Our books are no longer just for old white men, says Folio Society head

In recent years, the Folio Society has paid more attention to contemporary authors.

The Folio Society's books no longer appeal only to old white men. after the London-based publisher embraced new genres and more diverse authors, its chief executive said.

Joanna Reynolds said the decision to move from traditional classics to fantasy and science fiction had helped the business make a steady profit after years of losses.

Since taking over in 2016, Ms Reynolds has sought to turn the business into a «traditional, old-fashioned book club» which had been «losing money for six years».

“When I arrived, the average age of our clients was over 60,” she said. “It was mostly white men and the UK was our biggest market. You had to be a member to buy books.

«Now the 25 to 45 market is a really strong market for us, and it's more diverse with a 50/50 split between men and women.»

Focus on modern authors.

In recent years, The Folio Society has put more emphasis on contemporary authors such as Malorie Blackman and Haruki Murakami, and also sells fantasy novels such as Game of Thrones.

She has also signed deals with Marvel and DC to create hardcover editions of early comics.

“We've made a conscious effort to diversify our roster,” said Ms. Reynolds, who still wants to move forward. . “If you go online and look at the diversity of our games, it's still not enough. It's not enough.”

She said the move to comics has also helped the company attract a much younger audience.

The company's revenue rose 12.5% ​​to £15.3m in 2022, while pre-tax profits fell slightly to £2m from £2.2m, the accounts show.

The United States is the largest market

Last year, about 70,000 customers purchased books, of which 40,000 were first-time buyers. The US is now The Folio Society's largest market. It also benefited from opening sales to non-members.

The Folio Society was founded in 1947, after the Second World War, by Charles Ede.

Prices on Cost of Books, for which the company hires illustrators to create bespoke designs, range from £50 to hundreds of pounds for limited editions.

A new edition of Beowulf, illustrated by artist Clive Hicks-Jenkins, is currently on sale for £625.

A new edition of Shakespeare is scheduled to be released later this month Complete the plays in honoring the 400th anniversary of the playwright's First Folio collection. A copy will cost £1,000.