Dent, Joseph Malaby (1849-1926)

English publisher. Together with the Dutton publishing house of New York, Dent founded the popular ‘Everyman's Library’ series of fiction, which aimed to provide working people with affordable literature for self-improvement. His illustrated books helped launch the careers of the artists Aubrey Beardsley and Arthur Rackham. Dent also became widely known as an educational publisher.

Dent was born in Darlington, and, after training as a bookbinder, went to London in 1867. Within five years he set up his own workshop and began to produce and publish books. In the 1880s, his publications included editions of Charles Lamb, and works on Italian cities. Editions of Shakespeare and classical writers followed in the 1890s. In the early 20th century, the business moved to Letchworth in Hertfordshire. Dent also founded a branch of his publishing house in Canada in 1912.