Thomas Werner Laurie (1866–1944) was a London

publisher Publishing is the activities of making information, literature, music, software, and other content, physical or digital, available to the public for sale or free of charge. Traditionally, the term publishing refers to the creation and distribu ...

of books that were avant-garde in some cases, racy in others.

Early life

Laurie was born in Edinburgh. His father was a Scot and his mother a German.

Career

He founded his T. Werner Laurie Ltd. publishing house in 1904Laurie (married name Seyler), Joan Ann Werner (1920–1964)
''

Oxford Dictionary of National Biography The ''Dictionary of National Biography'' (''DNB'') is a standard work of reference on notable figures from History of the British Isles, British history, published since 1885. The updated ''Oxford Dictionary of National Biography'' (''ODNB'') ...

'' (online version). Retrieved 21 May 2019. and was known for publishing the works of

Yeats William Butler Yeats (, 13 June 186528 January 1939), popularly known as W. B. Yeats, was an Irish poet, dramatist, writer, and literary critic who was one of the foremost figures of 20th-century literature. He was a driving force behind the ...

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, and

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as well as other authors of lesser renown. He published ''

The Jungle ''The Jungle'' is a novel by American author and muckraking-journalist Upton Sinclair, known for his efforts to expose corruption in government and business in the early 20th century. In 1904, Sinclair spent seven weeks gathering information ...

'' by

Upton Sinclair Upton Beall Sinclair Jr. (September 20, 1878 – November 25, 1968) was an American author, muckraker journalist, and political activist, and the 1934 California gubernatorial election, 1934 Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party ...

when that work had been rejected for publication in England by other publishers, and Sinclair stayed with Laurie for many years in gratitude, publishing '' World's End'' and other novels in Sinclair's

Lanny Budd Upton Beall Sinclair Jr. (September 20, 1878 – November 25, 1968) was an American author, muckraker journalist, and political activist, and the 1934 Democratic Party nominee for governor of California. He wrote nearly 100 books and other ...

series. Other books issued in the firm's eclectic publishing programme included ''The Encyclopaedia of Sex'' and ''The History of Torture through the Ages''. In 1946, after Laurie's death, his publishing firm was purchased by the financier

Clarence Hatry Clarence Charles Hatry (16 December 1888 – 10 June 1965) was an English company promoter, financier, bankrupt, bookseller and publisher. The fall of the Hatry group in September 1929, which had been worth about £24 million (), is cited as a c ...

and it continued to operate in premises above Hatchards booksellers at 187

Piccadilly Piccadilly () is a road in the City of Westminster, London, England, to the south of Mayfair, between Hyde Park Corner in the west and Piccadilly Circus in the east. It is part of the A4 road (England), A4 road that connects central London to ...

, London, with George Greenfield as the manager.

Book series published by T. Werner Laurie Ltd.

* The Cathedral Series (author of each volume: T. Francis Bumpus) * Classical Library * Eclectic Library (also known as: T. Werner Laurie's Eclectic Library: Books for the Household) * The Farmer's Library * The Garden Booklets * The House Decoration Series * Laurie's Half-Crown Net Novels * Laurie's Shilling (Net) Books * Laurie's Shilling Reprints * Laurie's Two-Shillings Net Novels * The Leather Booklets * The Library of Sports * Live Books Resurrected * The Music Lover's Library * Old English Towns * Sixpenny Books * The Old Time Booklets * Sex Education Library (also known as: The Library of Sex Education)Opening and closing pages of: Walter M. Gallichan,
Sexual Apathy and Coldness in Women
', London: T. Werner Laurie Limited, 1927. Retrieved 20 January 2021. * Uniform Library Edition of the Works of Guy de Maupassant * Uniform Library Edition of the Works of Pierre Loti

Personal life

Thomas Werner Laurie married twice. His second wife was (Elizabeth Mary) Beatrice (born 1895). Their daughter,

Joan Werner Laurie Joan Ann Werner Laurie (17 November 1920 – 21 March 1964) was an English book and magazine editor. Early and private life Laurie was born in Marylebone, London, the daughter of Thomas Werner Laurie, a London publisher with a reputation for ...

(1920–1964), edited ''She'', a periodical for women.

References

External links

W. B. Yeats and "A Vision": Prospectus
at www.yeatsvision.com
Cover Art from Selected Books by M.P. Shiel
at www.alangullette.com * {{DEFAULTSORT:Laurie, Thomas Werner 1866 births 1944 deaths British publishers (people)