Penguin Books, Ltd.

British publishing company

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July 1, 2026

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Penguin Books, Ltd. was a British publishing company founded in 1935 by Allen Lane. Lane's vision was to make high-quality books accessible to a wider audience by publishing inexpensive paperbacks. This innovation helped create a new reading public and led to advancements in printing and binding techniques.1

Penguin Books became known for its affordable reprints, including the Penguin Shakespeare series and the Puffin Story Books, which significantly impacted children's literature. In 2013, Penguin merged with Random House to form Penguin Random House, now one of the world's largest book publishers.12

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history of publishing
The Great Depression
…Allen Lane launched his pioneer Penguin series of paperbacks. It was a risky operation, involving speculatively high initial printings to keep down the unit cost. But, despite the strongly held belief that paperbacks would not appeal outside the Continent, where they had sold freely, and the resistance of booksellers, who…
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…Allen Lane launched his pioneer Penguin series of paperbacks. It was a risky operation, involving speculatively high initial printings to keep down the unit cost. But, despite the strongly held belief that paperbacks would not appeal outside the Continent, where they had sold freely, and the resistance of booksellers, who…
Read More

Lady Chatterley’s Lover
Publication history and analysis
…not appear in England until Penguin risked publishing it in 1960, a year after Grove Press published it in 1959 in the United States. Lawrence had died in 1930, and it was his widow, Frieda, who championed the book for decades before finding willing publishers for Lawrence’s complete, uncensored manuscript.
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…not appear in England until Penguin risked publishing it in 1960, a year after Grove Press published it in 1959 in the United States. Lawrence had died in 1930, and it was his widow, Frieda, who championed the book for decades before finding willing publishers for Lawrence’s complete, uncensored manuscript.
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Penguin Random House
In 1935 Allen Lane established Penguin Books in London as a publisher of inexpensive paperbacks. Six years later the children’s imprint Puffin was launched. In 1946 Penguin debuted its popular classics series, and a modern classics line followed in 1961. After being purchased by Pearson Longman in 1970, Penguin acquired…
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In 1935 Allen Lane established Penguin Books in London as a publisher of inexpensive paperbacks. Six years later the children’s imprint Puffin was launched. In 1946 Penguin debuted its popular classics series, and a modern classics line followed in 1961. After being purchased by Pearson Longman in 1970, Penguin acquired…
Read More