DonteOnslow6 at 05:43, 1 December 2025

2025-12-01T05:43:11Z

Ajay Kumar: Created a new article

2023-09-28T19:44:47Z

Created a new article

New page

{{short description|American publishing company}}
{{Cleanup bare URLs|date=September 2022}}
{{Infobox publisher
| image =
| parent company =
| founded = 1969
| founder = [[Paul Kurtz]]
| status = Active
| distribution = [[Rowman & Littlefield]]
| topics = [[Skepticism|Skeptical literature]], [[atheism]]
| genre = [[Science fiction]]
| country = United States
| headquarters = [[Amherst, New York]]
| url = {{URL|http://prometheusbooks.com}}
| imprints = Humanity Books (for academic works in the [[humanities]])
| keypeople = Jonathan Kurtz, President
}}

'''Prometheus Books''' was a publishing company founded in August 1969 by the philosopher [[Paul Kurtz]] (who was also the founder of the [[Council for Secular Humanism]], [[Center for Inquiry]], and co-founder of the [[Committee for Skeptical Inquiry]]).<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2012/10/24/nyregion/paul-kurtz-humanist-and-philosopher-dead-at-86.html|title=Paul Kurtz, Humanist and Philosopher, Dead at 86|last=Weber|first=Bruce|date=2012-10-23|work=[[The New York Times]]|access-date=2019-08-22|language=en-US|issn=0362-4331}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/02/us/02beliefs.html|title=Rift at Humanist Center Reveals a Deeper Division|last=Oppenheimer|first=Mark|date=2010-10-01|work=The New York Times|access-date=2019-08-22|language=en-US|issn=0362-4331}}</ref> The publisher's name was derived from [[Prometheus]], the [[Titan (mythology)|Titan]] from [[Greek mythology]] who stole fire from [[Zeus]] and gave it to man. This act is often used as a metaphor for bringing knowledge or enlightenment.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Pyne|first=Stephen J.|date=2016-06-05|title=Fire in the mind: changing understandings of fire in Western civilization|journal=[[Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences]]|volume=371|issue=1696|pages=20150166|doi=10.1098/rstb.2015.0166|issn=0962-8436|pmc=4874404|pmid=27216523}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.prometheusbooks.com/#About|title=Prometheus Books|website=www.prometheusbooks.com|access-date=2019-08-22}}</ref>

Prometheus Books published a range of books, focusing on topics such as [[science]], [[freethought]], [[secularism]], [[humanism]], and [[skepticism]]. It published in the "atheism" category since its founding in 1969, and is considered the "grandfather" of atheist publishing in America.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/industry-news/religion/article/56789-atheists-the-next-generation-unbelief-moves-further-into-the-mainstream.html|title=Atheists, the Next Generation: Unbelief Moves Further into the Mainstream|last=Winston|first=Kimberly|date=April 12, 2013|website=[[Publishers Weekly]]|access-date=August 22, 2019}}</ref>

Their headquarters was located in [[Amherst, New York]], and they published worldwide. Jonathan Kurtz was an executive editor of Prometheus, which is an imprint of [[Globe Pequot Press]].<ref>{{cite magazine |last=Frazier |first=Kendrick |author-link=Kendrick Frazier|date=May–June 2020 |title=Promethus Unbound: Publisher of Skeptic, Freethought Books Enters a New Phase |magazine=[[Skeptical Inquirer]] |location=Amherst, New York |publisher=[[Center for Inquiry]] |volume=44 |issue=3 |pages=6–9}}</ref>

The publisher has roughly 1,700 books currently in print,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://rowman.com/Page/RLPROM19|title=Rowman & Littlefield Acquires Prometheus Books {{!}} Rowman & Littlefield|website=rowman.com|access-date=2019-08-22}}</ref> and publishes approximately 95–100 books per year.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.glassdoor.com/Overview/Working-at-Prometheus-Books-EI_IE28555.11,27.htm|title=Working at Prometheus Books|website=[[Glassdoor]]|language=en|access-date=2019-08-22}}</ref> Since its founding, Prometheus Books has published more than 2,500 books.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.authorspublish.com/prometheus-books-accepting-submissions/|title= Prometheus Books: Accepting Submissions |publisher=Authors Publish|language=en-US|access-date=2019-08-22}}</ref>

== Imprints ==
Prometheus Books obtained the bulk of the books and manuscripts of '''Humanities Press International''' in 1998.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.iheu.org/node/976|title=Prometheus Books: Spreading Freethought Worldwide|date=2003-11-01|publisher=[[International Humanist and Ethical Union]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120207140615/http://www.iheu.org/node/976|archive-date=2012-02-07|access-date=2008-10-09}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://buffalonews.com/1999/05/30/buffalos-brainy-publishing-house-prometheus-books-has-achieved-worldwide-renown-in-its-niche/|title=BUFFALO'S BRAINY PUBLISHING HOUSE PROMETHEUS BOOKS HAS ACHIEVED WORLDWIDE RENOWN IN ITS NICHE|date=1999-05-30|website=[[The Buffalo News]]|language=en-us|access-date=2019-08-22}}</ref> It has been building and expanding this into a scholarly [[imprint (trade name)|imprint]] named '''Humanity Books'''. This imprint publishes academic works across a wide spectrum of the humanities and is now distributed by the academic division of Rowman & Littlefield.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://lunch.publishersmarketplace.com/2019/06/people-etc-987/|title=People, Etc.|last=Somers|first=Erin|date=2019-06-19|website=Publishers Lunch|language=en-US|access-date=2019-08-22}}</ref>

In March 2005, Prometheus Books launched the science fiction and fantasy imprint [[Pyr (publisher)|Pyr]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/industry-news/industry-deals/article/78564-prometheus-sells-fiction-imprints-to-start-publishing.html|title=Prometheus Sells Fiction Imprints to Start Publishing |last=Milliot|first=Jim |website=Publishers Weekly |date=November 12, 2018|access-date=August 22, 2019}}</ref> In October 2012 it launched the crime fiction imprint '''Seventh Street Books'''.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/industry-news/bea/article/73845-bookexpo-2017-seventh-street-books-marks-fifth-anniversary.html|title=BookExpo 2017: Seventh Street Books Marks Fifth Anniversary|last=Patrick|first=Diane|date=June 1, 2017|website=www.publishersweekly.com|access-date=2019-08-22}}</ref> In 2018, it sold both imprints.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://locusmag.com/2018/11/prometheus-sells-pyr-imprint/|title=Prometheus Sells Pyr Imprint|last=locusmag|date=2018-11-12|website=[[Locus Online]]|language=en-US|access-date=2019-08-22}}</ref>

== Lawsuits ==
Prometheus has been involved in two "major libel lawsuits."<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://skepticalinquirer.org/history-of-csicop/|title=History of CSICOP {{!}} Skeptical Inquirer|last=Kreidler|first=Marc|date=2019-02-04|language=en-US|access-date=2019-08-22}}</ref> In 1992 [[Uri Geller]] sued [[Victor J. Stenger]] and Prometheus Books for libel over his book ''Physics and Psychics''.<ref>{{Cite book|title=Physics and psychics : the search for a world beyond the senses|last=Stenger, Victor J., 1935-2014.|date=1990|publisher=Prometheus Books|isbn=087975575X|location=Buffalo, N.Y.|oclc=22207643}}</ref> The suit was dismissed and Geller was required to pay more than $20,000 in costs to the defendant.<ref name="CiscopLibel" >{{cite web | url = http://www.csicop.org/articles/uri_dis.html | title = Uri Geller Libel Suit Dismissed | access-date = 2006-12-08 | author = Geller, Uri | work = Committee for Skeptical Inquiry | quote = Self proclaimed "psychic" Uri Geller had to dismiss a multi-million dollar libel suit and has to pay over $20,000 in sanctions in an action he brought against skeptical book publisher Prometheus Books of Amherst, New York. |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20061205032721/http://www.csicop.org/articles/uri_dis.html  |archive-date = 2006-12-05}}</ref> Geller also sued Prometheus for publishing ''[[The Truth About Uri Geller]]'' <ref>{{Cite book|title=The truth about Uri Geller|last=Randi, James.|date=1982|publisher=Prometheus Books|others=Randi, James.|isbn=0879751991|edition= Rev.|location=Buffalo, N.Y.|oclc=9164994}}</ref> by [[James Randi]], a book that he said was defamatory.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://archive.org/details/exuberantskeptic0000kurt|url-access=registration|page=[https://archive.org/details/exuberantskeptic0000kurt/page/193 193]|quote=prometheus books lawsuit uri geller.|title=Exuberant Skepticism|last=Kurtz|first=Paul|date=2010-10-29|publisher=Prometheus Books|isbn=9781615929702|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.tricksterbook.com/ArticlesOnline/CSICOPoverview.htm|title=CSICOP and the Skeptics: An Overview by George P. Hansen|website=www.tricksterbook.com|access-date=2019-08-22}}</ref>

== Notable authors published ==
Some notable authors and books published by Prometheus include:

[[Steve Allen]]

* ''[[Meeting of Minds]] : The Complete Scripts, With Illustrations, of the Amazingly Successful PBS-TV Series'' <ref>{{Cite book|title=Meeting of minds : the complete scripts, with illustrations, of the amazingly successful PBS-TV series|last=Allen, Steve, 1921-2000.|date=1989|publisher=Prometheus Books|isbn=0879755504|location=Buffalo, N.Y.|oclc=20802027}}</ref>
* ''Steve Allen on the Bible, Religion and Morality'' <ref>{{Cite book|title=Steve Allen on the Bible, religion, & morality|last=Allen, Steve, 1921-2000.|date=1990|publisher=Prometheus Books|isbn=0879756381|location=Buffalo, N.Y.|oclc=21876648}}</ref>
* ''Dumbth: The Lost Art of Thinking With 101 Ways to Reason Better & Improve Your Mind'' <ref>{{Cite book|url=https://archive.org/details/dumbthlostartoft0000alle|title=Dumbth : the lost art of thinking : with 101 ways to reason better & improve your mind|last=Allen, Steve, 1921-2000.|date=1998|publisher=Prometheus Books|others=Allen, Steve, 1921-2000.|isbn=1573922374|location=Amherst, N.Y.|oclc=39556411|url-access=registration}}</ref>

[[Molefi Asante]]

[[Isaac Asimov]]

* ''Election Day 2084: A Science Fiction Anthology on the Politics of the Future'' <ref>{{Cite book|url=https://archive.org/details/electionday2084s00asim|title=Election day 2084 : a science fiction anthology on the politics of the future|date=1984|publisher=Prometheus Books|others=Asimov, Isaac, 1920-1992., Greenberg, Martin Harry.|isbn=0879752580|location=Buffalo, N.Y.|oclc=11351873|url-access=registration}}</ref>
* ''The Roving Mind'' <ref>{{Cite book|title=The roving mind|last=Asimov, Isaac, 1920-1992.|isbn=1573921815|edition=New|location=Amherst, New York|oclc=37695729|year=1997|url-access=registration|url=https://archive.org/details/rovingmind0000asim}}</ref>
* ''The Tyrannosaurus Prescription: And 100 Other Essays'' <ref>{{Cite book|title=The Tyrannosaurus prescription and 100 other essays|last=Asimov, Isaac, 1920-1992|isbn=0879755407|location=Buffalo, New York|oclc=19672853|year = 1989}}</ref>
* ''Past, Present and Future''<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://archive.org/details/pastpresentfutur0000asim|title=Past, present, and future|last=Asimov, Isaac, 1920-1992.|date=1987|publisher=Prometheus Books|isbn=0879753935|location=Buffalo, N.Y.|oclc=15108192|url-access=registration|via=[[Internet Archive]]}}</ref>

[[Jeremy Bentham]]

[[Rob Boston]]

* ''Why the Religious Right Is Wrong About Separation of Church and State'' <ref>{{Cite book|title=Why the religious right is wrong about separation of church & state|last=Boston, Rob, 1962-|date=2003|publisher=Prometheus Books|isbn=1591021146|edition= 2nd|location=Amherst, N.Y.|oclc=51460712}}</ref>
* ''Taking Liberties: Why Religious Freedom Doesn't Give You the Right to Tell Other People What to Do'' <ref>{{Cite book|title=Taking liberties : why religious freedom doesn't give you the right to tell other people what to do|last=Boston, Rob, 1962-|isbn=9781616149116|location=Amherst, New York|oclc=854613911|year = 2014}}</ref>

[[Ludwig Feuerbach]]

[[Antony Flew]]

[[R. Barri Flowers]]
* ''[[Masters of True Crime]]''<ref>{{Cite book|url=http://www.thebigthrill.org/2012/07/masters-of-true-crime-by-r-barri-flowers-editor/|title=Masters of True Crime by R. Barri Flowers (Editor)
|author=Ian Walkley|date=July 31, 2012|magazine=The Big Thrill}}</ref>

[[Martin Gardner]]
* ''The New Age: Notes of a Fringe Watcher''<ref>{{cite book | url=https://archive.org/details/newagenotesof00gard | url-access=registration | title=The New Age: Notes of a Fringe Watcher | publisher=Prometheus Books | author=Gardner, Martin | year=1988 | location=New York | isbn=0879756446 | via=[[Internet Archive]]}}, [https://archive.org/details/newagenotesof00gard at Internet Archive]</ref>

[[Guy P. Harrison]]

* ''50 Simple Questions for Every Christian''<ref>{{Cite book|title=50 simple questions for every Christian|last=Harrison, Guy P.|isbn=9781616147273|location=Amherst, New York|oclc=818827981|year=2013|url-access=registration|url=https://archive.org/details/50simplequestion0000harr}}</ref>

[[William R. Harwood]]

* ''Mythology's Last Gods: Yahweh and Jesus''<ref>{{Cite book|title=Mythology's Last Gods: Yahweh and Jesus|last=Harwood, William R.|isbn=9780879757427|location=Amherst, New York|oclc=25713535|year=1992|url-access=registration|url=https://archive.org/details/mythologyslastgo00harw}}</ref>

[[Sidney Hook]]

* ''Sidney Hook on Pragmatism, Democracy, and Freedom: The Essential Essays'' <ref>{{Cite book|url=https://archive.org/details/sidneyhookonprag00sidn|title=Sidney Hook on pragmatism, democracy, and freedom : the essential essays|last=Hook, Sidney, 1902-1989.|date=2002|publisher=Prometheus Books|others=Talisse, Robert B., Tempio, Robert, 1975-|isbn=1591020220|location=Amherst, NY|oclc=50559672|url-access=registration|via=Internet Archive}}</ref>
* ''Sidney Hook: Philosopher of Democracy and Humanism'' <ref>{{Cite book|title=Sidney Hook : philosopher of democracy and humanism|date=1983|publisher=Prometheus Books|others=Kurtz, Paul, 1925-2012.|isbn=0879751916|location=Buffalo, N.Y.|oclc=9576292}}</ref>

[[Julian Huxley]]

[[S. T. Joshi]]

[[Dr. Jack Kevorkian]]
* ''Prescription: Medicide, the Goodness of Planned Death''<ref>{{cite book|title=Prescription: Medicide, the Goodness of Planned Death|url=https://archive.org/details/prescriptionmedi00kevo|url-access=registration|author=Kevorkian, Jack|year=1991|isbn=978-0-87975-872-1|publisher=Prometheus Books |via=Internet Archive}}</ref>

[[John Maynard Keynes]]

[[Philip J. Klass]]

[[Leon Lederman]]

[[John W. Loftus]]

* ''The Outsider Test for Faith: How to Know Which Religion Is True'' <ref>{{Cite book|title=The outsider test for faith : how to know which religion is true|last=Loftus, John W.|isbn=9781616147372|location=Amherst, New York|oclc=818827984|year = 2013}}</ref>

[[Joe Nickell]]

* ''The Science of Ghosts: Searching for Spirits of the Dead''<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://archive.org/details/scienceofghostss0000nick|title=The science of ghosts : searching for spirits of the dead|last=Nickell, Joe.|date=2012|publisher=Prometheus Books|isbn=9781616145859|location=Amherst, N.Y.|oclc=764387236|url-access=registration|via=Internet Archive}}</ref>
* ''The Science of Miracles: Investigating the Incredible''<ref>{{Cite book|title=The science of miracles : investigating the incredible|last=Nickell, Joe.|isbn=9781616147419|location=Amherst, NY|oclc=818738031|year = 2013}}</ref>

[[Friedrich Nietzsche]]

[[Mario Perniola]]

[[Robert M. Price]]

* ''Deconstructing Jesus'' <ref>{{Cite book|url=https://archive.org/details/deconstructingje00pric|title=Deconstructing Jesus|last=Price, Robert M., 1954-|date=2000|publisher=Prometheus Books|isbn=1573927589|location=Amherst, N.Y.|oclc=42413414|url-access=registration}}</ref>
* ''The Da Vinci Fraud: Why the Truth Is Stranger Than Fiction'' <ref>{{Cite book|url=https://archive.org/details/davincifraudwhy00pric|title=The Da Vinci fraud : why the truth is stranger than fiction|last=Price, Robert M., 1954-|date=2005|publisher=Prometheus Books|isbn=1591023483|location=Amherst, N.Y.|oclc=60419877|url-access=registration|via=Internet Archive}}</ref>
* ''The Empty Tomb: Jesus Beyond The Grave'' <ref>{{Cite book|url=https://archive.org/details/isbn_9781591022862|title=The empty tomb : Jesus beyond the grave|date=2005|publisher=Prometheus Books|others=Price, Robert M., 1954-, Lowder, Jeffery Jay.|isbn=159102286X|location=Amherst, N.Y.|oclc=57344117|url-access=registration|via=Internet Archive}}</ref>

[[James Randi]]

[[David Ricardo]]

[[Michael Ruse]]<ref>http://www.prometheusbooks.com/books/9781573922425</ref>

[[Nathan Salmon]]

[[George H. Smith]]

* ''[[Atheism: The Case Against God]]''<ref>{{Cite book|title=Atheism : the case against God|last=Smith, George H., 1949-|isbn=9781633881976|location=Amherst, New York|oclc=930446791|year = 2016}}</ref>

[[John Steinbeck IV]]

[[Victor Stenger]]

* ''God and the Atom'' <ref>{{Cite book|title=God and the atom|last=Stenger, Victor J., 1935-2014.|isbn=9781616147532|location=Amherst, New York|oclc=818827986|year = 2013}}</ref>

[[Tom Toles]]

[[Ibn Warraq]]

* ''[[Why I Am Not a Muslim]]'' <ref>{{Cite book|title=Why I am not a Muslim|last=Ibn Warraq.|date=1995|publisher=Prometheus Books|others=Mazal Holocaust Collection.|isbn=0879759844|location=Amherst, N.Y.|oclc=32088699}}</ref>
* ''Virgins? What Virgins?: And Other Essays''<ref>{{Cite book|title=Virgins, what virgins? : and other essays|last=Ibn Warraq.|date=2010|publisher=Prometheus Books|isbn=9781616141707|location=Amherst, N.Y.|oclc=466343479}}</ref>
* ''Defending the West: A Critique of Edward Said's Orientalism''<ref>{{Cite book|title=Defending the West : a critique of Edward Said's Orientalism|last=Ibn Warraq.|date=2007|publisher=Prometheus Books|isbn=9781591024842|location=Amherst, N.Y.|oclc=137306010}}</ref>

[[Robert Zubrin]]

== Book series ==
* Contemporary Issues in Philosophy Series
* Great Books in Philosophy
* Great Minds Series
* Thomas Taylor Series

== Partnerships and sale ==
In 2013 Prometheus Books partnered with [[Random House]] in an effort to increase sales and distribution.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2013/01/15/prometheus-books-is-partnering-up-with-random-house-publisher-services/|title=Prometheus Books is Partnering Up with Random House Publisher Services|last1=Mehta|first1=Hemant|author-link1=Hemant Mehta|date=15 January 2013|website=The Friendly Atheist|publisher=Pantheos Press|access-date=31 August 2013}}</ref>

In 2019, it was acquired by [[Rowman & Littlefield]],<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://buffalonews.com/2019/06/26/amhersts-prometheus-books-sold-to-maryland-based-publisher/|title=Amherst's Prometheus Books sold to Maryland-based publisher|date=2019-06-26|website=The Buffalo News|language=en-us|access-date=2019-08-22}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/industry-news/industry-deals/article/80495-rowman-littlefield-buys-prometheus-books.html|title=Rowman & Littlefield Buys Prometheus Books|website=PublishersWeekly.com|language=en|access-date=2019-08-22}}</ref> and Random House ceased sales and distribution of its titles as of June 30, 2019.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://rowman.com/Page/RLPROM19|title=Rowman & Littlefield Acquires Prometheus Books {{!}} Rowman & Littlefield|website=rowman.com|access-date=2019-08-22}}</ref> Its building was sold in early 2019 for over $1 Million.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://buffalonews.com/2019/03/11/kurtz-family-sells-amherst-building-that-houses-prometheus-books-for-1-1-million/|title=Amherst building that houses Prometheus Books sells for $1.1 million|date=2019-03-11|website=The Buffalo News|language=en-us|access-date=2019-08-22}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*{{official|http://prometheusbooks.com}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Prometheus Books| ]]
[[Category:Book publishing companies based in New York (state)]]
[[Category:Companies based in Erie County, New York]]
[[Category:Skepticism]]
[[Category:Publishing companies established in 1969]]
[[Category:Culture of Buffalo, New York]]

Prometheus Books - Revision history

DonteOnslow6 at 05:43, 1 December 2025

Ajay Kumar: Created a new article