In 2000, the president and CEO of Thomas Allen & Son,
Jim Allen, committed the company to renew the original 1916 mandate of the company, to publish trade books.

Under the direction of Publisher and veteran literary editor Patrick Crean, a new publishing division, Thomas Allen Publishers, began to acquire, develop and publish Canadian titles.

The mandate for our publishing division is to seek out and publish quality literary fiction and non-fiction. We are looking for original voices, fine writing and uncommon ideas.

Our intention is to publish books of distinction and merit.

Books of Merit was a slogan first used by our founder Thomas Allen in 1916. Our list today continues this tradition with Books of Merit that both entertain us and challenge us in our ways of thinking about our place in the world.