Atlas Publishing was established in the late 1950s by Samar Haddad’s father, the present director of the publishing house. Atlas was one of the first bookshops in Damascus. In 1963, academic books were among the first works on its publishing list, followed shortly by many other titles. In 2002 Samar Haddad became the editor of Atlas and gradually took over as the head of the company. She remained true to her father’s motto: the book is the premier tool of knowledge and should therefore be within everyone’s reach. Atlas Publishing set up a translation division and a distribution division, while continuing to publish titles of relevance to readers, in keeping with an editorial policy promoting quality and the highest standards of technical production.
Atlas in Greek Mythology is the Titan who is condemned to hold the earth for eternity, and our logo shows him holding the Globe in one hand and a book in the other hand. This is the idea of my late father the founder of Atlas Publishers back in the fifties.
Read here the interview with Samar Haddad, published in partnership with ActuaLitté (November 3, 2016).