Printer/Publisher


The publisher for this edition of A Century of Dishonor was a respectable Boston firm named Roberts Brothers. They were actually bookbinders from 1857 to 1862 and their original location was on Church Street in Boston. However, at the time this book was published in 1888 they were located on Somerset Street.

With the publication of Little Women by Louisa May Alcott in 1868, their reputation was established. This volume even included illustrations by the author's sister May (the character Amy in the book is based on her sister). Many British and European authors were also published by them, in addition to American authors including Jackson of course.

Thomas Niles, chief editor at Roberts Brothers, was Jackson's literary sponsor during her most important writing period. Dating from 1873 they were her main book publisher. Their relationship was such that she even used the firm's address as one of her forwarding addresses. In addition to being supportive of Jackson, Niles was also supportive of other women authors. He was known for his skill in obtaining and promoting the work of women: under his guidance Roberts Brothers successfully published the children's books of Louisa May Alcott and Jackson's friend Sarah Woolsey, the first American additions of George Sand's novels, and poetry collections by Christina Rossetti, Jean Ingelow, and, after her death, Emily Dickinson (Phillips, p 200, 2003). Niles had started with the firm in 1863 and several years later became a partner in the firm. He was to remain with them until his death in 1894.

The company was bought in 1898 by Little, Brown. Little, Brown and Company remain in business to this day. It has been a part of the Time Warner Group since 1968. One interesting fact is that Little, Brown are the publishers of the enormously popular Young Adult Twilight series by Stephenie Meyer.

This edition was printed by the University Press (John Wilson & Son) in Cambridge. No further information was found for this printer.

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