Lord of Publishing
A Memoir
-
-
4.5 • 2 Ratings
-
-
- $12.99
-
- $12.99
Publisher Description
A frank and insightful memoir of a life spent in publishing, by one of literature’s most legendary agents
Sterling Lord has led an extraordinary life, from his youth in small-town Iowa to his post-war founding and editing of an English-language magazine in Paris, followed by his move to New York City to become one of the most powerful literary agents in the field. As agent to Jack Kerouac, Ken Kesey, and countless others—ranging from Jimmy Breslin and Rocky Graziano to the Berenstains and four US cabinet members—Lord is the decisive influence and authors’ confidant who has engineered some of the most important book deals in literary history. In Lord of Publishing, his memoir of life and work (and tennis), Lord reveals that he is also a consummate storyteller. Witty and wise, he brings to life what was arguably the greatest era of book publishing, and gives a brilliant insider’s scoop on the key figures of the book business—as well as some of the most remarkable books and authors of our time.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
A high-profile literary agent for 60 years, Lord's roster of clients reads like a Who's Who of postwar American belle lettrists. This chatty, enjoyable memoir provides the backstories for some of the more renowned authors and books whose success he helped to engineer, and through them, a tutorial on the mechanics of effective agenting. Recognizing the merits of Jack Kerouac's On the Road, the first novel submitted to him, Lord shopped the book around for four years until it found the right publisher and instant literary immortality. He sold Judge John J. Sirica's Watergate memoir, To Set the Record Straight, to the one publisher (Norton) that didn't balk at waiving its contract's indemnification warranty. He was instrumental in landing deals for Peter Gent's North Dallas Forty and other sports-themed books because (in his opinion) he didn't have the same disdain for athletics as most publishing literati. Lord attributes much of his success to his adventurousness and understanding that reader tastes shifted significantly after WWII: "Americans were becoming less parochial, more sophisticated." Robert McNamara, Pierre Salinger, Jackie Onassis, Jimmy Breslin, LBJ, Ken Kesey, and others make cameos that support this contention, in stories about the books Lord landed and the ones that got away. Any reader interested in American literary culture of the last half-century will find something to savor.
Customer Reviews
This is living history!
Mr. Lord has witnessed and participated in the history of modern American publishing. At 92 years old, his wit and wisdom comes out on every page. Authors, movie stars, and politicians all walked through his door, each with their own fascinating story. Read this!