ABPress | From suburbia and skyscraper scrawl to the open prairies and 'local color', slum life to rural idyll: reprinting American and British literary classics.

The ABPress, of Dolgellau in Snowdonia, will publish mainly out of copyright books by American and British authors. From this it derives its name: Albion an ancient word for England, Beatnik an American slang word, a lexicographic construct denoting an attitude of mind and introduced by Jack Kerouac in 1948 (he claimed from the word ‘beatific’). The press is interested in novels, shorter works and poetry, either of peculiar interest or of their time. 40 books will be published throughout 2021.

The Press publishes also some contemporary poetry and fiction.

Bucharest-based graphic artist Alexandra Andries is responsible for cover design. Some of these books, especially the lengthier novels, have original illustrations by Prague-based illustrator Christopher Vinz.

AMERICAN RETRO SERIES
America witnessed great social transition between the end of its Civil War and the beginning of the World War. Depictions of rural idyll and regional traditions of ‘local color’ writing were carried forward, but a metropolitan mode of unforeseen scale was introduced to its literature, with descriptions of urbanity and culture, but also of a suburban, skyscraper scrawl, social distress and a new politics.

BRITISH RETRO SERIES
The artisan virtue signalling of Ruskin and William Morris and the aestheticism of Paget and Wilde were overwhelmed by the profit and lost of an abacus and a vibrant, strongly utilitarian publishing industry that rejoiced in feeding the 5,000 rather than just the disciples. The novel and short story form developed, Modernism came, and writing with a much greater sense of place and identity came to the fore.