For Beginners, LLC

For Beginners, LLC
Predecessor Writers and Readers Cooperative,
Writers and Readers Publishing, Inc.
Founded 1974
Founder Glenn Thompson, Sian Williams, John Berger, Lisa Appignanesi, Richard Appignanesi, Arnold Wesker, Chris Searle
Country of origin U.S., previously United Kingdom
Headquarters location London (1974–1987), then New York City (1987–2001), now Danbury, Connecticut
Key people Glenn Thompson
Dawn Reshen-Doty
Merrillee Warholak
Publication types Books
Nonfiction topics history, philosophy, politics
Imprints Harlem River Press
Black Butterfly Children's Books
Official website forbeginnersbooks.com

For Beginners LLC is a publishing company based out of Danbury, Connecticut, that publishes the For Beginners graphic nonfiction series of documentary comic books on complex topics, covering an array of subjects on the college level. Meant to appeal to students and “non-readers,” as well as people who wish to broaden their knowledge without attending a university, the series has sold more than a million copies.

The For Beginners series was launched in the mid-1970s, but became out of print and often unavailable after the 2001 death of co-founder and publisher Glenn Thompson.[1] In 2007, a consortium of investors revived the series, reprinted back issues, and promised to publish between six and nine new issues each year. The current publisher is Dawn Reshen-Doty.

History

Writers and Readers Publishing Cooperative

The company began as Writers and Readers Publishing Cooperative, a London, England-based publisher founded in 1974[1] by Thompson, his then-wife Sian Williams, Richard Appignanesi, Lisa Appignanesi, John Berger, Arnold Wesker, and Chris Searle, A publishing cooperative, the founders of Writers and Readers shared the work and the profits. (The Cooperative also operated a London bookshop at 144 Camden High Street until the mid-1980s.)

The For Beginners series has its origins in two Spanish-language books, Cuba para principiantes (1960) and Marx para principiantes (1972) by the Mexican political cartoonist and writer Rius, pocket books which put their content over in a humorous comic book way but with a serious underlying purpose. An English-language version of the first book was published in 1970 by Leviathan Press of San Francisco and Pathfinder Press of New York, to no particularly great impact. However, when Richard Appignanesi edited the first English edition of Marx for Beginners (1976), it was soon clear that the collective had a hit on their hands.[2][3] With a successful format identified, further For Beginners titles soon began to appear. The line's most enduring titles, all published during this period, were Marx for Beginners (1976), Freud for Beginners (1979), Einstein for Beginners (1979), and Darwin for Beginners (1982).[4]

In the early 1980s questions of control arose after some members of the cooperative sold U.S. rights to part of the For Beginners series to Pantheon Books. The Cooperative officially disbanded in 1984.

Writers and Readers Publishing, Inc.

Following this rift, in 1987 Thompson took over as sole publisher and moved back to his hometown of New York City to establish a legal foothold and prevent any further unauthorized distributing of titles. Based in Harlem, the company was known as Writers and Readers Publishing, Inc. (In moving the company to Harlem, Thompson’s goal was to stimulate a new Harlem Renaissance by creating an international publishing house there. He started two new publishing companies: The Harlem River Press, publishing children’s poetry, and Black Butterfly Children's Books, books for the inner-city child). The London-based company, formally established in 1992, was known as Writers and Readers Limited.[5] For years, Thompson spent his time traveling between England and New York to manage the two companies.

In 1992, Richard Appignanesi, who had been the first editor in London for the series and had also written several of the titles, co-created the new publisher Icon Books, under whose imprint he republished several of the For Beginner titles and continued to publish and expand a British version of the series called Introducing.Meanwhile, the New York-based Writers and Readers continued the For Beginners series, in several cases commissioning new authors to create replacement books for those being published in Britain. This led to a number of examples where the two ranges were publishing two different books on the same subject.

Thompson died of cancer in London on September 7, 2001; by the time of his death, the company had published over forty For Beginners titles.

For Beginners, LLC

Several years after the passing of Glenn Thompson, investors decided to buy the rights to the titles, creating For Beginners, LLC.

In the summer of 2007 For Beginners LLC re-released twenty of the prior For Beginners titles and authorized the first new title, Dada and Surrealism For Beginners.[6]

List of titles

The "For Beginners" series

The ... For Beginners series currently contains thirty-eight fully illustrated titles on the works of great thinkers and complex concepts. The goal of the series is to present these topics to readers of all levels in engaging and understandable ways.

Title ISBN Writer(s) Illustrator Pages Publication Date Notes
African History 9780863161445 Herb Boyd Shey Wolvek-Pfister 128 1991  
Anarchism 9781934389324 Marcos Mayer Hector A. Sanguillano 176 2008  
Arabs and Israel 9780863161612 Ron David Susan David 224 1993  
Art Theory[7] 978-1934389478 Richard Osborne Dan Sturgis 192 2009  
Astronomy 9780863169991 Jeff Becan Sarah Becan 152 2004  
Ayn Rand[8] 9781934389379 Andrew Bernstein Owen Brozman 112 Aug 2009  
Barack Obama[9][10][11][12] 9781934389447 Bob Neer Joe Lee 128 2009  
Ben Franklin 9781934389485 Tim E. Ogline Tim E. Ogline 160 2013  
Black History 9781934389195 Denise Dennis Susan Willmarth 192 1984  
Black Holocaust 9781934389034 S.E. Anderson Vanessa Holley 192 1995  
Black Women 9780863161476 S. Pearl Sharp Beverly Hall 192 1993  
Capitalism 0906495504 Robert Lekachman Borin Van Loon 176 1981  
Chomsky 9780863162336 David Cogswell Paul Gordon 160 1996  
Cuba 9780904613414 Rius Rius 160 1975 Translated from Cuba para principiantes (1960)
Dada and Surrealism 9781934389003 Elsa Bethanis, Peter Bethanis Joe Lee 128 2006  
Dante 9780863162800 Joe Lee Joe Lee 180 1999  
Darwin 9781848311176 Jonathan Miller Borin Van Loon 176 1982 Republished by Icon in 1992
Deconstruction[13] 9780863169984 Jim Powell Joe Lee 168 2005  
Democracy[14] 9781934389362 Robert Cavalier Reuben Negrón 128 2009  
Derrida 9780863161391 Jim Powell Van Howell 192 1996 Different from Derrida for Beginners (Icon, 1996) by Jeff Collins, Bill Mayblin, and Richard Appignanesi
DNA 9780863160233 Israel Rosenfield, Edward Ziff Borin Van Loon 224 1983  
Ecology 9780906495797 Stephen Croall William Rankin 174 1981 Republished by Icon in 1992
Eastern Philosophy 9780863162824 Jim Powell Joe Lee 192 2000  
Economists 9780906495520 Bernard Canavan Bernard Canavan 176 1983  
Einstein 9780906386057 Joseph Schwartz Michael McGuinness 174 1979 Republished by Icon in 1992
Elvis 9780049270114 Jill Pearlman Wayne White 160 1986  
Existentialism[15][16] 978-1-934389-21-8 David Cogswell Joe Lee 192 Oct 2008  
FDR and the New Deal 978-1-934389-50-8 Paul Buhle Sabrina Jones 176 2010  
Foucault[17] 9781934389126 Lydia Alix Fillingham Moshe Susser 160 1993 Different from Introducing Foucault (1997) by Chris Horrocks, Zoran Jevtic, and Richard Appignanesi
Freud 9781840468519 Richard Appignanesi Oscar Zarate 176 1979 Republished as Introducing Freud (Icon, Sept. 2007)
Gender & Sexuality 9781934389690 Jaimee Garbacik Jeffrey Lewis 216 2013  
Gestalt 978-0-863162-58-9 Sergio Sinay Pablo Blasberg 176 1998  
Global Warming[18] 978-1-934389-27-0 Dean Goodwin Joe Lee 144 Dec 2008  
Greek Mythology 9781934389836 Joe Lee Joe Lee 196 2013  
Heidegger 9780863161728 Eric Charles Lemay Jennifer A. Pitts 128 1994  
History of Cinema 978-0-863162-75-6 Jarek Kupść Jarek Kupść 382 1998  
History of Opera 9781934389805 Ron David Sara Woolley 168 2013  
Jane Austen 9781934389614 Robert Dryden Joe Lee 170 2011  
Jewish Holocaust 9780863161827 Stuart Justman Rebecca Shope 120 1995  
Kierkegaard 9780863161926 Donald D. Palmer Donald D. Palmer 160 1996  
Lacan 9780863162275 Phillip Hill David Leach 176 1997 Different from Introducing Lacan (Icon, 2000) by Darian Leader and Judy Groves
Lenin 9780904613674 Richard Appignanesi Oscar Zárate 172 1977  
Linguistics 978-1-934389-28-7 W. Terrence Gordon Susan Willmarth 128 2008  
London 0-86316-078-6 Nita Clarke Phil Evans 176 1984 "A political history of London"
Malcolm X 9780863161469 Bernard Aquina Doctor Bernard Aquina Doctor 192 1992  
Marx 978-0-846702-70-2 Rius Rius 156 1976 Translated from Marx para principiantes (1972)
Marx's Kapital 9780906495827 David N. Smith Phil Evans 192 1982
McLuhan 9780863162312 W. Terrence Gordon Susan Willmarth 176 1997  
Muhammed 9781848310841 Ziauddin Sardar Zafar Abbas Malik 176 1994 Simultaneously published as Introducing Muhammed (Icon, 1994) and then republished as Introducing Islam (Icon, 2001)
Nietzsche 9780863161186 Marc Sautet Patrick Boussignac 192 1990 Translated from the French Nietzsche pour débutants (1986)
Nuclear Power 9780906495629 Stephen Croall Kaianders Sempler 176 1985  
The Olympics 978-1-934389-33-1 Brandon Toropov Joe Lee 176 Jun 2008  
Orwell 9780863160660 David N. Smith Michael Mosher 192 1984  
Paul Robeson 978-1934389812 Paul Von Blum, Elizabeth Von Notias Ramsess 144 2013  
Philosophy 9780863161575 Richard Osborne Ralph Edney 192 1992 Different from Introducing Philosophy (Icon, Sept. 2007) by Dave Robinson and Judy Groves
Picasso 978-1-874166-29-0 Andrew Brighton Andrzej Klimowski 171 Feb 1992  
Plato 9780863160394 Robert Cavalier Eric Lurio 160 1990  
Poetry 978-1-934389-46-1 Margaret Chapman, Kathleen Welton Reuben Negrón 160 2010  
Postmodernism 9780863161889 Jim Powell Joe Lee 163 1998 Different from Introducing Postmodernism (Icon, Sept. 2007) by Richard Appignanesi, Chris Garratt, Ziauddin Sardar, and Patrick Curry
Psychiatry 978-0-863161-66-7 David Brizer Ricardo Castañeda 176 1993  
Relativity and Quantum Physics 978-1-934389-42-3 Steven L. Manly Steven Fournier 144 Nov 2009 Different from Quantum Theory for Beginners (Icon, 1996) by J. P. McEvoy & Oscar Zárate
Rudolf Steiner and Anthroposophy 978-0-863162-86-2 Lia Tummer Horacio Lato 192 May 2001  
Sartre 9780863161773 Donald D. Palmer Donald D. Palmer 160 1995  
Shakespeare[19] 9780863162282 Brandon Toropov Joe Lee 224 1997  
Structuralism and Poststructuralism 9780863161933 Donald D. Palmer Donald D. Palmer 160 1995  
Trotsky 9780906495285 Tariq Ali Phil Evans 176 1980  
U.S. Constitution 9780863161261 Steven Bachman Joel Pett 172 1984 Re-issued in 2012 with art by Jorge Díaz
Unions 9781934389775 David Cogswell C.M. Butzer 168 2012  
Women's History 9781934389607 Bonnie J. Morris Phil Evans 200 2012  
Zen 9780863161179 Judith Blackstone, Zoran Josipovic Naomi Rosenblatt 176 1985  
Zinn 978-1-934389-40-9 David Cogswell Joe Lee 176 Aug 2009  

Other books

See also

References

  1. 1 2 Berger, John, and Margaret Busby. "Glenn Thompson: A pioneering black publisher, he saw books as a window for opening the minds of the oppressed", The Guardian (September 12, 2001).
  2. ↑ The history of Introducing books, introducingbooks.com. Accessed 2011-01-29.
  3. ↑ Our Story, For Beginners books. Accessed 2011-01-29.
  4. ↑ MacDonald, H. (2003), "Pantheon re-offers 'for beginners' series," Publishers Weekly, 250(51), 26.
  5. ↑ "Writers and Readers Limited," DueDil.com Accessed Jan. 12, 2015.
  6. ↑ DeSio, John (9 February 2009). "Nerd-Vana: New York Comic Con". The Village Voice. New York. Retrieved 23 June 2010.
  7. ↑ Boslaugh, Sarah (24 September 2009). "Art Theory For Beginners Review". Playback:stl. St. Louis. Retrieved 23 June 2010.
  8. ↑ Boslaugh, Sarah (9 July 2009). "Ayn Rand For Beginners Review". Playback:stl. St. Louis. Retrieved 23 June 2010.
  9. ↑ Boslaugh, Sarah (18 August 2008). "Barack Obama For Beginners: An Essential Guide Review". Playback:stl. St. Louis. Retrieved 23 June 2010.
  10. ↑ Gardner, Jan (20 July 2008). "Barack Barage". The Boston Globe. Boston. Retrieved 23 June 2010.
  11. ↑ Gordon, Jesse (November 2008). "Barack Obama For Beginners Book Review by OnTheIssues.org". On The Issues. Cambridge, MA. Retrieved 23 June 2010.
  12. ↑ Yau, Linda (15 September 2008). "Book Review: Barack Obama For Beginners". Lincoln Heights Literary Society. Washington. Retrieved 23 June 2010.
  13. ↑ Boslaugh, Sarah (18 June 2009). "Deconstruction For Beginners Review". Playback:stl. St. Louis. Retrieved 23 June 2010.
  14. ↑ Boslaugh, Sarah (6 August 2009). "Democracy For Beginners Review". Playback:stl. St. Louis. Retrieved 23 June 2010.
  15. ↑ Boslaugh, Sarah (9 October 2009). "Existentialism For Beginners Review". Playback:stl. St. Louis. Retrieved 23 June 2010.
  16. ↑ Dwyer, Tom (18 November 2008). "Dave Cogswell-Hoboken Writer Publishes New Book". River View Observer. Hudson County, NJ. Retrieved 23 June 2010.
  17. ↑ Boslaugh, Sarah (12 March 2009). "Foucault For Beginners Review". Playback:stl. St. Louis. Retrieved 23 June 2010.
  18. ↑ Cosentino, Teri (6 May 2009). "NSTA Recommends: Global Warming For Beginners". National Science Teachers Association. Arlington, VA. Retrieved 23 June 2010.
  19. ↑ Boslaugh, Sarah (23 April 2009). "Shakespeare For Beginners Review". Playback:stl. St. Louis. Retrieved 23 June 2010.
  20. ↑ Kreahling, Lorraine. "A Painter-Novelist Draws a Line Between Erotic and Obscene", New York Times (June 23, 1996).

External links

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