Alice James Books is a prominent independent poetry press that was founded in 1973 by five women and two men: Patricia Cumming, Marjorie Fletcher, Jean Pedrick, Lee Rudolph, Ron Schreiber, Betsy Sholl and Cornelia Veenendaal. Their objectives were to give women access to publishing and to involve authors in the publishing process.

AJB remains committed to its founders’ original mission while expanding upon the scope to include poets of all genders, backgrounds, and stages of their careers. In keeping with our efforts to foster equity and inclusivity in publishing and the literary arts, AJB seeks out poets whose writing possesses the range, depth, and ability to cultivate empathy in our world and to dynamically push against silence. The press sees the work it publishes as instrumental in cultivating conversations that help us overcome the barriers we face as a nation.

Alice James also stands out for its collaborative partnerships with authors, as well as the level of attention given to the aesthetics of each book we publish. AJB believes in supporting writers throughout their careers, connecting them to their readers, and allowing them to tell their stories.