A K Peters, Ltd.

A K Peters, Ltd. was an American scientific and technical publishing company established in November 1992 by Alice Peters and Klaus Peters. The company developed a distinctive list in mathematics and computer science, with particular strengths in computer graphics, visualization, robotics, computational methods, combinatorial game theory, and books that connected advanced mathematics with practical or cultural subjects. Its catalog combined scholarly monographs and textbooks with titles intended for broader technically literate audiences, including books for children and general readers interested in mathematical ideas. The company grew out of the founders' long experience in academic publishing. Klaus Peters had completed doctoral work on complex manifolds at the University of Erlangen and joined Springer Verlag, where he became its first specialist mathematics editor. He later served as a Springer director and worked with Alice Merker, who became Alice Peters. The pair subsequently helped establish Birkhäuser Boston in 1979. After Birkhäuser encountered financial difficulties and was acquired by Springer, they operated a Boston office for Harcourt Brace Jovanovich and its Academic Press imprint. Following the acquisition of Harcourt Brace Jovanovich by General Cinema Corporation, they obtained backing from mathematician and entrepreneur Elwyn Berlekamp and created their own independent publishing company. A K Peters became known for a carefully curated list rather than for mass-market scale. Its publishing approach placed a high value on presentation and intellectual originality. Robert J. Lang, an author associated with the company, characterized Klaus Peters's interest as extending beyond the commercial business of publishing to the creation of books that were works of art. This reputation was reflected in contemporary descriptions of the firm as a small but highly regarded mathematics publisher. The company also played a role in developing experimental mathematics as a recognizable publishing field. In 1992, David Epstein, Klaus Peters, and Silvio Levy established Experimental Mathematics, a journal focused on the computer-assisted exploration of mathematical conjectures and structures. A K Peters later published the Journal of Graphics Tools and Internet Mathematics, extending its periodical program into graphics, computation, and network-oriented mathematical research. The company supported the field through edited and authored books, including works associated with Jonathan Borwein, Keith Devlin, and other researchers. Combinatorial game theory was another important area in the catalog, influenced in part by Elwyn Berlekamp's involvement. A K Peters published works on Go, dots and boxes, Hex, connection games, mathematical puzzles, and the theory of games, including a new edition of Winning Ways for your Mathematical Plays. These books helped connect research-level mathematics with recreational mathematics and strategic play. In 2010, A K Peters was acquired by CRC Press, which forms part of Taylor & Francis. The acquisition ended the company’s independent ownership, although its publishing output and subject expertise became associated with the larger academic publishing group. Taylor & Francis ended Alice and Klaus Peters’s employment in January 2012. Klaus Peters died on July 7, 2014. The original A K Peters corporate brand is no longer an independent active publisher, and its former website redirects to CRC Press.

A K Peters was founded in November 1992 by Alice and Klaus Peters after the founders had held senior and editorial roles at several major academic publishing organizations. Klaus Peters began his publishing career at Springer Verlag after completing doctoral research in complex manifolds at the University of Erlangen. He became Springer’s first specialist mathematics editor and later served as a director. During this period he worked with Alice Merker, who later became Alice Peters; the couple married in 1971 and moved to Heidelberg. In 1979, Alice and Klaus Peters helped establish Birkhäuser Boston. When Birkhäuser experienced financial difficulties, Springer acquired the business. The Peters later ran a Boston office for Harcourt Brace Jovanovich and its Academic Press imprint. Harcourt Brace Jovanovich was subsequently acquired by General Cinema Corporation. With financial support from Elwyn Berlekamp, the Peters were able to form their own independent company, A K Peters, Ltd., in 1992. The new publisher concentrated on fields where careful editorial selection and technically sophisticated production were especially valuable. Mathematics was central, but the list also covered computer graphics, visualization, robotics, computer science, and related areas. The company became associated with books that treated difficult subjects accessibly and with a strong emphasis on design and presentation. Its catalog included research books, textbooks, specialist reference works, mathematical games, and children's mathematics titles. Periodical publishing was an important part of the company’s identity. In 1992, David Epstein, Klaus Peters, and Silvio Levy founded Experimental Mathematics. The journal promoted computer-supported investigation as a means of discovering and testing mathematical patterns and conjectures, rather than limiting mathematical publication to finished theorem-proof results. A K Peters also published the Journal of Graphics Tools beginning in 1996 after an approach from Andrew Glassner, and published Internet Mathematics from its founding in 2003 by Fan Chung. The publisher developed a particularly notable list in combinatorial game theory. With the influence of Elwyn Berlekamp, it issued books on mathematical Go, dots and boxes, Hex, connection games, and the broader theory of games and computation. Among the associated titles were Mathematical Go: Chilling Gets the Last Point, The Dots and Boxes Game: Sophisticated Child’s Play, Hex Strategy: Making the Right Connections, Connection Games: Variations on a Theme, Lessons in Play: An Introduction to Combinatorial Game Theory, and Games, Puzzles, and Computation. The company also published Winning Ways for your Mathematical Plays in a four-volume second edition between 2001 and 2004. Experimental mathematics was reinforced through books such as Mathematics by Experiment and Experimentation in Mathematics, both published in 2004, Experimental Mathematics in Action in 2007, and The Computer as Crucible: An Introduction to Experimental Mathematics in 2008. These works reflected the company’s interest in computation as a tool for mathematical discovery and communication. In 2006, William Randolph Hearst III and David Mumford joined the company’s board. In 2010, CRC Press acquired A K Peters. CRC Press was owned by Taylor & Francis, so the transaction brought the specialist list into a major international academic publishing group. In January 2012, Taylor & Francis terminated the employment of Alice and Klaus Peters. Klaus Peters died on July 7, 2014. The original company is now treated as defunct as an independent publisher; its former website redirects to CRC Press.

1. 2012Founders leave after ownership transition

   Taylor & Francis terminated the employment of Alice and Klaus Peters in January.

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2. 2010Acquisition by CRC Press

   CRC Press acquired A K Peters, bringing it into the Taylor & Francis group.

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3. 2006New board members join

   William Randolph Hearst III and David Mumford joined the company’s board.

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4. 2003Internet Mathematics begins publication

   A K Peters published Internet Mathematics from its founding by Fan Chung.

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5. 1996Journal of Graphics Tools joins the publishing list

   A K Peters began publishing the Journal of Graphics Tools, expanding its periodical program into computer graphics.

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6. 1992A K Peters is founded

   Alice and Klaus Peters founded the privately held specialist publishing company in November.

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7. 1992Experimental Mathematics is established

   David Epstein, Klaus Peters, and Silvio Levy created the journal to support computer-assisted mathematical experimentation.

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8. 1979Birkhäuser Boston is established

   Alice and Klaus Peters helped establish Birkhäuser Boston before later creating A K Peters.

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A specialist, quality-focused academic publisher emphasizing mathematics, computation, visualization, and intellectually ambitious books that could bridge research, education, and recreational applications.

• Scientific and technical booksAcademic publishing1992

  The core catalog consisted of specialist books in mathematics, computer science, computer graphics, visualization, robotics, and related technical fields. The list included research monographs, textbooks, reference works, and accessible treatments intended to make advanced subjects usable by students, researchers, and technically interested general readers.

• Experimental MathematicsAcademic journal1992

  A journal founded in 1992 to examine the use of computers and experimentation in pure mathematics. Its editorial concept emphasized computer-assisted exploration, visualization, and the development of conjectures, complementing the traditional emphasis of mathematical journals on formal theorem and proof.

• Journal of Graphics ToolsComputer graphics journal1996

  A periodical focused on techniques and tools for computer graphics. A K Peters began publishing it in 1996, adding a graphics-specific journal to its mathematics and computer science program.

• Internet MathematicsAcademic journal2003

  A mathematics journal published by A K Peters from its founding in 2003 by Fan Chung. Its inclusion reflected the company’s interest in computational, network-related, and emerging areas of mathematical research.

• Combinatorial game theory booksMathematics books1994

  A K Peters maintained a substantial list on combinatorial game theory and mathematical games. Representative titles addressed Go, dots and boxes, Hex, connection games, puzzles, and computational game analysis, linking formal mathematics with strategy and recreational play.

• 2012Terminate the founders’ employmentOther

  The founders remained involved after the 2010 acquisition by CRC Press.

  What changed. Taylor & Francis terminated the employment of Alice and Klaus Peters in January.

  Aftermath. The founders no longer led or worked for the publishing business they had established.

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• 2010Sell the company to CRC PressM&A

  A K Peters had operated as a privately held specialist publisher since its 1992 formation.

  What changed. The company was acquired by CRC Press, which was owned by Taylor & Francis.

  Aftermath. A K Peters ceased to operate as an independently owned publishing company and its list became associated with the Taylor & Francis group.

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• 2014Klaus Peters dies

  Klaus Peters, co-founder of A K Peters and a prominent mathematics publishing editor, died on July 7, 2014.

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• 2012Taylor & Francis ends the employment of Alice and Klaus Peters

  Following the acquisition, Taylor & Francis terminated the employment of the two company founders.

  Leadership change
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• 2010A K Peters is acquired by CRC Press

  A K Peters was acquired by CRC Press, a Taylor & Francis company, ending its period as an independently owned specialist publisher.

  M&A
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1. A K Peters
2. A K Peters official website