Graphic Arts Books, Portland, Ore., has acquired the trade titles and publishing rights of Pruett Publishing Company, Boulder, Colo., and will use them to build and expand its WestWinds Press imprint in its continuing effort to make it "a strong regional publisher throughout all parts of the U.S."
Pruett has published hundreds of western regional titles, more than 50 of which are still in print. Pruett titles include Magpie Rising by Merrill Gilfillan, which won the PEN Martha Albrand Award for a first book of nonfiction; A Colorado History; Tucson Hiking Guide; and The Earth Is Enough by Harry Middleton and Tomboy Bride by Harriett Backus, both among the company's bestselling books.
Pruett was founded in 1954 by Fred Pruett, a former professor of journalism at the University of Colorado. In 1982, Pruett's son, Jim Pruett, went to work for the house, eventually taking over its ownership and operation. Jim Pruett commented: "My wife, Mary, and I are retiring from publishing, but we want the legacy of Pruett's titles and authors to live on. Graphic Arts Books is a great fit for Pruett Publishing. They will publish the books we have recently contracted, and any titles needing reprinting will be done quickly."
Douglas Pfeiffer, publishing director at Graphic Arts Books, noted that the company will add "the Pruett Series" to each title as it reprints or reissues these titles, saying, "Jim and I have known each other for a long time, and keeping the Pruett name associated with these titles was an important decision we made together."