Talk:Robert Gottlieb

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Reference to Toole

The current article states:

"Gottlieb is also remembered for rejecting John Kennedy Toole's initial manuscript of A Confederacy of Dunces. Gottlieb reportedly liked the manuscript, but felt significant changes were required before it could be published. Toole refused the changes and eventually committed suicide in 1969."

It's the second sentence that gave me pause. While authors can be quite obstinate, I felt certain that Toole had done much (including revisions) to convince Gottlieb to publish his manuscript. This 1999 review by Karl Miller seems to confirm my suspicions.

Miller wrote:

[Gottlieb], after putting him through the hoops of successive revisions, let him know that he had lost interest in Toole's novel, A Confederacy of Dunces. "With all its wonderfulness," wrote Gottlieb, the book "does not have a reason. It isn't really about anything. And that's something no one can do anything about."

http://www.newstatesman.com/199903050046

Gottlieb seems to have had a great career; but refusing to publish a book that went on to win the Nobel Prize for literature is surely something of a blemish. This article thrusts the burden and culpability of not publishing "A Confederacy of Dunces" off of Gottlieb and onto Toole. I don't think the facts warrant such a shift of guilt; and I propose to correct the article.

If someone has any information supporting the claim that "Toole refused the changes," I'll abandon the revision. I'll wait a few days to see if anyone responds to this post. JCWBB (talk) —Preceding undated comment added 12:55, 3 September 2010 (UTC).[reply]

Gottlieb has had such an illustrious career and has produced so many bestsellers that I think an entire paragraph on O'Toole is unwarranted--perhaps a mention and then the detail should rest on O'Toole's page instead and or on the page for Confederacy of Dunces under Development of Book. I think there is definitely room for improvement and expansion overall to Gottlieb's page. I'm gathering some materials and will take a stab at it. Once the rest of the material is expanded then re-look at O'Toole section. Jaldous1 (talk) 13:14, 20 September 2015 (UTC)[reply]

- I agree that a paragraph is probably too much--Gottlieb changed the landscape of American publishing and every editor has the books (and authors) they give away or can't work with. I can only imagine that O'Toole was a bit difficult to work with but Gottlieb also has a reputation as a hands-on editor. I think it is worth mention on O'Toole's entry as that was significant in his career. BTW--I'm sure you are aware that Gottlieb's autobiography was just released, and I also highly recommend the documentary the Stone People. Good documentary with a Gottlieb interview. Jaldous1 (talk) 01:09, 18 October 2016 (UTC)[reply]

Early Life section

The quote about being an "upwardly mobile Jewish boy from Brooklyn" is wrongly used. That is about Clive Davis. It was written BY Gottlieb, not ABOUT Gottlieb.