SKU: 21394882959

Nothing Random: Bennett Cerf and the Publishing House He Built

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Nothing Random: Bennett Cerf and the Publishing House He BuiltA NEW YORK TIMES BOOK REVIEW EDITORS' CHOICE The "exhilarating" (The Boston Globe) story of the legendary Random House founder, whose seemingly charmed life at the apogee of the American Century afforded him a front row seat to literary and cultural history in the making"[A] big, beautiful biography . . . There's a new Power Broker in town." The New York Times "Feldman depicts a lost world, at times a lost paradise, when New York, Hollywood and the

A NEW YORK TIMES BOOK REVIEW EDITORS' CHOICE - The "exhilarating" (The Boston Globe) story of the legendary Random House founder, whose seemingly charmed life at the apogee of the American Century afforded him a front-row seat to literary and cultural history in the making

"[A] big, beautiful biography . . . There's a new Power Broker in town."--The New York Times

"Feldman depicts a lost world, at times a lost paradise, when New York, Hollywood and the literary life were at their most glamorous and privileged."--The Washington Post

At midcentury, everyone knew Bennett Cerf: witty, beloved, middle-aged panelist on What's My Line? whom TV brought into America's homes each week. But they didn't know that the handsome, driven, paradoxical young man of the 1920s had vowed to become a great publisher and, a decade later, was. By then, he'd signed Eugene O'Neill, Gertrude Stein, and William Faulkner, and had fought the landmark censorship case that gave Americans the freedom to read James Joyce's Ulysses.

With his best friend and lifelong business partner Donald Klopfer, and other young Jewish entrepreneurs like the Knopfs and Simon & Schuster, Cerf remade the book business: what was published, and how. In 1925, he and Klopfer bought the Modern Library and turned it into an institution, then founded Random House, which eventually became a home to Truman Capote, Ralph Ellison, Ayn Rand, Dr. Seuss, Toni Morrison, James Michener, and many more.

Even before TV, Cerf was a bestselling author and columnist as well as publisher; the show super-charged his celebrity, bringing fame--but also criticism. A brilliant social networker and major influencer before such terms existed, he connected books to Broadway, TV, Hollywood, and politics. A fervent democratizer, he published "high," "low," and wide, and from the Roaring Twenties to the Swinging Sixties collected an incredible array of friends, from George Gershwin to Frank Sinatra, having a fabulous time along the way.

Using interviews with more than two hundred individuals, deeply researched archival material, and letters from private collections not previously available, this book brings Bennett Cerf to vibrant life, drawing book lovers into his world, finally laying open the page on a quintessential American original.

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SKU: 21394882959

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4.2 ★★★★★
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Trouble In FL
Lake Worth, US
★★★★★ 5
Fantastic writing and non-stop action
Format: Kindle
This is a promising, fantastic beginning to what will be a 4-book series. Some readers may be content to read only the first 2 books, but I think you'll find that the story is so good that you'll want to keep reading books 3 and 4. Book 1 is about omega Elvana's introduction to the "Starling" brothers and their search for another missing person, Kelly. It's a bit of a rocky start, with deception and betrayal a key element. Hardly an auspicious beginning. Each member has their own path and purpose in the pack. Their interactions and the resulting narrative are so well-written that I found it difficult to put down. There is a cliffhanger that will have you reaching for book 2 as you finish, so make sure you have it on hand.
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Reviewed in the United States on September 27, 2023
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rilakk
Louisville, US
★★★★★ 4
Fun read
Format: Kindle
I'm not really into mafia books but I love Roxy Collin's other series so I decided to give it a try. It had the same great romance, spice, swoon-worthy characters and exciting plot that are her signature. Arben was my favorite, although it was a bit sudden how quickly he changed from ignoring her to wanting to be pack. There were almost too many twists/layers of lies to keep track of but I'm looking forward to reading the other books. The only thing that detracted from the story for me was the need for a bit more proofreading. It was mentioned that Kelly is a female and male at different points, leading me to think she changed her mind at some point about the character's gender but didn't go back and edit it to align in all places. Like another reviewer pointed out, step siblings are different than half siblings. They are incorrectly referred to as step siblings because they (allegedly) share the same biological dad. There are a few other typos as well but those aren't a big deal.
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Reviewed in the United States on March 18, 2025
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Carmen Alicea
Omaha, US
★★★★★ 5
Stepbrothers, Secrets, and Sizzling Heat
Format: Kindle
Twisted Lies by Roxy Collins is a wild ride through family secrets, amnesia, and a steamy stepbrother romance. When Kelly discovers her life is built on lies, she ends up tangled with three alpha stepbrothers and an assassin who once helped her through a heat. The tension? Off the charts! The heat is real, and the complications are messy in the best way. Full of twists, secrets, and fated mates? You'll be hooked from page one! Love omegaverse drama with a dash of taboo? This one's for you!
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Reviewed in the United States on September 10, 2024
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Ashley
Boise, US
★★★★★ 3
Good read
Format: Kindle
The book has some good twists and turns, but truthfully I was so confused on some things. It didn't have a good flow for me personally. Not sure if it's due to typos or using him/her wrongly, but I thought Kelly was both a guy and a girl. Actually I still don't know, and it made me incredibly frustrated. It would refer to Kelley as him or he, and then again in another part of the story as her she and sister. On to the next book, I hope there is some clarity and a smoother flow. This is a slow burn, and I just don't know how much I care for the Alphas yet. Idk if I recommend.
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Reviewed in the United States on February 8, 2023
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75_SweetestBook
Phoenix, US
★★★★★ 5
the lies
Format: Kindle
This is amazing fast pace read that is full of plot twists and lies that keep getting bad. This is a story we’re a omega has been lied to by her mother and finds out that someone is slowing dieing. 3 alpha take the omega and feed her more lies so they can use her against her father so they can find their mate Kelly. This is a dark read and ends in a cliffhanger and so good.
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Reviewed in the United States on June 13, 2023

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