Former longtime Norton editor-in-chief Starling Lawrence died on August 21 at New York-Presbyterian Hospital after a short illness, at age 82. He remained editor-at-large at Norton until his death — most recently working on books by David Ignatius, Michael Lewis, and David McCloskey — after first joining the publisher in late 1969 as an assistant to Evan Thomas. Lawrence became editor-in-chief in 1993 and vice-chairman in 2000.
Company chair and president Julia Reidhead said, “It is impossible to overstate the effect Star Lawrence has had on Norton. His taste was as confident and true as his spirit, and he transformed our list with some of the greatest writers of our time. And beyond this, through gestures both large and small, he wove generations of his Norton colleagues into a family.”
Former chair and president Don Lamm commented, “Unlike traditional Norton editors, who tended to hit the book equivalent of singles, Star would swing for the fences and aim at home runs.” Another former chair and president Drake McFeely said, “Starling Lawrence was not only the most successful trade editor in the 100-year history of our firm, as editor-in-chief he led the trade department in a period of unparalleled growth. Until Star took charge, the trade department enjoyed the occasional bestseller. In the Lawrence era, the department came to depend upon its regular bestsellers and they, in turn, lifted the rest of the distinguished list.”
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