Parallel Press Chapbooks

Chapbooks are one of the oldest forms of publishing, appearing shortly after the invention of the printing press in the mid-fifteenth century. "Chap" and "cheap" have the same origin. The first chapbooks were cheap because a revolutionary change in technology made the publication of inexpensive popular literature possible. Parallel Press endeavors to use the new technology of our time to create an affordable model for publishing literary and academic works. The soft-cover chapbooks are professionally designed and handsomely printed on archival quality paper.

Poetry Series

The poetry chapbook series was launched in 1999. The Parallel Press publishes six poetry chapbooks annually. The Isthmus praised the poetry series, claiming, "Their output since 1999 is practically a who's who of local poets."

Encore anthology celebrates the chapbook series with new contributions from Parallel Press poets.

America's Founders Series

The America's Founders history chapbook series was launched in 2004 and is written by University of Wisconsin–Madison historian John P. Kaminski, director of the Center for the Study of the American Constitution. Unlike traditional biographies, these chapbooks will emphasize the character, mannerisms, and physical appearance of the subjects as largely seen through the eyes of their contemporaries.

Et Alia

This "and others" collection of chapbooks includes a variety of poetry, reflections, or bibliographies printed by the Parallel Press. These chapbooks are part of the Et Alia collection because they stand alone as single, free-standing publications.