John Lane (publisher)

John Lane (March 14, 1854 - February 2, 1925) was a British publisher.

Related Topics:
March 14 - 1854 - February 2 - 1925

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Originally from Devon, where he was born into a farming family, Lane moved to London already in his teens. While working as a clerk at the Railway Clearing House, he acquired knowledge as an autodidact.

Related Topics:
Devon - London - Clerk - Railway Clearing House - Autodidact

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After entering the London book trade he became co-founder of The Bodley Head, originally a firm that dealt with antiquarian books. They later went into publishing. Lane is mainly associated with publishing controversial and audacious texts, especially for a small, sophisticated audience. Examples are the periodical The Yellow Book (1894 - 1897) and Lane's Keynote Series, which included contentious material such as Grant Allen's novel The Woman Who Did (1895).

Related Topics:
The Bodley Head - Publishing - The Yellow Book - 1894 - 1897 - Keynote - Grant Allen - The Woman Who Did - 1895

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Lane died in 1925. His nephew, Allen Lane, founded Penguin Books.

Related Topics:
1925 - Allen Lane - Penguin Books

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