The Giramondo Publishing Company was set up in December 1995 with the aim of publishing quality creative and interpretive writing by Australian authors. It seeks to build a common ground between the academy and the marketplace; to stimulate exchange between Australian writers and readers and their counterparts overseas; and to encourage innovative and adventurous work that might not otherwise find publication because of its subtle commercial appeal.
Initially these aims were expressed through the publication of the book-length literary journal HEAT, fifteen issues of which appeared between 1996 and 2000. Now in its second series, and appearing twice a year, HEAT has a national and international reputation as a showcase for contemporary writing from Australia, and from overseas, often in translation.
In November 2002 the Giramondo Publishing Company began the publication of literary works by individual authors in its Giramondo book imprint. The first titles are the new poetry collection by Emma Lew, Anything the Landlord Touches, and Antigone Kefala's Summer Visit: Three Novellas, with Brian Castro's autobiographical novel Shanghai Dancing appearing in March 2003.
Like HEAT, the new imprint aims to publish works of high literary quality, fiction, non-fiction and poetry, by authors with diverse backgrounds, interests and areas of expertise.
The Giramondo Publishing Company currently publishes from the University of Newcastle, with support from the Literature Fund of the Australia Council, the NSW Ministry of the Arts, Sydney Grammar School and Arts Victoria. All our books are designed by the award-winning Australian designer Harry Williamson.