Tuesday, November 13, 2012

Author News: Roth Is Finished; Wiesel Book Claim Is Denied


PublishersLunch

Philip Roth has suggested in the past that he was finished writing new novels even though he published four works between 2006 and 2010, but last Friday a spokesperson for publisher Houghton Mifflin Harcourt confirmed to the New York Times a remark Roth originally made to a French publication: "To tell you the truth, I'm done," Roth had said. "'Nemesis' will be my last book." HMH's Lori Glazer told the Times, "I spoke to Philip today and he confirmed that Nemesis is his last book."

But another story making the rounds last week can be debunked. In early November Israel's Haaretz ran an interview with Elie Wiesel which contained this curious and surprising quote: "[President Barack] Obama and I decided to write a book together, a book of two friends." Without checking what people in publishing would recognize as dubious, particularly since President Obama is already under contract with Crown for additional works to be published after he completes his second term in office, that story was dutifully repeated by the Guardian, the WSJ and others.
Having done some digging, a source close to the President confirms to us on background, "There is no book deal and no book planned."

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