Presses of the City

the Presses of the City is a French Publisher which was created in 1944 by Sven Nielsen. Wire and grandson of booksellers, come in Paris in 1924, Sven Nielsen had specialized in the export of French books abroad before launching out in the edition.

First of all specialized in the translation of American novels, the Presses of the City open with the French-speaking literature in 1946 by publishing I remember Georges Simenon. In the rate of three to the four titles per annum, the Presses of the City will publish 140 novels and collections of news of Simenon. According to the example of Simenon, other authors of French language publish their works at the Presses of the City: Henri Queffélec, Cécil the St. Lawrence, Maurice Genevoix, Rene Barjavel, Konsalik.

Starting from 1958, the company launches out in a wave of acquisitions:

1958 : Repurchase of Amiot-Dumont, created under the name the contemporary Book in December 1946, which publishes in particular books general public and accounts of voyage.
1959 : Repurchase of the academic Bookstore Perrin, created in 1884.
1961 : Repurchase of editions G.P., created under the name of General of publicity in 1945, specialized in the literature Red youth and renamed later G.P. and Gold.
1961 : Repurchase of Solar, specialized in particular in the albums for children and the books of humorists.

In 1962, the Presses of the City inaugurate the collection of paperbacks Presses-Pocket. The following year, they amalgamate with the editions black Fleuve.

In April 1965, Sven Nielsen takes again the majority of the editions Plon, of the editions of the Rock and Julliard of which one of the editors, Christian Bourgois, founds her own house within the group of the Presses of the City. With Plon, Nielsen recovers collection 10/18, created in 1962.

With these acquisitions, the group of Sven Nielsen then became the second French editor behind Hachette. He is diversified in the literature, the social sciences and youth.

In April 1969, Nielsen joins the group Bertelsmann for launching, on the German model, a club of books, baptized France Leisures, which will be a fast success.

In January 1971, it reorganizes the distribution of the group by creating the Presses of the City Diffusion (distributer of the Presses of the City, G.P. Rouge and Gold and Presses-Pocket) and the New business Sequana (distributer of Plon, Perrin, Julliard, Solar, 10/18, Bourgois and the Rock).

In 1973, the companies the Presses of the City, Diffusion and Sequana are amalgamated under the name of Messageries of the book.

The December 30th 1976, Sven Nielsen dies at the 75 years age. His/her Claude son succeeds to him. He repurchases Garnier and Bordas, but the unit is absorbed by Havas. The Presses of the City are then attached at Vivendi Universal Publishing. Following the transfer of VUP by Vivendi Universal in 2003, the Presses of the City make from now on started from Editis.

Random links: