Short Takes
by John F. Baker -- Publishers Weekly, 7/15/2002
Bookseller and critical favorite Michael Cunningham has signed with his FSG editor Jonathan Galassi for a new book, a collection of three linked stories, to be published next fall. The deal, for the U.S., Canada and the open market, was signed with agent Gail Hochman at Brandt & Hochman.... A new biography of Jonas Salk, who discovered the anti-polio vaccine that saved countless lives, has been signed by new Putnam editorial director Jennifer Hershey, for publication in 2004. It's by Time magazine science writer Jeffrey Kluger, and Hershey bought North American rights from agent Joy Harris.... Morrow executive editor Lauren Marino bought world rights in a first novel by Manhattan public defender Robert Heilbrun. It's called Dying Declaration and is a legal thriller about—naturally—a public defender, who's assigned to defend a man accused of killing a beautiful young Wall Street executive and must prove his innocence. The sale was made by West Coast agent Amy Rennert, who points out that Heilbrun is the son of Carolyn Heilbrun, who writes as Amanda Cross.... Knopf's Susan Ralston has signed bestselling bird-guide artist David Sibley to a seven-figure contract that calls for two new nature guides over the next seven years. (The artist works slowly, reports his agent, Russell Galen, who negotiated the deal.)
