A women's magazine first published in May 1903 as The Red Book Illustrated by Chicago retail merchants Stumer, Rosenthal and Eckstein, it was taken over by The Story-Press Corporation (later Consolidated Magazines Corporation) in June the same year and given the new title The Red Book Magazine. It soon became famous for publishing short fiction and monthly novels by influential writers such as Jack London and Sinclair Lewis, in addition to the multitude of advertisements for cosmetics and skin care that attracted a vast audience of women. The McCall Corproration bought the magazine in 1929, renaming it Redbook, It was purchased again in 1982, this time by the Hearst Corporation. It continues to be one of the Hearst stable of magazines today.
Redbook (in its various forms) is considered to be one of 'The Seven Sisters' - a group of magazines which have traditionally been aimed at married women who are homemakers with husbands and children, rather than single and working women.
