Departure Called a Loss for Publishing
By Karen Holt and Lynn Andriani -- Publishers Weekly, 6/10/2007 7:05:00 PM
Colleagues say Daniel Menaker's stepping down as Sr. VP and executive editor-in-chief of the Random House Publishing Group is a loss for publishing, though not particularly surprising, given his well-known preference for editorial work over administrative duties."My understanding was that Dan wanted to write," said Dan Halpern, Sr. VP and editorial director of HarperCollins. "He’s 65 and he’s put his time in at the New Yorker, and at Random House and HarperCollins too. And he’s a fantastic colleague and really good writer."
Menaker, who is widely considered one of the best literary editors in the business, will leave his position as of June 30 to devote more time to his own writing and to teach, but will continue editing selected titles, according to a memo sent to staff by Gina Centrello, President and Publisher of the Random House Publishing Group.
Menaker, 65, was not immediately available for comment. But Centrello said the decision was mutual. "He wants to spend more time writing and teaching but he still loves to edit and he’ll still be editing for Random House," she said. "Administrative work takes a lot of time. He wants to spend time doing what he loves."
As Menaker leaves, a number of his colleagues will take on added responsibilities. Kate Medina, executive VP and executive editorial director of the group's RH hardcover imprint, will add the role of associate publisher for the program. Tom Perry, VP and associate publisher of the group, is promoted to Sr. VP, deputy publisher. Jennifer Hershey, VP, Editorial Director of the RH imprints, is promoted to Sr. VP and editorial direct, RH.
Kurt Andersen, author of the RH novels Heyday and Turn of the Century, has been hired as editor-at-large. Andersen, who is also under contract to write two more books for RH, will acquire nonfiction books in areas including science, politics and culture.
When Centrello hired Menaker in 2003, it was largely seen as a sign of the newly formed Random House Publishing Group's commitment to literary publishing. Today, Centrello said the group's direction will not change with Menaker's departure.
Members of the industry say Menaker's literary sensibility will be missed, but they see positive signs in the other personnel moves at RH. "The Andersen appointment suggests at least some gesture toward keeping the literary direction alive," said Chip McGrath of The New York Times. While agent Elyse Cheney said of Menaker's leaving, "I’m just sad about it," she doesn't expect to see the group's overall direction change. "Kate Medina has a really strong literary history, certainly as strong as Dan's," she said.
The author of the novel The Treament (Knopf), two collections of short stories and, with McGrath, a book of humor The Worst, Menaker has worked with a long list of leading authors including Billy Collins, Salman Rushdie, Gary Shteyngart and Elizabeth Strout.
Menaker spent 26 years at the New Yorker before starting in the book business in 1995 as VP, senior literary editor at RH. In 2001, he became executive editor at HarperCollins, where he worked before being lured back to RH two years later.
