NEW YORK, June 3—Jonathan Karp has been named Executive Vice President and Publisher of the Simon & Schuster trade imprint, effective June 14. Mr. Karp’s appointment was announced today by Carolyn Reidy, President and CEO of Simon & Schuster, Inc., to whom he will report.
Mr. Karp comes to Simon & Schuster from Twelve, an imprint of the Hachette Book Group that Mr. Karp founded in 2005 and where he served as Publisher and Editor in Chief.
“Jonathan Karp is one of the most versatile, talented and creative publishers working today,” said Carolyn Reidy. “At every stage of his career he has shown a true gift for finding and making bestsellers of quality. Having competed against him to acquire books in which we were keenly interested, and then watching as he published them with great flair, I’m delighted that he will now bring his abundant editorial and publishing skills to the Simon & Schuster imprint.”
Mr. Karp succeeds David Rosenthal, who is leaving his post as Executive Vice President and Publisher of the Simon & Schuster trade imprint.
“For nearly 13 years David has led our eponymous imprint, furthering its storied history and tradition of excellence by publishing hundreds of bestsellers and countless critically acclaimed, award-winning books,” said Ms. Reidy. “A truly original thinker, he brought a wealth of creative and inspired ideas to the entire publishing process, and he has been a trusted and valued colleague who made many contributions to the overall success of our company. We wish him well in all his future endeavors.”
At Twelve, Mr. Karp has been the publisher of numerous highly acclaimed bestselling works, including TRUE COMPASS by the late Edward M. Kennedy, GOD IS NOT GREAT by Christopher Hitchens, SUPREME COURTSHIP and LOSING MUM AND PUP by Christopher Buckley, COLUMBINE by Dave Cullen, NURTURESHOCK by Po Bronson and Ashley Merryman, and most recently, WAR by Sebastian Junger. During his five years as publisher, half of Twelve’s books were New York Times bestsellers.
Prior to founding Twelve, Mr. Karp was Editor in Chief of Random House, where he began his publishing career in 1989 as an editorial assistant and worked for sixteen years. At Random House, Mr. Karp acquired and edited an eclectic and diverse list of bestselling fiction and nonfiction titles including SEABISCUIT by Laura Hillenbrand, SHADOW DIVERS by Robert Kurson, WHAT SHOULD I DO WITH MY LIFE? by Po Bronson, FAITH OF MY FATHERS by John McCain and Mark Salter, FRANKLIN AND WINSTON by Jon Meacham, THE ORCHID THIEF by Susan Orlean, THE LAST DON by Mario Puzo and THE DANTE CLUB by Matthew Pearl.
“My shelves at home are lined with books from Simon & Schuster, many of which I devoured with fascination and admiration, and so I am deeply honored for the opportunity to follow in the footsteps of the many ingenious publishers who have held this position,” said Jonathan Karp. “For decades, Simon & Schuster has defined and advanced the national conversation and made important contributions to America’s culture and literary excellence. I’m looking forward to continuing that tradition and in working together with colleagues and authors during this exciting transformational time in the publishing industry.”
Founded in 1924, the Simon & Schuster trade imprint is one of the most venerated brand names in the world of publishing, and is widely known as a powerhouse publisher of general fiction and nonfiction for readers of all tastes. Among the well-known and influential authors who call Simon & Schuster home are Pulitzer Prize-winning historians Taylor Branch, Doris Kearns Goodwin and David McCullough; journalist Bob Woodward; bestselling novelists Sandra Brown, James Lee Burke, Mary Higgins Clark, Jeffery Deaver, Richard Paul Evans, Larry McMurtry (also a winner of the Pulitzer Prize) and Martin Cruz Smith; lifestyle superstar Paula Deen; financial expert and television personality James J. Cramer; health and fitness expert Bob Greene; and humorist A.J. Jacobs. Recent bestselling titles include THE PROMISE by Jonathan Alter, THE SHADOW OF YOUR SMILE by Mary Higgins Clark and LITTLE BEE by Chris Cleave.
Mr. Karp, 46, is a graduate of Brown University. He lives in Manhattan.
Simon & Schuster, a part of CBS Corporation, is a global leader in the field of general interest publishing, dedicated to providing the best in fiction and nonfiction for consumers of all ages, across all printed, electronic, and audio formats. Its divisions include Simon & Schuster Adult Publishing, Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing, Simon & Schuster Audio, Simon & Schuster Digital, and international companies in Australia, Canada, and the United Kingdom. For more information, visit our website at www.simonandschuster.com
- Companies:
- Hachette Book Group
- The New York Times
- Places:
- New York