Oneworld Classics - a joint venture between Alma Books and Oxford-based Oneworld Publications - is delighted to announce the launch of its first six titles and its successful bid for the legendary Calder Publications.

Oneworld Classics, the exciting new joint venture between Alma Books founders Alessandro Gallenzi and Elisabetta Gallenzi and Oneworld Publications founders Juliet Mabey and Novin Doostdar, has just unveiled the first titles in its high-quality classics list, which will see the publication of approximately 50 titles in 2007. It will have two strands: a series of mainstream classics such as Jane Eyre, Wuthering Heights and Chekhov's Sakhalin Island, and a “Connoisseur” series, which will focus on more obscure and translated works, such as Boileau's Art of Poetry and Goethe's Urfaust (with dual text). With high production, editorial and typographical values, the series is aimed to “redefine the whole classics reading experience”.

Hot on the heels of the launch of this new list, Oneworld Classics is delighted to announce the purchase of Calder Publications. Alessandro Gallenzi, publisher of Oneworld Classics, confirmed that Calder Publications will continue as a separate company, with its own imprint. The new acquisition will enable Oneworld Classics to expand its list dramatically. It will publish some of Calder’s authors in its recently launched series, which includes D.H. Lawrence and Jack Kerouac, while continuing to publish a number of his seminal European authors such as Trocchi, Céline, Artaud, Duras and Robbe-Grillet under the Calder imprint.

The Calder Bookshop opposite the Young Vic theatre in The Cut, which is famous for its eclectic events programme, is also included in the agreement, and will be managed by Mark Jackson, former manager of Waterstone’s in Putney. This well-known bookshop will continue to be a focus for literary talks and events, as well as offering a home to Calder’s small theatre group, the Godot Company. John Calder will remain part of the company, and will host the popular literary evenings. To receive information about these events, please email us on our info @ almabooks.com address, writing "Calder Bookshop Events" in the subject box.

The eponymous literary publisher John Calder, who is now 80, chose a similarly small, specialist independent as the successor to his publishing programme from among fifteen publishers bidding for his company.

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