wiccan High Priest named Gerald Gardner, who at the time called it the "witch cult" and "witchcraft," and its adherents "the Wica."...
and related topics.
Marcello Motta of the O.T.O.
Ordo Templi Orientis
Ordo Templi Orientis is an international fraternal and religious organization founded at the beginning of the 20th century...
in Memphis, Tennessee, sued Samuel Weiser unsuccessfully for breach of copyright of the works of Aleister Crowley
Aleister Crowley
Aleister Crowley , born Edward Alexander Crowley, and also known as both Frater Perdurabo and The Great Beast, was an influential English occultist, astrologer, mystic and ceremonial magician, responsible for founding the religious philosophy of Thelema. He was also successful in various other...
.
Red Wheel
Red Wheel was founded in 2000 as an imprint for spiritually oriented or occult self-helpSelf-help
Self-help, or self-improvement, is a self-guided improvement—economically, intellectually, or emotionally—often with a substantial psychological basis. There are many different self-help movements and each has its own focus, techniques, associated beliefs, proponents and in some cases, leaders...
and how-to
How-to
A how-to or a how to is an informal, often short, description of how to accomplish some specific task. A how-to is usually meant to help non-experts, may leave out details that are only important to experts, and may also be greatly simplified from an overall discussion of the topic...
books, and at that time the company name was changed from Samuel Weiser, Inc. to RedWheel/Weiser, with several other variations being commonly seen, including Weiser, Inc.
Conari Books
This imprint was acquired in 2002. Before this, Conari Books had been a separate publisher, based in Berkeley, CaliforniaBerkeley, California
Berkeley is a city on the east shore of the San Francisco Bay in Northern California, United States. Its neighbors to the south are the cities of Oakland and Emeryville. To the north is the city of Albany and the unincorporated community of Kensington...
, dating back to 1989. This imprint focuses on books that view sociology
Sociology
Sociology is the study of society. It is a social science—a term with which it is sometimes synonymous—which uses various methods of empirical investigation and critical analysis to develop a body of knowledge about human social activity...
and parenting
Parenting
Parenting is the process of promoting and supporting the physical, emotional, social, and intellectual development of a child from infancy to adulthood...
issues through a spiritual or New Age perspective.
Location
The company has been previously located in BostonBoston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
and in York Beach, Maine for most of its history. In 2006, the editorial department moved to San Francisco and the sales and marketing department moved to Newburyport, Massachusetts
Newburyport, Massachusetts
Newburyport is a small coastal city in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States, 35 miles northeast of Boston. The population was 21,189 at the 2000 census. A historic seaport with a vibrant tourism industry, Newburyport includes part of Plum Island...
.
Famous authors
- Aleister CrowleyAleister CrowleyAleister Crowley , born Edward Alexander Crowley, and also known as both Frater Perdurabo and The Great Beast, was an influential English occultist, astrologer, mystic and ceremonial magician, responsible for founding the religious philosophy of Thelema. He was also successful in various other...
- Dion FortuneDion FortuneViolet Mary Firth Evans , better known as Dion Fortune, was a British occultist and author. Her pseudonym was inspired by her family motto "Deo, non fortuna" , originally the ancient motto of the Barons & Earls Digby.-Early life:She was born in Bryn-y-Bia in Llandudno, Wales, and grew up in a...
- Arthur Edward WaiteArthur Edward WaiteArthur Edward Waite was a scholarly mystic who wrote extensively on occult and esoteric matters, and was the co-creator of the Rider-Waite Tarot deck. As his biographer, R.A...
- Eliphas LeviEliphas LeviEliphas Lévi, born Alphonse Louis Constant , was a French occult author and purported magician."Eliphas Lévi," the name under which he published his books, was his attempt to translate or transliterate his given names "Alphonse Louis" into Hebrew although he was not Jewish.His second wife was...
- S.L. MacGregor Mathers