Robert Gottlieb worked in publishing for most of his life. He started at Simon & Schuster where he edited and published Catch-22, The American Way of Death, The Chosen, and True Grit. Gottlieb then left for Knopf where he published books by John Cheever, Toni Morrison, Doris Lessing, John le Carre, Michael Crichton, Lauren Bacall, Katharine Graham, Robert Caro, Katharine Hepburn, Barbara Tuchman, Nora Ephron, and Bill Clinton. And, Miss Piggy!
In books like the Avid Reader there are usually insights into the writers who produce the best sellers Gottlieb was famous for discovering. While many writers had good relationships with Gottlieb, some did not. Gottlieb writes about toxic times with Roald Dahl. Dahl was demanding and rude to the Knopf staff. As the years went by, Dahl became more erratic and churlish. He threw tantrums and treated secretaries like servants. Finally, Gottlieb had enough and told Dahl to find another publisher.
Another prickly author was Salman Rushdie. Once Rushdie won the Booker Prize, he became more demanding and less cordial. Gottlieb relates a dismaying conversation he had with Rushdie over The Satanic Verses (p. 143).
Avid Reader shows the slow decline of American publishing. Mergers and acquisitions changed the book publishing landscape. Mega-publishers emerged to rule the marketplace. But, Gottlieb was there during the heyday of quality literary publishing. GRADE: A
This sounds like the kind of book I like. I’ve read many negative things about Roald Dahl so this certainly doesn’t surprise me. He was a vicious anti-Semite.
Jeff, Diane read several of Roald Dahl books to her classes. She was shocked by what Robert Gottlieb wrote about Dahl in AVID READER.
Always love to read this sort of book. Will look for it if I ever finish the Mike Nichols bio, which is the best bio I have ever read in terms of his research and writing skills.
Patti, you would enjoy AVID READER. I love books that reveal what’s going on behind the scenes.
I’ve been meaning to read this since it was published 4-5 years ago. Such is the fate of a non-fiction book sitting in a fiction reader’s TBR stack. I also want to read the Mike Nichols bio Patti mentioned, but the number of holds on it will keep it away from me for months. And then there’s the Philip Roth bio, which is now shrouded in scandal.
Michael, the Philip Roth bio has been pulled from the shelves because of allegations of rape against Blake Bailey.
I know. However, my library ordered it before that happened and their three copies are currently in cataloging. I guess the library could decide not to distribute it, but they do have it.
Michael, I was on the bubble about PHILIP ROTH: THE BIOGRAPHY. Did I want to read 900 pages about Roth? I dithered instead of just ordering the book from AMAZON. Now, I’ll have to check with my local public Library to see if they have it available. I still don’t know if I want to invest a large amount of time in that book.
It’s amazing to me how many pure-dee bastards there are in the literary world. More comforting to know that an overwhelming majority of writers are good, kind, decent folks who often go out of their way to help others.
I understand that the Roth bio has been pulled by its publishers. That should make it an instant (and valuable) collectible.
Jerry, the Roth bio may go back on sale. But there’s a huge cloud over it right now.
Once again an inability to separate the artist from the art. If I like the writing and story, I don’t care about the personal life and activities. Same is true with musicians, painters, and other artists. To me it’s the work that matters.
Rick, we now live in an information society what judges not just the art but the artist. I don’t see things changing anytime soon.
And the bad thing is you don’t even have to be proven guilty of anything. Just being accused is enough.
Steve, you’re right. Just an accusation can be fatal to someone’s career.