Princeton University Press (PUP) is pleased to announce the launch of PUP Audio. Overseen by Digital and Audio Publisher Kim Williams, PUP Audio will work closely with the UK-based production company Sound Understanding, which specializes in nonfiction. PUP Audio books will be available globally across a variety of platforms and libraries, with no exclusive deal for distribution.
The goal for the inaugural season is the publication of six front list titles in simultaneous print, electronic, and audio editions, as well as a selection of recent backlist. PUP Audio will increase its production of audio titles in future seasons.
According to Princeton University Press Director Christie Henry, “Recognizing the importance of listening as a fundamental component of learning, and with a mission to contribute to the growth of knowledge, we believe audio publishing offers an exciting opportunity to engage listeners and animate book-based conversations the world over. We are keen to adapt to ever-evolving new technologies to ensure that PUP content reaches a diverse and dynamic community, and audiobooks speak to this commitment.”
Digital and Audio Publisher Kim Williams also cites clear market growth in audio books as an important factor in the launch of PUP Audio: “The growth of the audio market for nonfiction has been dramatic in recent years, and alongside the many people trying the format for the first time, there is a growing cohort of loyal audio consumers for whom audio is the first choice of format. PUP has benefitted from the expertise of audio consultants and the many listeners among our staff in developing PUP Audio, and we look forward to publishing audio editions of the highest production and narration standards, and promoting them alongside our print and e-book editions.”
A report from the Association of American Publishers indicates audiobook revenue was up 29.5 percent in 2017, from the year before. In the UK, audiobook downloads were up 22 percent in 2017, according to data released by the Publishers Association in June.
The PUP Audio front list list titles set for fall publication include: On the Future: Prospects for Humanity by Martin Rees, Britain’s Astronomer Royal; Gods and Robots: The Ancient Quest for Artificial Life by National Book Award Finalist Adrienne Mayor; Making Up Your Own Mind: Thinking Effectively through Creative Puzzle Solving by Ed Burger, a mathematician and President of Southwestern University; and Workers’ Tales: Socialist Fairy Tales, Fables, and Allegories from Great Britain, edited by the prolific children’s book author Michael Rosen.
North American & Australian Contact:
Julia Haav
(609) 258-2831
julia_haav@press.princeton.edu
European Contact:
Caroline Priday
011-44-1993-814503
caroline_priday@press.princeton.edu