Allen Lane

Allen Lane (1902–1970) was a British publisher who founded Penguin Books in 1935 and made inexpensive paperbacks a major part of everyday reading.

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Richard Lane: Richard Lane was a British publisher and a brother of Allen Lane who helped establish Penguin Books. He joined Allen and John in founding Penguin, then later broke away to publish under his own name.
The Bodley Head: The Bodley Head is a British publishing house founded in 1887. Lane worked there before starting Penguin, learning the trade and eventually becoming its managing director.
Paperback: A paperback is a book bound in flexible paper covers rather than a rigid case. Lane did not invent the paperback, but he made the format central to British mass-market publishing.
Mass-market paperback: A mass-market paperback is a compact, inexpensive book produced for broad retail distribution. Penguin helped establish this format as a practical way to sell books to a large public.
John Lane: John Lane was a British publisher and a brother of Allen Lane who helped establish Penguin Books. He was Allen’s partner in launching Penguin Books in 1935.
Penguin Books: Penguin Books is a British publishing house founded in 1935, known for inexpensive paperbacks and distinctive design. It was Lane’s defining creation, launched to make quality books available at modest prices.
Penguin Classics: Penguin Classics is a publishing series offering literary works in affordable editions. The series carried Lane’s access-driven approach into enduring works of world literature.
Penguin Design: Penguin Design is the graphic and typographic tradition developed for Penguin Books’ covers and interiors. Lane made recognizable, consistent design part of a low-cost publisher’s public identity.
Jan Tschichold: Jan Tschichold was a German typographer and book designer who standardized Penguin Books’ visual style. Lane hired him to bring consistent typography and layout to Penguin’s rapidly expanding list.
Woolworths: Woolworths was a British retail chain known for selling a wide range of inexpensive goods. Lane reportedly chose Woolworths as a retail test for Penguin paperbacks after finding books scarce at a railway station.