Graeme Mercer Adam was a Scottish-born Canadian publisher, editor, and author who played a foundational role in the development of Canada's early literary and periodical landscape. Born in Scotland, where he first cultivated his passion for the publishing trade, Adam later immigrated to Toronto, Canada. He initially established himself as a bookseller before partnering to form the publishing firm Rollo & Adam, embarking on a career dedicated to fostering Canadian letters.
Throughout his career, Adam was instrumental in launching several significant Canadian periodicals. His first major venture was the British American Magazine, edited by geologist Henry Youle Hind. Although this publication was short-lived, it marked the beginning of Adam's long-standing commitment to producing important national periodicals.
In addition to his work as a publisher, Adam was an author in his own right. In 1891, he published Toronto, Old and New... to commemorate the centennial of the Constitutional Act of 1791, which had established the Province of Upper Canada. In his later years, his involvement with the Commercial Union agitation impacted his public popularity, though his contributions to Canadian publishing remained highly significant.