PRH buys Rodale Books

In the US, Penguin Random House (PRH) has purchased the trade book publishing assets of wellness publisher Rodale Books from Hearst Corp, reports Publishers Weekly.

Hearst, after announcing its acquisition of Rodale in October and completing the purchase just last week, has quickly sold the assets to PRH, including 2000 backlist titles and 100 frontlist titles. As part of the acquisition, PRH will take over publication of Rodale titles immediately, although other terms of the deal are unknown.

Rodale Books’ adult nonfiction titles will be published under the Rodale Books imprint, and will form part of the Crown Publishing Group. The new imprint will join Harmony, Ten Speed Press and Clarkson Potter publishing programs as part of Crown’s illustrated and lifestyle division. The Rodale Kids imprint, which launched last year, will be taken on by Random House Children’s Books.

It is unclear whether any Rodale employees will move across to PRH.

A spokesperson from PRH said the company’s priority is to publish Rodale’s books ‘with care and enthusiasm’, adding that the company is ‘evaluating the resources required to ensure the program’s long-term success’.

Category: International news