Steve Wasserman, the former longtime books editor at the Los Angeles Times (back in the years when the paper had a Sunday book review section), is giving up the agenting game to become a full-time editor at large for Yale University Press. His first acquisition for Yale is "an intimate history of rock ānā roll" by Greil Marcus, the longtime contributing editor to Rolling Stone. Wasserman has been a partner at Kneerim & Williams Literary Agency in New York since leaving the Times. He will continue to represent the estate of Christopher Hitchens.
This week the latest successor to Wasserman at the Times, Jon Thurber, became a short timer and will leave soon. The next LA Times books editor will also carry the title and role of culture editor.
More books and authors notes on the LA Observed Books page.
Previously on LA Observed:
Wasserman on LAT: No voice, no gravitas, no adults
Steve Wasserman resigns