Another Life: A Memoir of Other People

by Michael Korda

Book Overview

From world leaders to Mafia dons, from Hollywood stars to the literary world's most eccentric writers, the notable and notorious alike have entrusted their life's work to Simon & Schuster's preeminent editor, Michael Korda. In this masterful memoir, Korda reveals the unforgettable cast of characters and outrageous anecdotes behind four decades of blockbuster publishing, bringing us face-to-face with dozens of larger-than-life figures- Richard Nixon,...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0385335075
• ISBN13: 9780385335072
• Release Date: May 2000
• Publisher: Delta
• Length: 544 Pages
• Weight: 1.30 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.2" x 6.1" x 9.2"

Customer Reviews

Keep on Writing

Michael Korda's family biography, Charmed Lives, remains one of my all time favorite reads. This book, Another Life: A Memoir of Other People, came to my attention while doing research on the web regarding the meaning of memoir/biography. There has been some recent controversy over whether a memoir is based on facts or simply on subjective opinion. I will take Michael Korda's facts, and subjective opinion, anytime. He has a balanced point of view, and the gift of seeing us all as people. He also understands the nature and the nuturing of creative talent. Another Life is a memoir of the publishing industry; it presents a view of how publishing used to be in the old days, the Golden Age of the famous name publishing houses. Though I think we are in another and very different Golden Age at present. I am entering the publishing business myself, and it gave me insights into truly how the business operates on a personal level. I am now reading his biography of Ulysses S Grant, and am very much interested in his assessment of Grant. It stays with me. I hope Mr. Korda continues to write historical biographies. He has a lot to share with the world.

An Extraordinary Read

I was surprised to find such varied reviews of this book which I consider one of the most enjoyable I've read in years, as gripping in its way as the best novel particularly for those interested in how publishing changed in past decades. I believe this book would be valuable for any author struggling to understand publishing today. I find puzzling some reviewer's comments condemning its writing which I considered (as an author) professional indeed (just goes to show....). Possibly they sought what the book isn't. Certainly it's not a tell all autobiography, comments on his personal (family) life being restrained. But obviously he wrote the book he intended: a narrative of his life in publishing and for this we should be grateful.

A rousing story of a life in publishing

Those who love the story of writing and how stories are made will love this book. Those who work closely with authors to help them develop their work will appreciate it even more.Korda gives us a rare inside look at how publishers publish. He shares with us how he got into the business, how he climbed the S & S ladder, and how he came to run the editorial department of one of the most successful houses in publishing history. He tells us hilarious and eye-opening stories of Tennessee Williams and Jacqueline Susann and Harold Robbins. We learn just how much work editors put into creating bestsellers. We find out who the authors are and who the writers are. If you're like me, you'll read these stories as you would a bowl of candy. You'll eat and eat until you're scratching at the bottom of the bowl for more.I don't recommend this book without reservation, however. Michael Korda, the famous editor, could have used even a junior editor to help him dig out his story. At times, the book thuds along, caught up in Korda's telling of the history of publishing in the United States. His asides into the money side of the business -- how publishing developed from a cottage industry into a mere cog in larger multinational entertainment companies -- is numbing. Still, I soaked in these parts of his story to get to the good parts.Korda is not a great writer, though he worked with many, and has a wonderful story to tell. Skip past the dull moments if you like, but most definitely read this book.

A Life in Books and Publishing

What a wonderful tour guide Korda turns out to be in this ultimate insider's look at trade publishing in the last half of the American Century. He's smart, self-deprecating, generous and altogether enthusiastic about his life's work and times. Almost every page of this book features an anecdote about a publishing legend. The publishing behind-the-scenes stuff is fascinating. If you've wondered where the more romantic notions people have about authors and their editors come from, this book will explain much. Korda is like a very entertaining teacher, and beneath the fun lies an inspiring, dedicated, hard-working, dues-paying professional. I would think this is a must read for anybody interested in publishing today.

Fascinating glimpse at world of publishing

Two television shows -- Brian Lamb's Booknotes, and Kitty Kelley's reception honoring Michael Korda (her editor and the author of this book)-- convinced me to read Another Life, and the decision was most rewarding. Korda had told Lamb that the common trait shared by best-selling authors -- regardless of style or genre -- is the ability to tell stories. Who would know better than someone who has been an editor at Simon & Schuster for 41 years? A voracious reader who has worked with hundreds of writers (one wonders just how many manuscripts he has absorbed during his career), Korda is a clever writer himself. Another Life is basically a string of hilarious anecdotes involving authors (not all of them household names) whose work he has edited. Excerpts from this book have appeared in The New Yorker (Korda's memories of legendary playwright Tennessee Williams and his ventures into other forms of writing ran in the magazine just this year), and Another Life can be enjoyed as a collection of magazine-length pieces. Writers as diverse as Jacqueline Susann, Richard Nixon, Joan Crawford, Truman Capote, Harold Robbins and Graham Greene (among dozens and dozens of others) are discussed, and Korda also intermixes am ample sprinkling of stories about his co-workers at S & S and his competitors at other publishing houses. Another Life not only lived up to my lofty expectations, it exceeded them. Highly recommended to anyone interested in how books come to fruition.