Wendy Weil, Book Agent Extraordinaire, RIP
Very sad to read about the passing of longtime book business friend, literary agent Wendy Weil. During my days as a bookseller with Undercover Books in Cleveland, from 1978-85, we had hosted a couple of big launch parties that were very successful for one of her author clients. Then, when I moved to NYC in 1985 to work in publishing she was very kind to me and I got to know her even better. Just saw Wendy recently when she told me of her delight at placing a new novel by this same client, who had left her agency for several years, but then had returned to her fold. She told me how good this had made her feel. She was very happy that day and seemed very well. I was startled to read this death notice in today’s NY Times. Wendy Weil was 72. She died last Saturday, on what happens to have been my birthday. My heartfelt condolences to her family and many friends in the book world. She was a tall, willowy woman, a dear person with a warm sense of humor. I will miss her, as will many others, I’m sure.
Wendy was a “dog friend” in Riverside Park and for the longest time I had no idea what she did. She was unassuming, joyful and quiet in her appreciation of her dogs and the dogs of new friends!
I miss her and recently have look across 79th Street to where I think I see her.
Bonded by the woof,
Murray
Murray, so glad you found my post about Wendy, though sad of course. More so, as you learned from my blog of her passing. Thanks for visiting my website.
I have missed Wendy particularly this spring. After our long winter I just knew how much she would have relished greeting spring and all its blooms in her Cornwall home.
I wrote to Emma a couple of days ago who shared with me that she and Emily had raised their glasses high with dear Ann on Wendy’s birthday in April and that makes me so happy.
Wendy was my agent but we were such great friends as we both grew up in NYC, a decade apart, and had brothers we adored. And lost. We could name long closed and forgotten restaurants and artifacts of a NYC that no longer exist. We could giggle about the dancing schools we went to as 12 year olds–she to Viola Wolfe, where they always had more fun, and I to Barclay’s. Not many people remember what it was like for little girls to dress up in winter with sleeveless dresses and bare legs and white socks and Mary Janes with a fancy but thin wool coat to protect us from the frigid gales that blew up Park Avenue. Wendy was not only the older sister I wished I had; she was in fact the best honorary older sister anyone could ever ask for.
I am so grateful your blog exists and retains the Wendy pages. My dear friend Jane von Mehren, another NYC girl a decade younger than I, saved one of the memorial programs for me and the photo of Wendy and Bridie just melts my heart. She so should be here to witness this glorious spring shouldn’t she?
I feel sure I came to your store during a long ago book tour for my 1983 book From This Day Forward. Oh how Wendy rejoiced when she saw how editor Ned Chase and I got on as if we had always known each other. That’s another one. I miss Ned too.
Thank you for reading this!
Nancy Rossi, Hartford CT
Nancy, glad you found my post about Wendy. Thanks for your memories of her. I later wrote a second one after the memorial service. In case you haven’t seen it, here’s the link: http://philipsturner.com/2012/11/17/farewell-wendy-weil-book-agent-friend/. I also know Jane von Mehren. My best to you both, Philip