Carole Bidnick, a trailblazer in book publishing passed away on December 2 in Berkeley, Calif., at 76 years old. She was born and raised in the Bronx, N.Y.
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Her career began in 1975, working in the sales department of Holt Rinehart & Winston. In short order, Bidnick learned to drive and became the publisher's sales representative for New York and Pennsylvania. Then, in the early '80s, she served as regional sales manager for Charles Scribner's Sons, also in the Northeast.
In 1986, David Cohen and Rick Smolan, founders of A Day in the Life photographic series, lured Bidnick to their young company, a huge leap of faith for her at the time. As director of sales, she became the unstoppable force at the heart of their books. As her obituary, written by our friend Gary Todoroff, noted, "She was the one whose enthusiasm and incredible attention to detail made their success possible. She had that rare gift of making the monumental feel manageable and the frantic feel focused. And beyond her extraordinary competence was the warmth and humanity Carole brought to everything she touched. She cared deeply--about the work, about the people, about getting it right."
A Day in the Life of America sold more than a million copies and remained on the list for a year. In late 1987, Bidnick and the company moved to San Francisco, which became her home for the next 38 years.
In 2000, Bidnick took another giant leap. With the launch of Bidnick & Company she became a literary book agent, and along with her authors created great success in the cookbook, health, and wellness fields. She secured deals for her clients with major publishers such as Rodale, Ten Speed Press and Chronicle Books. Among her clients was New York Times bestselling author Dean Karnazes. She had a keen talent and ability to connect her authors with the ideal editors and publishing houses.
"Carole's incredible instinct and fierce advocacy for books combined beautifully with her deep love for publishing. A voracious reader, to her, publishing was simply another facet of her love for the arts: music, painting, theater, film, travel, museums, food and cooking--art in all its forms.
"Above all else, Carole's greatest love was her friendships. She had many. And she tended to each and every one. Carole was one of the best friends you could ever have. Her loyalty was legendary. Carole never knew a stranger.
"Carole was a force of nature, fueled by street-smart wit, a formidable spirit and insatiable curiosity. Sassy, direct and generous to a fault, Carole was known as a great supporter of women, especially as they worked to break into publishing. She was one of a kind.
"The Yiddish word she taught all of us, by how she lived and treated others, was 'mensch.' And so she was!
"May Carole's memory be a blessing to all who knew and loved her. Her life was far too short. But her impact will endure."
At her wish, there will be no funeral or memorial service. A Celebration of Life will take place in San Francisco. Donations in her memory may be made to Planned Parenthood and the Alameda County Community Food Bank or your local food banks.