Ten largest book publishers in the world

And only one of them is American :(

By Walter Haan, www.war-books.com, www.southfarmpress.com

Ever wonder why you can't get your manuscript published in the USA? Could it be because our book publishing business is dominated by foreigners, and they favor their own writers from back home? Just a thought.

Every time you buy a book published by Reed Elsevier, you're helping to pay for another jewel in the Dutch queen's crown. As an aside, every time you food shop at a Stop 'n' Shop Supermarket, which is owned by the Dutch firm Ahold, you are again paying for another jewel in the Dutch queen's crown.

As an American publisher, I'm against Random Haus being owned by the Krauts. But, according to a recent survey, the most successful publishers today are those that have abandoned national orientation for a global scale.

Out of the ten largest book publishers in the world, only one is American: McGraw-Hill Education, in eighth place. So if you're going to write a manuscript, make it a textbook.

However, eight of the top ten publishers generate the majority of their book revenue in the USA. And then take their profits home to London, Berlin, Paris or Amsterdam. A lot of good that does for creating more publishing jobs here during this never ending recession.

Here are the top ten book publishers in the world:

1. Pearson (British)
2. Reed Elsevier (British-Dutch)
3. ThomsonReuters (British)
4. Wolters Kluwer (Dutch)
5. Bertelsmann German)
6. Hachette Livre (French)
7. Grupo PLaneta (Italian)
8. McGraw-Hill Education (American)
9. De Agostino Editore (Italian)
10. Holtzbrinck (German)

It's all too sad. --Copyright © 2010 by Walter Haan, www.war-books.com, www.southfarmpress.com