Western Islands, also known as Western Islands Publishing, is a publishing arm of the John Birch Society (JBS). Originally based in Belmont, Massachusetts, Western Islands is now located in Appleton, Wisconsin, where the JBS currently maintains its headquarters. Historically, Western Islands operated alongside the American Opinion Bookstores and Speakers' Bureau. It was one of the channels through which the John Birch Society distributed its materials across the continent, publishing numerous books focused on anti-communism.Toy, Eckard V. (Jr.). "The Right Side of the 1960s: The Origins of the John Birch Society in the Pacific Northwest." Oregon Historical Quarterly, Vol. 105, No. 2, Summer 2004, pp. 260–283. "As the Birch Society grew, its American Opinion Bookstores, Western Islands Press [sic], and American Opinion Speakers' Bureau spread Welch's ideas and JBS programs across the United States and into Canada." (p. 270)
Under new leadership, Western Islands has since undergone significant reforms, expanding its operations to become the premier publisher of Americanist literature.
Recent publications include By Compact, Not Command, an anthology of writings by notable founding fathers addressing the constitutional relationship between the states and the federal government; The Miraculous Life and Legacy of James Madison, a biography of James Madison; and The Founders Recipe, a book revealing key writings and authors used by the American founding generation.
Other books published by Western Islands include Nicaragua Betrayed (1980) by Anastasio Somoza and Jack Cox, The Fearful Master: A Second Look at the United Nations (1964) by G. Edward Griffin,William E. Dunham, "The Truth About UNICEF", The Morning Press (Bloomsburg, PA), 20 October 1970, p. 15. and a 1965 edition of I Saw Poland Betrayed by Arthur Bliss Lane.
Book series Americanist Classicsse:Americanist Classics, worldcat.org. Retrieved 31 May 2025. The Americanist Libraryse:Americanist library, worldcat.org. Retrieved 31 May 2025. One Dozen Candles Preview SeriesBiographical dictionary of the left. 1, Consolidated vol. (combining vols. 1-4 of the preview series), archive.org. Retrieved 31 May 2025. Pro PatriaQuest of a hemisphere, worldcat.org. Retrieved 31 May 2025.
See also John Birch Society John H. Rees The New American Robert W. Welch, Jr. Robert Welch University Western Goals Foundation
External links Western Islands Publishing website John Birch Society website Western Islands at HathiTrust Western Islands at Internet Archive Western Islands at Open Library
References