▁Paul ▁Ham lyn ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 0 ▁with ▁an ▁initial ▁invest ment ▁of ▁£ 3 5 0 . ▁His ▁desire ▁was ▁to ▁create ▁" f ine ▁books ▁with ▁the ▁common ▁touch " ▁which ▁remains ▁the ▁foundation ▁of ▁its ▁commercial ▁success . ▁It ▁is ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁Oct opus ▁Publishing ▁Group , ▁now ▁owned ▁by ▁H ach ette ▁Liv re . ▁ ▁History ▁Paul ▁Ham lyn ▁sold ▁the ▁company ▁to ▁the ▁International ▁Publishing ▁Company ▁( now ▁Time ▁Inc . ▁UK ) ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 4 , ▁but ▁stayed ▁on ▁until ▁ 1 9 6 9 . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 6 4 ▁Ham lyn ▁comm enced ▁in ▁Australia ▁under ▁the ▁management ▁of ▁Kevin ▁W eld on . ▁ ▁It ▁owned ▁an ▁interest ▁in ▁the ▁Australian ▁independent ▁paper back ▁publish er ▁Sun ▁Books ▁from ▁ 1 9 6 8 ▁until ▁ 1 9 7 1 ▁when ▁Mac mill an ▁Australia ▁acquired ▁that ▁company . ▁ ▁Paul ▁Ham lyn ▁bought ▁the ▁company ▁back ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 6 ▁and ▁added ▁it ▁to ▁the ▁hold ings ▁of ▁his ▁new ▁company , ▁Oct opus ▁Books . ▁Oct opus ▁was ▁sold ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 7 ▁to ▁Re ed ▁International . ▁Ham lyn ' s ▁children ' s ▁division ▁was ▁sold ▁to ▁the ▁Eg mont ▁Group ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 8 . ▁H ach ette ▁Liv re ▁bought ▁Oct opus ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 1 . ▁ ▁Ham lyn ▁is ▁an ▁international ▁publish er ▁of ▁non - f iction ▁illustrated