Renowned literary editor Robert Gottlieb, known for his influential work with esteemed authors such as Toni Morrison, Robert Caro, and Joseph Heller has passed away at 92.
According to a statement from Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group, Gottlieb passed away on Wednesday at a hospital in New York from natural causes. A decade-long string of Pulitzer Prize-winning works, including Toni Morrison’s “Beloved” and Robert Caro’s “The Power Broker,” marked Gottlieb’s literary career, which started with Joseph Heller’s “Catch-22” and continued for decades.
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Gottlieb, who was born on July 15th, 1930, showed a love of books from a young age. He started his work at Simon & Schuster after receiving his degree from Columbia University, where he quickly advanced through the ranks.
Robert has worked with several talented writers including John le Carré, Nora Ephron, Katharine Graham, and Robert Caro. Robert Caro has eulogized the editor as a great friend and an editor who was attuned to the writing process. Robert Caro featured Gottlieb in his documentary, Turn Every Page, which premiered last year and focuses on Gottlieb and Caro as they work to complete the final book of Caro’s decades-long biography of Lyndon Johnson.
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From the day 52 years ago that we first looked at my pages together, Bob understood what I was trying to do and made it possible for me to take the time, and do the work, I needed to do. People talk to me about some of the triumphant moments Bob and I shared, but today I remember other moments, tough ones, and I remember how Bob was always, always, for half a century, there for me. He was a great friend, and today I mourn my friend with all my heart.
Robert Caro’s statement on Gottlieb
One of the pinnacles of Gottlieb’s illustrious career was his collaboration with Toni Morrison. He was Morrison’s editor for more than four decades and was a key contributor to the development of her classic books, such as “Beloved” and “Song of Solomon.” Their partnership was characterized by deep mutual respect, with Morrison acknowledging Gottlieb’s invaluable contributions to her literary success.
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As news of his passing spreads, the literary community mourns the loss of a ‘true champion of the written word’.
