The last month of the year it is a time of reflection. This is Hawthorn Press’ 40th year and those 40 years have gone by quickly.
It seems only yesterday in 1981 that Hawthorn’s founding book, Festivals, Family and Food, took off as a surprise best seller, a response to Stroud people asking for creative alternatives to watching TV. Earlier in the year, publisher Martin Large met with the authors to celebrate Festivals, Family and Food with a commemorative plate.
Hawthorn Press started with three themes: Social Ecology, Education and Parenting, with Lifeways, a parenting anthology that inspired an annual family conference at Emerson College in Sussex that is still going.The Social Ecology theme of change continues with books on sustainability, biodynamic farming as well as personal development such as Springboard for women’s development with a global reach in many languages. Making crafts has developed strongly, with Katy Bevan now working on the Quickthorn imprint with Darning, Small Steps to Less Waste, When Words are not Enough and Finding Quiet Strength.
Our books are produced with a local team of people and printed in the UK mindful of the impact of excessive production and transport on the environment. With a strong team making the best of the Covid challenge, Hawthorn is well placed to publishing thoughtful books for building a more earthcaring, creative and convivial world.