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Private company

W. W. Norton & Company

American publishing company

W. W. Norton & Company is an American publishing company based in New York City. Established in 1923, it has been owned wholly by its employees since the early 1960s. The company is known for its Norton Anthologies (particularly The Norton Anthology of English Literature) and its texts in the Norton Critical Editions series, both of which are frequently assigned in university literature courses.2 It was founded by Mary D. Herter Norton and William Warder Norton.1 Wikipedia text CC BY-SA 4.0

Last updated Oct 21, 2026.

Overview

1923Founded1

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Photo: Jim.henderson, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons4

W. W. Norton & Company is an American publishing company based in New York City. Established in 1923, it has been owned wholly by its employees since the early 1960s. The company is known for its Norton Anthologies (particularly The Norton Anthology of English Literature) and its texts in the Norton Critical Editions series, both of which are frequently assigned in university literature courses.2

Corporate structure

W. W. Norton & Company sits at the top of its group. 3 entities, 1 country on record. Switch between the flow chart and the network, and select any entity to see its details.

  • W. W. Norton & Company 500 Fifth Avenue
    • Boni & Liveright Subsidiary · New York City
    • Liveright Subsidiary · United States

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 Mary D. Herter Norton and William Warder Norton in 1923, in New York City.1

The roots of the company date to 1923, when William Warder Norton founded the firm with his wife Mary Dows Herter Norton, and became its first president. In the 1960s, Mary Norton offered most of her stock to its leading editors and managers. Storer D. Lunt took over in 1945 after Norton's death, and was succeeded by George Brockway (1957–1976), Donald S. Lamm (1976–1994), W. Drake McFeely (1994–2017), and Julia A. Reidhead (2017–present). Reidhead was vice president and publishing director of Norton's College division and a former editor of the Norton Anthologies.

Imprints of W. W. Norton include Norton Professional Books (professional works in mental health, well-being, architecture and design, and education), Countryman Press (lifestyle and instructional books, including healthy-living, cookbooks, and hiking guides), Liveright (20th century classics and new works), and Norton Young Readers (books for preschoolers to young adults).

In 2023, the company celebrated its 100th anniversary.

From Wikipedia’s article on W. W. Norton & Company, shared under CC BY-SA 4.0.3

Leadership

Who has led W. W. Norton & Company, and when. Pick a name to see everywhere that person has worked.

Subsidiaries and ownership

Subsidiaries

From Wikidata.1

Acquisitions

  1. Sep 1974Acquired Boni & Liveright1

Timeline

  1. 1923Founded Founded in New York City1

Sources

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

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