The cause was complications from pneumonia, according to a statement from Knopf, where Mr. Mehta served as editor in chief and chairman of the Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group. Admired if not universally loved, and feared if only by competitors who knew the extent of his acumen, Mr. Mehta reigned for years as one of the most powerful figures in book publishing. ADADTo some observers, even to Mr. Mehta himself, his entree into the highest echelons of the clubby New York publishing scene came as a surprise. The latter, he said, portrays the “underbelly of society” and holds “a mirror to society.”ADADKnopf had established itself as a literary powerhouse long before Mr. Mehta arrived in New York, and he continued that tradition. When former president Bill Clinton was seeking a publisher for the memoir released as “My Life” (2004), Mr. Mehta participated in negotiations that culminated with a record-breaking $15 million advance.

Source: Washington Post January 01, 2020 00:08 UTC