About Us

St. Augustine’s Press was founded in December 1996 with the mission of publishing outstanding scholarly works, principally in the fields of philosophy, theology, and cultural and intellectual history. There was, and is, no university or foundation behind us, no endowment for financial comfort. I do not want to give the impression that that state of affairs is cause for joy or pride. In fact, it has but one positive aspect: it forces us to be true to our mission, to fix our plans on constant improvement, and to listen to our authors and readers. If we fail in this responsibility, we will fail indeed.

I had worked for years in trade publishing, where I stupidly tried to discern the Great American Market, publishing works that I thought would have a demand that I could fill. I failed in that, as almost all do who try to live under the illusion that you know the intricacies of the incredibly vibrant and dynamic American intellectual life. When I started St. Augustine’s Press I said to my wife, the only boss I have, that I would publish books I wanted to read and hope that I am not alone. It has proven to be a good choice, this supply-side notion of publishing.

Over the years the changes from that vision have been few . . . principally add-ons. One of the greatest of these is that we now publish the St. Austin Review, the outstanding journal in Catholic culture, literature, and ideas.

We have sought to make this website as easy to follow, interesting, and enjoyable as we know how. We welcome your suggestions and comments.