By Jeffrey A. Trachtenberg

Book publishers are trying to read into what the tariffs mean for them, but say it is too early to fully gauge the potential impact.

Publishing has long been global. Many of the book printing presses in the U.S. were made overseas and are dependent on imported parts to keep them humming, said Brian O'Leary, executive director of the Book Industry Study Group, a trade organization that includes some of the country's largest publishers.

Illustrated books are often printed in Asia and Europe. "We don't think there will be duties on those books, but we don't know," said O'Leary. "We're waiting to learn the specifics."

The same is true for Bibles, typically printed on thin paper stock and with presses that are largely located outside the U.S., including in China.

"It's all hands on deck this morning," said Mark Schoenwald, president and chief executive of HarperCollins Christian Publishing, which describes itself as the country's largest commercial Bible and Christian book publisher.

HarperCollins Publishers, like The Wall Street Journal, is owned by News Corp.

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April 03, 2025 14:30 ET (18:30 GMT)

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