“The Rebel” by Albert Camus

Published 1962  in Peregrine Books 

Printed by Cox & Wyman Ltd

No designer is credited 

This publication of The Rebel was a part of the short lived Peregrine Book series published by Penguin Books in association with Hamish Hamiltion. Peregrine books was a line of paperbacks produced for student use beginning in January of 1962 with the line continuing into the 70’s until being ostensibly replaced with Penguin University Books. There is little information information on this line of books provided by the publisher Penguin Books or elsewhere .The design elements of the blue and black rectangles at the top of the page as well as the Peregrine logo remain consistent among the publications with cover designers rarely if ever being credited. 

More interestingly, the company which printed the book-length essay, Cox & Wyman, was one of the oldest still functioning presses in England. Cox & Wyman was founded in 1777 making it the first printer in the town of Reading. The company began its prolific history by printing for the  British East India Company in both English and Sanskrit. Well known for their expedient mass production of books, Cox & Wyman was the largest producer of paperback books in the United Kingdom by the year 2000. Cox and Wyman may also be known from their rapid production of the novel Lady Chatterley’s Lover by DH Lawrence following the Author and Publisher (Penguin Books) being found Not Guilty for violating the Obscene Publications Act, immediately producing 300,000 copies immediately after the verdict. Despite Cox & Wyman’s storied history and impressive output, the firm closed in 2015.

-Kenyon Santana

Sources

Berkshire Industrial Archaeology Group. “Cox & Wyman - Printers.” Accessed May 1, 2024. http://biag.org.uk/cox-and-wyman/.

“Penguin First Editions :: Early First Edition Penguin Books :: Penguinfirsteditions.Com.” Accessed May 1, 2024. https://www.penguinfirsteditions.com/index.php?cat=mainPUB.

Reading Chronicle. “Final Farewell to Printwork Phenomenon,” February 12, 2015. https://www.readingchronicle.co.uk/news/13406391.final-farewell-to-printwork-phenomenon/.

Reading Chronicle. “Printers in Town since 1777 Set to Close,” January 29, 2015. https://www.readingchronicle.co.uk/news/13406256.printers-in-town-since-1777-set-to-close/.