Prometheus Books

Prometheus Books is an American publishing brand established in Amherst, New York, in August 1969 by philosopher Paul Kurtz. Its name refers to Prometheus, the figure in Greek mythology associated with bringing fire—and, by extension, knowledge and enlightenment—to humanity. From its beginning, the company developed a distinctive identity around books that challenged supernatural claims and promoted scientific reasoning, secular humanism, freethought, and skepticism. It has consequently occupied an important place in the history of American atheist and secular publishing and has sometimes been described as a foundational or grandfathering publisher in that field. The company’s list extends beyond atheism. Prometheus has published popular and serious works in science, philosophy, psychology, critical inquiry, history, politics, and the humanities. Its publishing program has included both trade books intended for general readers and scholarly works, including series such as Contemporary Issues in Philosophy, Great Books in Philosophy, and Great Minds. The catalogue has also included books addressing paranormal claims, pseudoscience, religion, public controversies, and the relationship between scientific evidence and cultural belief. Prometheus expanded its academic presence in 1998 by obtaining much of the book and manuscript catalogue of Humanities Press International. It developed this material into Humanity Books, a scholarly imprint focused on a broad range of humanities subjects and distributed through the academic division associated with Rowman & Littlefield. The company also experimented with genre publishing: Pyr, a science-fiction and fantasy imprint, was launched in March 2005, while Seventh Street Books, focused on crime fiction, began in October 2012. Both imprints were sold in 2018. Distribution and ownership changed during the 2010s. In 2013, Prometheus entered a sales and distribution partnership with Random House. That arrangement ended when Rowman & Littlefield acquired Prometheus Books in 2019, with Random House ceasing sales and distribution of Prometheus titles at the end of June that year. In 2024, after Rowman & Littlefield sold its academic publishing business to Bloomsbury Publishing, the remaining publishing group adopted the name The Globe Pequot Publishing Group. Prometheus Books remained part of that group as an imprint. The publisher has described a substantial backlist and continuing output, with approximately 1,700 books in print and roughly 95 to 100 new books issued annually in the period described by reference material. Since its founding, it has published more than 2,500 books. It continues to operate from Amherst and to publish for readers in the United States and internationally. Its enduring market position rests less on mass-market scale than on a recognizable editorial mission: making scientific, skeptical, secular, philosophical, and humanistic ideas available through both accessible trade titles and specialist works.

Prometheus Books was founded in August 1969 in the United States by philosopher Paul Kurtz. Kurtz was closely associated with organized secular humanism and skeptical inquiry, and the publisher's early identity reflected those intellectual networks. The name was drawn from Prometheus in Greek mythology, whose theft of fire from Zeus has often been interpreted as a symbol of humanity's acquisition of knowledge. That symbolism suited a publisher committed to critical thought, scientific explanation, and resistance to religious or paranormal claims presented without evidence. During its early development, Prometheus built a list in atheism, freethought, secularism, humanism, and skepticism. It became a significant American outlet for authors and arguments that were underrepresented in conventional religious publishing environments. Its books were not limited to polemics: the list also encompassed philosophy, science, psychology, history, and works examining the boundaries between legitimate inquiry and pseudoscience. This combination gave the company a recognizable position in both trade publishing and the broader secular-humanist movement. Prometheus also developed substantial philosophical and scholarly programs. Its series included Contemporary Issues in Philosophy, Great Books in Philosophy, and Great Minds. In 1998, the company obtained much of the books and manuscripts formerly associated with Humanities Press International. Prometheus used that material as the basis for Humanity Books, a scholarly imprint covering a broad range of humanities topics. The imprint's academic distribution later became associated with Rowman & Littlefield's academic division. The company broadened its commercial scope in the 2000s and 2010s. In March 2005 it launched Pyr for science-fiction and fantasy. In October 2012 it created Seventh Street Books for crime fiction. These initiatives placed Prometheus in genres beyond its established nonfiction reputation, although both imprints were sold in 2018. In 2013, the publisher also partnered with Random House to improve sales and distribution. The relationship ended after Rowman & Littlefield acquired Prometheus in 2019; Random House ceased distributing Prometheus titles as of June 30 of that year. Prometheus has been involved in notable legal disputes concerning books about paranormal performers and claims. In 1992, illusionist Uri Geller sued physicist Victor J. Stenger and Prometheus over Stenger's book Physics and Psychics. The case was dismissed, and Geller was ordered to pay more than $20,000 in defense costs. Geller also sued over Prometheus's publication of James Randi's The Truth About Uri Geller, alleging that the book was defamatory. These disputes were consistent with the publisher's willingness to issue skeptical examinations of paranormal claims, but they also exposed the legal risks of publishing sharply critical nonfiction. In 2019, Rowman & Littlefield's acquisition shifted Prometheus from an independently operated publishing company into a larger publishing organization. The brand continued as an imprint rather than disappearing. In 2024, Rowman & Littlefield sold its academic publishing business to Bloomsbury Publishing and renamed the remaining group The Globe Pequot Publishing Group. Prometheus Books was retained within the renamed group. The publisher's continuing catalogue and output indicate an active program centered on science, skepticism, secular thought, philosophy, humanism, and related humanities subjects, with distribution extending beyond the United States.

• 2024

  The parent publishing group is renamed

  [1]Prometheus Booksen.wikipedia.org

  After the sale of Rowman & Littlefield's academic publishing business to Bloomsbury Publishing, the remaining group becomes The Globe Pequot Publishing Group and retains Prometheus Books as an imprint.

• 2019

  Rowman & Littlefield acquires Prometheus Books

  [1]Prometheus Booksen.wikipedia.org

  Prometheus becomes part of Rowman & Littlefield, while Random House ends its sales and distribution role.

• 2018

  Genre imprints are sold

  [1]Prometheus Booksen.wikipedia.org

  Prometheus sells Pyr and Seventh Street Books.

• 2012

  Seventh Street Books is launched

  [1]Prometheus Booksen.wikipedia.org

  Prometheus introduces Seventh Street Books as a crime-fiction imprint.

• 2005

  Pyr is launched

  [1]Prometheus Booksen.wikipedia.org

  The company launches Pyr, a science-fiction and fantasy imprint.

• 1998

  Humanities Press International materials are acquired

  [1]Prometheus Booksen.wikipedia.org

  Prometheus obtains much of Humanities Press International's books and manuscripts and develops the material into the Humanity Books scholarly imprint.

• 1992

  Uri Geller libel case is dismissed

  [1]Prometheus Booksen.wikipedia.org

  A libel action brought by Uri Geller against Victor J. Stenger and Prometheus Books over Physics and Psychics is dismissed; Geller is ordered to pay more than $20,000 in defense costs.

• 1969

  Prometheus Books is founded

  [1]Prometheus Booksen.wikipedia.org

  Philosopher Paul Kurtz establishes Prometheus Books in August, creating a publishing house focused initially on secular, skeptical, humanist, philosophical, and scientific subjects.

An independent-origin publishing brand with a strong editorial association with science, secular humanism, atheism, freethought, skepticism, philosophy, and evidence-based inquiry, complemented by scholarly humanities and selected trade and genre publishing.

• Trade nonfiction · 1969

  Secularism, atheism, and freethought books

  A core part of the Prometheus list consists of books addressing atheism, secular humanism, freethought, religion, and the intellectual case for nonbelief. These publications have helped establish the brand as a major American outlet for secular and atheist writing since its founding.

• Popular science and critical inquiry · 1969

  Science and skepticism books

  Prometheus publishes accessible and specialist works on science, scientific reasoning, paranormal claims, pseudoscience, and skeptical investigation. The category reflects the company's long-standing editorial interest in evaluating extraordinary claims through evidence and critical analysis.

• Scholarly humanities · 1998

  Humanity Books

  Humanity Books is Prometheus's scholarly humanities imprint, developed after the 1998 acquisition of much of the books and manuscripts of Humanities Press International. Its list spans multiple humanities disciplines and is distributed through the academic division associated with Rowman & Littlefield.

• Science fiction and fantasy · 2005

  Pyr

  Pyr was a genre imprint launched by Prometheus in 2005 to publish science-fiction and fantasy. It represented an expansion beyond the company's established nonfiction and scholarly identity and was later sold in 2018.

• Crime fiction · 2012

  Seventh Street Books

  Seventh Street Books was introduced in 2012 as a crime-fiction imprint. Like Pyr, it broadened Prometheus's publishing activity into commercial genre fiction before being sold in 2018.

• 1992

  Uri Geller libel litigation

  Uri Geller sued Prometheus Books and physicist Victor J. Stenger over the book Physics and Psychics, claiming libel. The action was dismissed, and Geller was ordered to pay more than $20,000 in costs. Geller also brought a separate action concerning Prometheus's publication of James Randi's The Truth About Uri Geller, which he characterized as defamatory.

  Source

Read more

• 2019

  Acquisition by Rowman & LittlefieldM&A

  Background

  Prometheus's distribution relationship with Random House was ending as the company moved into a larger publishing organization.

  Action taken

  Rowman & Littlefield acquired Prometheus Books.

  Aftermath

  The Prometheus name continued as a publishing imprint within the acquiring group.

  Source

• 2018

  Sale of Pyr and Seventh Street BooksM&A

  Background

  Prometheus altered its portfolio after operating two genre-focused imprints for several years.

  Action taken

  The company sold both Pyr and Seventh Street Books.

  Aftermath

  Prometheus continued with its core nonfiction, philosophy, science, secular, and scholarly publishing identity.

  Source

• 2013

  Random House sales and distribution partnershipStrategy

  Background

  Prometheus pursued greater market reach and distribution capacity for its titles.

  Action taken

  It partnered with Random House for sales and distribution.

  Aftermath

  The arrangement ended after Rowman & Littlefield acquired Prometheus in 2019; Random House stopped distributing its titles after June 30 of that year.

  Source

• 2012

  Launch of Seventh Street BooksProduct launch

  Background

  The publisher continued broadening its catalogue into commercial fiction.

  Action taken

  Prometheus launched Seventh Street Books as a crime-fiction imprint.

  Aftermath

  The imprint was later sold in 2018.

  Source

• 2005

  Launch of PyrProduct launch

  Background

  Prometheus sought to extend its publishing presence beyond science, skepticism, philosophy, and related nonfiction.

  Action taken

  It created Pyr as a dedicated science-fiction and fantasy imprint.

  Aftermath

  The imprint operated for more than a decade before being sold in 2018.

  Source

1. 1Prometheus Booksen.wikipedia.org
2. 2Prometheus Books official websiteprometheusbooks.com