In this conversation, Gayle Feldman discusses her book 'Nothing Random,' which explores the life of Bennett Cerf, the founder of Random House. She delves into Cerf's early life, his career in publishing, his relationships with authors, and the impact of his television presence on his reputation. Feldman also addresses the challenges Cerf faced, including anti-Semitism in the publishing industry, and reflects on the evolution of Random House and Cerf's legacy.

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Chapters00:00 Introduction to Gayle Feldman and Her Book02:55 The Life and Legacy of Bennett Cerf05:52 Bennett Cerf's Early Years and Career Path09:00 The Making of a Great Publisher12:00 Bennett Cerf's Influence on Literature14:59 The Impact of Television on Cerf's Reputation18:01 Navigating Anti-Semitism in Publishing20:48 The Evolution of Random House23:52 Reflections on Bennett Cerf's Happiness

Guest InformationGayle Feldman

Gayle Feldman has written for Publishers Weekly for forty years, including as a senior editor. Since 1999, as U.S. correspondent for The Bookseller, she has analyzed the American book business for U.K. readers. She has contributed features, reviews, and essays to The New York Times, Los Angeles Times, The Philadelphia Inquirer, the Times of London, The Nation, The Daily Beast, and others. She is the author of the cancer memoir You Don't Have to Be Your Mother, first published by W.W. Norton, and of Best and Worst of Times: The Changing Business of Trade Books, published through a National Arts Journalism Program fellowship at the Columbia Journalism School. The National Endowment for the Humanities has supported her work on Nothing Random: Bennett Cerf and the Publishing House He Built with a Public Scholar award. Feldman lives in New York City.Website

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The Man Who Completely Changed Publishing