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Private company

Leisure Books

Former book publisher

Leisure Books was a mass market paperback publisher specializing in horror and thrillers that operated from 1957 to Present. In the company's early years, it also published fantasy, science fiction, Westerns, and the Wildlife Treasury card series. Leisure Books offered a book sales club service.2 It was founded by Harry Shorten.1 It is part of Dorchester Publishing.1 Wikipedia text CC BY-SA 4.0

Last updated Oct 21, 2026.

Overview

1957Founded1
  • HeadquartersNew York City1

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Leisure Books was a mass market paperback publisher specializing in horror and thrillers that operated from 1957 to Present. In the company's early years, it also published fantasy, science fiction, Westerns, and the Wildlife Treasury card series.2

Corporate structure

Leisure Books is part of a group headed by Dorchester Publishing. 3 entities, 1 country on record. Switch between the flow chart and the network, and select any entity to see its details.

Built from subsidiaries, stakes and holdings from Wikidata (CC0); major holders from Schedules 13D and 13G. Each entity in the chart links to its source.

The story

Founded by Harry Shorten in 1957.1

Harry Shorten founded Leisure Books in 1957.

Leisure's Westerns line notably featured re-issues of the work of Max Brand, among others. The company published six titles in Nelson DeMille (as Jack Cannon)'s Joe Ryker Series in 1975–1976.

Leisure Books published the Wildlife Treasury educational animal encyclopedia for young children between 1975 and 1981.

Beginning in 1976, Leisure Books published Gardner Fox's fantasy series featuring the barbarian Kyrik: Warlock Warrior, Kyrik Fights the Demon World, Kyrik and the Wizard's Sword, and Kyrik and the Lost Queen.

By the year 2000, Leisure Books was the only American publisher with a line of horror books.

Effective September 2010, Leisure Books, along with the remainder of Dorchester's mass market paperback lines, were canceled as print publications. Future titles were slated to be available only as e-books. After pushback from authors over cancelled and unfulfilled contracts, Leisure suspended operations entirely; the parent company Dorchester shortly went out of business.

From Wikipedia’s article on Leisure Books, shared under CC BY-SA 4.0.3

Leadership

Who has led Leisure Books, and when. Pick a name to see everywhere that person has worked.

Subsidiaries and ownership

Parent company

From Wikidata.1

Timeline

  1. 1957Founded Founded1

Sources

The numbers on this page point here. Each one links to the record it came from.

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