This thesis uses book history methods and a cultural materialist approach to examine the social relations and cultural practices of publishers' editing at Sydney publishers Angus & Robertson in the mid twentieth century. 'Invisible mending' as a metaphor for publishers' editing was well known in the twentieth century and the thesis asks in what ways the metaphor sheds light on publishers' editing in this time and place. The thesis makes visible editors and editing – both by examining closely particular editors and their practice, and by showing the critical role publishers' editing played in cultural production in Australia in the middle years of the last century.