10 publishers that are better than any bestseller list and why one of them isn’t even on the list but still plays in the big leagues.

Over the years, I have often relied heavily on publishers when searching for good books. If you’ve found several great books from the same publisher, the chances are extremely high that there are many more excellent books to discover there. The reason is simple: A publisher’s portfolio is hand‑picked and curated by book people who have a very specific view on literature. If that aligns with your own taste, it’s only logical that you’ll find even more outstanding reads. That’s why today I want to introduce you to 10 publishers whose programs include wonderful and remarkable books that are absolutely worth a look.

Many years ago, I once had a whole series of posts about publishers. I eventually cleaned it up because it had become too scattered and hidden. Creating a single post to gather and present the good publishers is simply a good idea. Long‑time readers will of course already know many of them. Still, it’s worth presenting them again here, because they offer truly excellent books and are a great starting point for any book lover. So let’s get started with my selection.

mare

Of course, the mare Verlag comes first on this list. I have already presented many books from mare here on lesestunden. Their classics have an extremely high production quality, the kind you rarely find. The selection is excellent, diverse, and always carries a sea breeze with it. But beyond the classics, the publisher has a lot to offer: nonfiction, illustrated books, and very current novels. For a rather small publishing house, the portfolio is pleasantly broad yet focused. There is also a magazine. If you love the sea, dream of vacations, want to discover something new, or simply want to drift along, this publisher offers a lot. I never miss a preview of their upcoming titles, and there is always something for me.

Jürgen Barck

I love the books by Gaito Gasdanow. For a long time, only a few of his works were available in German translation. Until a few years ago, translator Jürgen Barck began translating the missing novels and stories into German. Since then, I haven’t missed a single one of his books. What makes this so special is that there is no publisher behind him. He does everything himself—from translation to typesetting, editing, publishing, and more—and the result is on par with professional publishing houses. This is truly remarkable, and I am incredibly grateful, because otherwise these wonderful texts would not be accessible to German‑speaking readers. His cultural contribution cannot be praised highly enough. So definitely take a look at these wonderful translations, of which I have presented all of them on lesestunden. It doesn’t always have to be a publisher.

Mantikore-Verlag

The Mantikore-Verlag is also very unique. It is the largest and only publisher for adventure gamebooks in the German‑speaking world. These are books that are not simply read but played. They are divided into sections, and at the end of each one, the reader decides how the story continues. These books were briefly very popular in the 80s but quickly disappeared again. I still find the idea fascinating and, although rarely, I always enjoy picking up such a book. It’s simply amazing how versatile books can be and how creatively and imaginatively these gamebooks captivate readers. They are especially suitable for young readers, as they have a certain lightness and are very accessible thanks to the interactive format.

Hanser

The Hanser Verlag is no insider tip and is one of the larger publishers. But for me, it holds a special place because it offers many classics in very high‑quality editions. This is my go‑to backlist for the truly great and worthwhile works. War and Peace, Anna Karenina, Madame Bovary, Moby-Dick, Great Expectations, Kim—the timeless works are all there, in new high‑quality translations. You simply can’t go wrong, and I have read many of these classics; they will remain on my shelves forever. Besides the classics, Hanser also has a large portfolio of contemporary literature, though I rarely find something for myself there. For me, it is the triple‑A publisher for classics, and I check every preview for newly translated editions.

Manesse Verlag

With the Manesse Bibliothek der Weltliteratur, the Manesse Verlag is something like a foundation of literature in Germany for me. The series has existed for a very long time, and I have read and enjoyed many of the beautiful little volumes. They are handy yet very high‑quality. The older books impress with their linen covers, thread stitching, ribbon bookmarks, and compactness. The newer editions are visually more modern but unfortunately no longer have linen covers. Still, the selection is wonderful, offering major works as well as lesser‑known but highly readable classics. I regularly present beautiful books from Manesse here on lesestunden.de and have never been disappointed.

Büchergilde Gutenberg

The Büchergilde is a true traditional publisher and very old. Over the years, they have dedicated themselves to bibliophile editions and offer many splendid books. You can feel the love for books especially in the details. I love the author B. Traven and have collected the old Büchergilde editions of his works, which are still beautiful after all these years. Many of their designs are not to my taste, which is subjective, but the quality is always excellent. And there are many books that are simply magnificent and beautiful—ones I would never want to miss on my shelves. The business model is no longer contemporary: you must become a member to order books and commit to buying one book per quarter. At the same time, the Büchergilde is a piece of book culture, and supporting that is certainly not a bad thing.

Nikol Verlag

The Nikol Verlag is a low‑budget publisher known for its very good prices. It first caught my attention when I discovered their beautiful classics bound in linen with gold embossing. The books are very fairly priced, look lovely, and—even if not newly translated—are solid in content. You’ll find many of the great classics. Naturally, at this price point, the quality cannot compete with the high‑end classics from mare or Hanser. But the selection is solid, looks great on the shelf, and has never disappointed me. The range has grown significantly, and besides classics, there are now many nonfiction titles as well. If you’re on a tight budget but still want beautiful editions of world literature, this is the right place.

Coppenrath Verlag

I long knew the Coppenrath Verlag only from those dreadful little corners in bookstores where children would get stuck wanting some overpriced Lillifee‑Captain‑Sharky‑China‑plastic junk. And you always had to say no and painstakingly lure them back to the book section. But in fact, the publisher has been offering beautiful books for years—books that more than make up for that Spiegelburg‑parent hell. Coppenrath publishes numerous MinaLima‑designed editions, very stylish new editions of Sherlock Holmes, and a splendid edition of Rebecca. The decorative editions of Poe are also gorgeous. What makes these books special are the small inserts tucked between the pages: envelopes with poems from the novel, little flyers, background notes—these extras elevate the reading experience. These are magnificent books from an unexpected corner, and this segment has grown steadily over the years. I hope Coppenrath continues this path; I love these books, and the publisher has become a real insider tip for me.

Klett-Cotta Verlag

The Klett-Cotta Verlag is my first stop for fantasy. While I used to read a lot of fantasy—especially in my teenage years—it has become much less in recent years. When I do read fantasy, I always turn to the major titles, most of which are published by Klett‑Cotta. Tad Williams has been my absolute favorite for many years. And of course, Tolkien’s works are available there in beautiful editions. I also like the classic hardcover format the publisher uses; they have a certain charm. The newer paperback editions follow a current trend I don’t like as much. They often have sprayed edges, which appeal to younger readers but are actually low‑quality embellishments when you don’t even get a hardcover. Fortunately, this only affects reprints; first editions still come in classic hardcover, sometimes even with sprayed edges. In short: You can’t go wrong with Klett‑Cotta—this is where you’ll find wonderful fantasy.

Barnes & Noble

I focus on German‑language books on this blog, but I still want to mention Barnes & Noble, even though they publish only English‑language literature. The largest bookstore chain in the U.S. has created its own Collectible Edition series—splendid editions of many classic works of world literature. Among them are some truly beautiful children’s books like The Secret Garden or A Little Princess, so beautifully designed that I simply love them and thoroughly enjoyed reading them. I find it a real shame that we don’t have such a gorgeous series in Germany—leather‑bound books with gilt edges and elaborate design. If you enjoy reading in English, I can only recommend these editions. Many of them are easy to find online in Germany as well.

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The bestseller lists tell only a small part of the truth. The truly exciting discoveries are often made away from the spotlight: with publishers who show great taste, curate boldly, and produce with love.
Which publishers belong in this league for you? And which one is missing here?
I look forward to your comments and can’t wait to discover your recommendations.