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| Bill Loverd | |
Bill Loverd, who, as director of publicity at Knopf for nearly 40 years, "championed the work of some of the most distinguished writers of the last half of the 20th century, died June 13, Penguin Random House reported in a tribute posted online. He was 78. Loverd joined Knopf in 1965, when he was hired by the company's founder, Alfred A. Knopf, and retired in 2002. During his 37-year career, he served as v-p and director of publicity, as well as director of corporate affairs for Random House, Inc.
Loverd "was the very embodiment of the House of Knopf," PRH wrote. "He was a gentleman in every way, but he was also someone who demanded perfection. He was Knopf's greatest public standard bearer, but, when he felt it was necessary, he could also be its fiercest critic. As the head of a department whose chief responsibility was to garner publicity for its books and authors, Bill was famous in book-publishing circles for avoiding the limelight for himself. But, on our behalf, he had a regular table at the Four Seasons, and he was social with all the key media long before the advent of social media. He also orchestrated glamorous publication parties at the Plaza, the Rainbow Room, the 21 Club, and the Russian Tea Room, for the likes of Katharine Graham, Walter Cronkite, Lauren Bacall, and Diana Vreeland. And he dashed off what must have been tens of thousands of personal notes, written by hand in his distinctive purple ink, to critics and book review editors around the country. But all the while he insisted that the books he promoted were not great because of his efforts; they were great because of the writers themselves and their editors."
PRH noted that Loverd "shined the light on some of the our most memorable books. And for that, he led an incomparable life." A private service will be held in the fall. Memorial donations may be made to Karen Ann Quinlan Hospice, 99 Sparta Avenue, Newton, N.J. 07860. Online condolences may be made here.