About Us

Algonquin Books was founded in Chapel Hill, NC in 1983. Our purpose was to publish literary fiction and nonfiction by unpublished young writers. Although we started as a small Southern house, we garnered national attention for many now-renowned authors, including Julia Alvarez, Kaye Gibbons, Robert Morgan, and Lee Smith, among many others. In 1989, Algonquin was acquired by Workman Publishing, one of the largest independent publishing companies in the United States. Today, we have offices in New York City and Chapel Hill and are recognized internationally as a literary house with numerous bestsellers. From Water for Elephants to A Reliable Wife; Love, Loss, and What I Wore to Last Child in the Woods, our books continue to stimulate, entertain, and enrich legions of fans.