Martyn Goff obituary

Bookseller and prime mover behind the Booker prize, Britain’s top literary awardAlthough bookselling framed his professional life, Martyn Goff, who has died aged 91, will be most remembered for his 34 years running what became under his stewardship Britain’s premier literary award – the Booker, now the Man Booker, prize. Goff took over as administrator of the prize in 1973, its fifth year.As director of the National Book League (NBL), which had been near-moribund until his arrival in 1970, he caught people’s attention the following year by creating an innovative literary festival, the Bedford Square Book Bang, in London. Book events at the time were generally stuffy affairs, but despite appalling weather that helped turn the Bloomsbury square into a quagmire, the Book Bang attracted some 50,000 visitors. Little more than a year later, the Publishers Association, which had launched the Booker, passed the administering of the prize to the reinvigorated League. Continue reading... Continue reading at 'The Guardian'

[ The Guardian | 2015-03-26 00:00:00 UTC ]
News tagged with: #prime mover #book events #publishers association

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Janet Freer obituary

My mother, Janet Freer, who has died aged 89, was a literary agent for science-fiction writers in the 1960s and 70s. She helped launch the careers of several young SF writers.Janet began work as a commercial artist before starting her publishing career in London around 1962. She spent several... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2020-10-11 15:38:47 UTC ]
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Obituary: Bette Greene

Author Bette Greene, known for her books honestly addressing difficult subject matter, including 'Summer of My German Soldier,' died on October 2 at age 86. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2020-10-11 04:00:00 UTC ]
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Sir Harold Evans obituary

Journalist who at the Sunday Times became the most admired newspaper editor of his generationSir Harold Evans, who has died aged 92, lived a life of two halves, almost two distinct lives. In his first life, he was the Manchester lad who grew up to be the most famous and most admired newspaper... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2020-09-24 11:55:45 UTC ]
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Obituary: Sam McBratney

Irish children's author Sam McBratney, most widely known for the classic, bestselling picture book 'Guess How Much I Love You,' died on September 18; he was 77. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2020-09-22 04:00:00 UTC ]
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Obituary: John Adams

John Adams, national accounts manager for Penguin Random House, died yesterday of an apparent heart attack. He was 64. A veteran sales rep, he was with PRH and its predecessor companies for 34 years. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2020-08-05 04:00:00 UTC ]
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Obituary: Dick Donahue

Dick Donahue, retired features editor at 'Publishers Weekly,' died on July 5 at his assisted living residence, the Beth Abraham Center in the Bronx. He was 79. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2020-07-15 04:00:00 UTC ]
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Obituary: Peter Quandt

Peter Quandt, a former president and CEO of Macmillan Book Clubs and the K-III Education Group, has died of cancer in Chappaqua, N.Y. He was 71. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2020-07-14 04:00:00 UTC ]
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Obituary: U.K. Literary Agent Felicity Bryan

Felicity Bryan, founder of Felicity Bryan Associates and one of Britain’s most respected literary agents, died June 21 of cancer. She was 74. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2020-06-22 04:00:00 UTC ]
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Obituary: Stella Pevsner

Children's author Stella Pevsner, widely known for her middle grade and YA novels that often addressed difficult subjects, died on June 11 at age 98. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2020-06-16 04:00:00 UTC ]
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Obituary: India Cooper

Veteran book publishing copy editor and actor India Cooper died on May 17 in Madison, Ind., after a brief illness. She was 67. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2020-06-02 04:00:00 UTC ]
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Obituary: Karen Blumenthal

Children's book author and journalist Karen Blumenthal, widely recognized for her works of narrative nonfiction addressing complicated subject matters, died on May 19 in her hometown of Dallas, following a heart attack; she was 61. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2020-05-21 04:00:00 UTC ]
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Obituary: Thomas Low

Thomas Low, co-founder and CEO of multicultural children's publishing house Lee & Low Books, has died of cancer, his family confirmed; he was 78. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2020-05-19 04:00:00 UTC ]
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Obituary: Frances Goldin

Longtime literary agent and left-wing activist Frances Goldin died May 16. She was 95. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2020-05-18 04:00:00 UTC ]
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Obituary: PRH Contracts Director Bill Shannon Dies at 57

Bill Shannon, contracts director for the Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group, died May 9 after an extended illness from complications of kidney cancer. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2020-05-13 04:00:00 UTC ]
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Obituary: Irv Myers

Irv Myers, a respected publishing logistics expert for such companies as Waldenbooks, Rowman & Littlefield/NBN, and New Leaf, died May 7 of a heart attack. He was 68. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2020-05-11 04:00:00 UTC ]
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Obituary: Marian Wood

Marian Wood, a veteran editor and former v-p and publisher of an eponymous imprint at G.P. Putnam's Sons, died over the weekend. Penguin Random House called Wood's time in the business, which began in the 1970s, "one of the most illustrious careers in publishing." Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2020-05-08 04:00:00 UTC ]
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Jeremy Trafford obituary

Jeremy Trafford, who has died aged 85 after contracting Covid-19, was a publisher, teacher and writer. I met him in the late 1970s, while supply teaching at the London Oratory school, in west London, where he taught English literature in the sixth form. He was a brilliant teacher, who inspired... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2020-05-05 11:07:04 UTC ]
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On the Importance of People and Place: An Encounter with Sarah Davis-Goff

I MET SARAH DAVIS-GOFF, novelist and editor, at a café in Dublin to talk about publishing, her recent novel, and the particular moment Irish literature is having. After our drinks — she had a soy latte, I drank green tea — she pushed open the door, exposing a scar on her wrist. “I got it […] The... Continue reading at Los Angeles Review of Books

[ Los Angeles Review of Books | 2020-05-02 17:00:06 UTC ]
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Obituary: Robert Kimmel Smith

Writer and children's book author Robert Kimmel Smith, widely known for such popular middle grade novels as 'Chocolate Fever' and 'The War with Grandpa,' died on April 18 at his home in Manhattan; he was 89. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2020-04-28 04:00:00 UTC ]
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Anna Bond appointed Octopus m.d., as Goff departs

Pan Macmillan sales and brand director Anna Bond is leaving the publisher after 17 years to join Hachette UK as managing director of Octopus Publishing Group. She replaces current Octopus chief Alison Goff who is stepping down later this year after 21 years with the company.  Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2020-04-15 11:53:12 UTC ]
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