Hachette Book Group ceo Michael Pietsch announced to staff on Tuesday “a reorganization…that will allow us to focus resources in areas where we see the greatest opportunities for continuing our growth.” The freestanding Hachette Books nonfiction line will become part of the Perseus Books division, reporting to Susan Weinberg, “to bring greater focus and impact to our publishing in this area.” Additionally, Da Capo Press, which had been one of the Perseus imprints, will become part of Hachette Books. The Da Capo name will be used for books about music and popular culture, and Da Capo Lifelong will be a […]
Personnel
People, Etc.
John Radziewicz, vp and publisher of Da Capo Press, is retiring on November 30. He has led Da Capo since 1999. Susan Weinberg, svp & publisher of Perseus Books, said in an announcement, “John’s commitment and work ethic have been outstanding, and we will miss his erudite emails, his witty sotto voce remarks, and his enthusiasm for his authors, his colleagues, our books and the business of publishing.” She also stated that “a succession plan is forthcoming.” Bria Sandford has been promoted to executive editor for Portfolio and editorial director of Sentinel. Leah Trouwborst has been promoted to editor of Portfolio/Sentinel. Eric […]
People, Etc.
Sam Raim has been promoted to editor at Penguin Books. In the ever-changing landscape of German trade publishing, deputy publisher Kerstin Gleba is being promoted to publisher and ceo of Kiepenheuer & Witsch as of January 1. She will also join the board of Holtzbrinck Publishing. Current head Helge Malchow will serve as editor-at-large and “continue to work with selected authors.” Quarto appointed Jane Moriarty as a non-executive, independent board director today. The former KPMG partner headed that firm’s London Region restructuring business for 12 years. Andy Cumming, chairman of Quarto, said in the company release that she “brings substantial professional and […]
People, Etc.: DK to Close Prima Games
DK announced the “extremely difficult decision” that they will no longer commission new Prima Games strategy guides following a “significant decline” in the video game guide sector, and the US-based imprint will be discontinued in Spring 2019 after 28 years of publication. The company says it is “now in conversation with all colleagues in Roseville, Indianapolis and New York who have been impacted by this announcement.” They declined to indicate how many employees will be affected, though there are approximately 40 people from Prima on LinkedIn. The Roseville office will close mid-November, and some Prima Games employees in Indianapolis office […]
People: Lehmann-Haupt Dies, and More
Longtime NYT book critic — and author of over 4,000 book reviews — Christopher Lehmann-Haupt died Wednesday at 84, from complications of a recent stroke. He was the NYT’s senior daily book critic from 1969 to 1995, and a critic until 2000 (he retired from the NYT in 2014). “Readers and colleagues called him a judicious, authoritative voice on fiction and a seemingly boundless array of history, biography, current events and other topics, with forays into Persian archaeology and fly fishing.” The paper notes that he had recently completed the manuscript for a memoir, “about his discovery of his Jewish […]
People, Etc.
Stephanie Frerich will join the Simon & Schuster imprint as an executive editor on November 12, acquiring narrative nonfiction; big idea books on current events, culture; business and technology; history; and biography; with an emphasis on diverse voices. She was at Portfolio. Additionally, Stuart Roberts has been promoted to editor at Simon & Schuster. Rob Kirkpatrick has launched his own agency, Kirkpatrick Literary. He was an agent with the Stuart Agency. Caitlin Mulrooney-Lyski has joined Ecco as director of publicity. She was deputy director of publicity at Grand Central. Annie Berger has been promoted to senior editor at Sourcebooks Fire. Open Road senior […]