sterling lord obituary

Fame magnified a drinking problem that killed him by 1969. For more than 60 years he was one of New Yorks most successful and durable literary agents, representing Jimmy Breslin, Art Buchwald, Willie Morris, Doris Kearns Goodwin, Howard Fast, Lawrence Ferlinghetti, Gordon Parks, Edward M. Kennedy, Robert S. McNamara and the Berenstain Bears, among many others. His old-fashioned ways extended even to his letterhead, which listed his telephone number as Plaza 1-2533. If you didnt know New York City was 212, he really didnt want to hear from you, said Stuart Krichevsky, a fellow agent who worked with Mr. Lord for 16 years. Thanks to his friendship with Theodor Geisel, better known as Dr. Seuss, Lord helped launch Stan and Jan Berenstains multimillion-selling books about an anthropomorphic bear family. I decided to go home, he told the AP in 2013. When the fighting stopped, he helped edit the weekly magazine of the military publication Stars and Stripes; when the Army dropped that publication in 1948, he and a colleague briefly ran it privately, first out of Frankfurt, Germany, and then Paris, where Mr. Lord adopted the dapper dress that became his signature. He edited his high school newspaper and was a sports stringer around the same time for the Des Moines Register. Patricia was born on June 14, 1944 in Colorado Springs Read More, June Alber Born: January 11, 1936 Died: January 10, 2023 in Sterling, IL June Aline Alber passed away January 10, 2023 the day before her 87th birthday at Rock River Hospice and Home in Sterling, IL after a brief illness. By 1955, Kerouac was ready to give up but Mr. Lord was not. Sterling Lord (September 3, 1920 September 3, 2022) was an American literary agent, editor, and author. Second, I am interested in new and good ideas. Books and tennis were lifelong passions for Lord, who was born in Burlington, Iowa, in 1920. A number of things about this business have really caught me and made it a compelling interest, Lord said in 2013. He became a tennis star at Grinnell College in Iowa and later was a good enough player to compete against Don Budge, among others. 12:40AM Obituaries [3], Last edited on 5 September 2022, at 21:13, "The Agent from Iowa Who Found Greatness", "Legendary Literary Agent Sterling Lord on How Jack Kerouac Got His Start", "Sterling Lord, Premier Literary Agent, Is Dead at 102", "Sterling Lord '42, Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters", "A Memoir by Kerouac's Agent, Sterling Lord", "Lawrence Ferlinghetti Celebrates His 100th Birthday With a Novel", "Little Boy by Lawrence Ferlinghetti review unleashing the word-hoard", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Sterling_Lord&oldid=1108705940, This page was last edited on 5 September 2022, at 21:13. Mr. Lord had quick success by selling film rights to two popular sports books, Rocky Grazianos Somebody Up There Likes Me (ghostwritten by Rowland Barber) and Jimmy Piersalls Fear Strikes Out (ghostwritten by Al Hirshberg). Books and tennis were lifelong passions for Lord, born in Burlington, Iowa, in 1920. He also prided himself on his sympathy for writers who lived far more wildly than he did. Ruth was born on June 24, 1926 in Escanaba, MI, the daughter of Joseph and Edna (Martel) Read More, Michael Hoyle Born: May 9, 1950 in Dixon, IL Died: January 18, 2023 in Rockford, IL STERLING Michael Hoyle, age 72, died Wednesday, January 18, 2023 at Javon Bae Hospital in Rockford. Frankly, I didn't want to deal with the situation at home, he told the Des Moines Register in 2015. Whether youre a lifelong resident of D.C. or you just moved here, weve got you covered. Sterling Obituaries | Local Obits for Sterling, IL - Legacy.com Gordon married Read More, Maurice Sweitzer Born: November 20, 1939 in Freeport, IL Died: January 21, 2023 in Sterling, IL Maurice E. Sweitzer, 83 of Sterling died Saturday January 21, 2023 at CGH Medical Center in Sterling. He also prided himself on his sympathy for writers who lived far more wildly than he did. "Tony" Avila, 35 of Sterling died Sunday January 15, 2023. And third, Ive been able to meet some extraordinarily interesting people.. He was well-spoken and athletic, a very capable negotiator, dressed in tweeds, and avoided most vices. But he quickly added a caveat: Never, he said, could he have sold it. By 1955, Kerouac was ready to give up but Lord was not. Barbara Ehrenreich, the author, journalist and political activist who penned the groundbreaking book on minimum wage Nickel and Dimed, died Thursday. [3] Aldo Leopold, a scientist and writer, was his uncle. Second, I am interested in new and good ideas. Sept. 4, 2022 2:05 PM PT. Sterling Lord, the literary agent who worked for years to find a publisher for Jack Kerouacs On the Road and over the following decades arranged deals for a roster of clients that ranged from true-crime writer Joe McGinniss to the creators of the Berenstain Bears, died Sept. 3 at a nursing home in Ocala, Fla., on his 102nd birthday. Even the customarily wary wiseguys who populate Mr. Pileggis books had faith in him. Frankly, I didnt want to deal with the situation at home, he told the Des Moines Register in 2015. Sterling Lord, uniquely enduring literary agent, dies at 102 Lord died Saturday at a nursing home in Ocala, Florida, according to his daughter, Rebecca Lord. It was a passion that Mr. Lord sated vicariously, for he was no writer: For years, his only book was on tennis, Returning the Serve Intelligently. (His own tennis serve was said to resemble a knuckleball, and to be just as hard to hit.) He also prided himself on his sympathy for writers who lived far more wildly than he did. Back in the U.S., he served as an editor at True and Cosmopolitan, from which he was fired, before founding the Sterling Lord Literary Agency. Lord died Saturday, Sept 3, 2022 in a Skilled Nursing home in Ocala, Florida, according to his daughter, Rebecca Lord. "Hey, I'm. Johnsons book, The Vantage Point, finally published in 1971, was dismissed by critics as bland and uninformative. First, Im interested in good writing. He had a good death and died peacefully of old age, she told The Associated Press. The uniquely enduring literary agent who worked for years to find a publisher for Jack Kerouacs On the Road and over the following decades arranged deals for everyone from true crime writer Joe McGinniss to the creators of the Berenstain Bears, has died. Dale was born March 11, 1944 in Greenville Township, the son of Delmar and Esther (Schrader) Sugars. He also prided himself on his sympathy for writers who lived far more wildly than he did. He negotiated terms between McGinniss and accused killer Jeffrey MacDonald, later convicted, for the true crime classic Fatal Vision. He found a publisher for Nicholas Pileggis mob story Wiseguy and helped arrange the deal for its celebrated film adaptation, Goodfellas., In the early 1960s, Viking had asked Lord to get a blurb from Kerouac for One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest, Keseys first and most famous novel. A number of things about this business really caught my eye and got me very interested, Lord told the AP in 2013. Sterling Lord, uniquely enduring literary agent, dies at 102 Sterling Lord, uniquely enduring literary agent, dies at 102 Lord died Saturday in a nursing home in Ocala, Florida, according to his daughter, Rebecca Lord. According to the funeral home, the Read More, Beulah L. Sanders Born: May 3, 1934 in Sterling, IL Died: January 29, 2023 in Sterling, IL STERLING- Beulah L. Sanders, age 88, died peacefully and surrounded by family and friends at her Home Sunday, January 29th, 2023. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer, file) NEW YORK (AP) Sterling Lord, the uniquely enduring literary agent who worked for years to find a publisher for Jack Kerouac's "On the Road" and over the following . The list of well-known writers he represented is long. Iowa native and agent to Kerouac, Kesey, McNamara: Sterling Lord dies Fame magnified a drinking problem that killed him by 1969. He had a good death and died peacefully of old age, she told the Associated Press. Mr. Lord, who started his own agency in 1952 and later merged with rival Literistic to form Sterling Lord Literistic, was a failed magazine publisher who became, almost surely, the longest-serving agent in the book business. But Lord had little involvement in the project, directed by Walter Salles and starring Sam Riley and Kristen Stewart. Kerouac already had completed a conventional novel, The Town and the City, but had no agent and surely needed one for his next book: On the Road was typed, as Lord was among the first to know, on a 120-foot scroll of architectural tracing paper., Lord believed that Kerouac had a fresh, distinctive voice that should be heard. But the industry was not in the mood. As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. Books and tennis were lifelong passions. Americans, including millions of former G.I.s, were suddenly more mobile, less provincial and less interested in escapist fiction than they were in understanding the world around them. Mr. Lord spoke proudly of a project he declined: Lyndon B. Johnsons memoir. He married Donna Smith on June Read More, Carla Ullrich Born: December 11, 1965 in Elizabethtown, KY Died: February 13, 2023 in Sterling, IL Carla Ullrich, age 57, of Loretto, KY, died Monday, February 13, 2023 at Rock River Hospice and Home in Sterling. One editor wrote to Mr. Lord: Kerouac does have enormous talent of a very special kind. Mr. Lord persuaded HarperCollins to pay $3.2 million to lure the Berenstain Bears childrens books from Random House. NEW YORK -. In 1957, the book was released, The New York Times raved and On the Road soon entered the American canon. Sterling Lord, who started his own agency in 1952 and later merged with rival Literistic to form Sterling Lord Literistic Inc., was a failed magazine publisher who became, almost surely, the longest-serving agent in the book business. He also prided himself on his sympathy for writers who lived much wilder lives than he did. Cremation rites have been accorded. Published Sept. 5, 2022 6:11 a.m. PDT. Sterling Lord, uniquely enduring literary agent, dies at 102 He stayed with the company he founded until he was nearly 100 and then decided to launch a new one. Patti was born February 17, 1943 in Sterling the daughter of Marion and Read More, Patti Simester's passing has been publicly announced by Schilling Funeral Home - Sterling in Sterling, IL. Barbara was born August 6, 1945 in Sterling the daughter Read More, Anne Atilano Born: July 26, 1927 in Gary, IN Died: February 20, 2023 in Sterling, IL Anne Atilano, age 95, of Sterling, died Monday, February 20, 2023 at Rock River Hospice and Home in Sterling. Kerouac declined, but Lord was so impressed by the book that he ended up representing Kesey for his next work, Sometimes a Great Notion.. NEW YORK Sterling Lord, the uniquely enduring literary agent who worked for years to find a publisher for Jack Kerouac's "On the Road" and over the following decades arranged deals for. But Mr. Lord proved powerless to halt Kerouacs decline into alcoholism and drugs, during which Mr. Lord would sometimes spring for his groceries. In 1952, he launched his literary agency, later merging with another agency, Literistic, to form Sterling Lord Literistic, Inc.[5] Kerouac entrusted him with his novel On the Road, and after more than four years Viking Press bought and published it. Sterling Lord, famed literary agent, dies at 102 in Ocala, Florida [3], Lord then moved to New York City and entered the publishing industry. [3] A magazine called Weekend which he bought with a partner, Evan Jones, failed, and he was fired from Cosmopolitan magazine. This material may not be published, broadcast, copied or distributed without permission. Sterling Lord, the uniquely enduring literary agent who worked for years to find a publisher for Jack Kerouac's "On the Road" and arranged deals for everyone from true crime writer Joe. Kerouac had already finished the regular novel The Town and the City , but had no agent and certainly needed one for his next book: On the Road was printed, Lord was one of the first to learn, on a 120-foot roll of architectural tracing paper . Kerouac declined, but Lord was so impressed by the book that he ended up representing Kesey for his next work, Sometimes a Great Notion.. Menu. And they prized his equilibrium, which reassured them when things seemed to be flying apart. But this is not a well-made novel, nor a saleable one nor even, I think, a good one.. Obituary Note: Sterling Lord | Shelf Awareness He stayed with the company he founded until he was nearly 100 and then decided to launch a new one. He negotiated terms between McGinniss and accused killer Jeffrey MacDonald, later convicted, for the true crime classic Fatal Vision. He found a publisher for Nicholas Pileggis mob story Wiseguy and helped arrange the deal for its celebrated film adaptation, Goodfellas., In the early 1960s, Viking had asked Lord to get a blurb from Kerouac for One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest, Keseys first and most famous novel. Lord studied English at Grinnell College, graduating with a bachelor's degree in 1942. Try our free interactive obituary template. He was born on November 23, 1987 in Sterling the son of Thomas A. and Penny S. (Mashow) Avila Jr. and was a graduate Read More, Bob Marsh's passing has been publicly announced by Schilling Funeral Home - Sterling in Sterling, IL. His upbringing, he would later write, was the kind of pleasant, orderly world the Beats were trampling on in the fifties and sixties.. [5] Little Boy, part novel, part memoir, was published by Doubleday in time for Ferlinghetti's 100th birthday. Charlotte was born March 12, 1945 in Chilhowie VA the daughter of Marvin Read More, Robert Lee Marsh Born: April 6, 1946 in Sterling, Illinois Died: January 10, 2023 in Sterling, Illinois Robert (Bob) Lee Marsh, 76, of Sterling, Illinois, peacefully passed away on January 10, 2023, at Heritage Woods of Sterling. Mr. Lord even recruited a doctor who unsuccessfully attempted to get Kerouac to clean up, but the businessman eventually backed away since he was his literary agent, not his life agent.. An editor from Viking Press contacted Mr. Lord, offering an advance of $900. These guys bad guys have unbelievable antennae, Mr. Pileggi said. are running fundraising campaigns to support Turkey and Syria after the deadly earthquake, At least 10 dead as winter storm hits South and Midwest, embrace Kerouacs unconventional narrative. He didnt bother to attend a special screening, citing mixed early reviews, and didnt show up for a private party for the film. Honestly, I didnt want to deal with the situation at home, he told the Des Moines Register in 2015. Mr. Lord ignored him. But Lord had little involvement in the project, directed by Walter Salles and starring Sam Riley and Kristen Stewart. [3], Open Road published Lord's memoir Lord of Publishing in 2013. It was an amazing moment, recalled Mr. Pileggi, the author of Wise Guy, a book for which Mr. Lord hatched the idea, and which Martin Scorsese adapted for the 1990 movie Goodfellas. Here we were, all at an advanced age, and we were still the kids Sterling was helping.. Kerouac declined, but Lord was so impressed by the book that he ended up representing Kesey for his next work, Sometimes a Great Notion.. He didnt bother to attend a special screening, citing mixed early reviews, and didnt show up to a private party to screen the film. Lord even recruited a doctor who unsuccessfully attempted to get Kerouac to clean up, but the businessman eventually backed away since he was his literary agent, not his life agent., Lord attended Kerouacs funeral, sharing a limousine ride with his client Jimmy Breslin and standing by the grave alongside Allen Ginsberg, the sunlight filtering through the trees, the leaves brown after losing their fall colors.. Mr. Lord gradually yielded day-to-day management and eventually sold his stock. Representatives of the former president informed Lord in the late 1960s that Johnson wanted $1 million for the book and that Lord should accept less than his usual commission for the honor of working with him. Thanks to his friendship with Theodore Geisel, better known as Dr. Seuss, Lord helped launch Stan and Jan Berenstains multimillion-selling books about an anthropomorphic bear family. Sterling Lord, who started his own agency in 1952 and later merged with rival Literistic to form Sterling Lord Literistic Inc., was a failed magazine publisher who became, almost surely, the . The agent eventually sold excerpts to The Paris Review and the periodical New World Writing. Alice was born April 15, 1939 in Dixon, the daughter of Clifford "Bill" and Harriet (Smith) Read More, Marcia Fields Born: February 23, 1946 in Sterling, IL Died: January 30, 2023 in Sterling, IL Marcia L Fields, age 76, passed away peacefully, after a courageous battle with cancer, on January 30th, 2023. Theodore Geisel, better known as Dr. Seuss. Early life and education [ edit] Lord was born in Burlington, Iowa, [1] [2] on September 3, 1920. "He had a good death and died peacefully of old age," she told The Associated Press. In 1951, he founded his own business, a literary shop in New York City. But he was attentive to new trends and was the first ambassador of a revolutionary cultural movement: the Beats. According to Mr. Lord, Kerouac had come to him at the suggestion of Robert Giroux, then at Harcourt Brace. First of all, I am interested in good writing. She was born on November 1, 1926 in Sterling IL to Olive (Cassell) Read More, Charlotte Stern Born: March 12, 1945 in Chilhowie, VA Died: January 24, 2023 in Rockford, IL Charlotte L. Stern, 77, of Rockford passed peacefully on January 24, 2023 while holding Duane and Todd's hand. But Lord had little involvement in the project, directed by Walter Salles and starring Sam Riley and Kristen Stewart. After graduating with a degree in English from Grinnell College in Iowa, Mr. Lord was drafted into the Army and shipped to Europe near the end of World War II. Sterling Lord | Obituary | Beyond the Dash The uniquely enduring literary agent who worked for years to find a publisher for Jack Kerouacs On the Road and over the following decades arranged deals for everyone from true crime writer Joe McGinniss to the creators of the Berenstain Bears, has died. His first marriage, he admits, inspired him to start his own business. Sterling Lord obituary Leading literary agent who saw the talent of an unknown writer called Jack Kerouac and doggedly pursued a publisher for On the Road Monday September 19 2022, 12.01am BST,. Lord turned them down, much to their surprise and anger. By 1955, Kerouac was ready to give up but Lord was not. NEW YORK (AP) Sterling Lord, the uniquely enduring literary agent who worked for years to find a publisher for Jack Kerouac's "On the Road" and over the following decades arranged deals for everyone from true crime writer Joe McGinniss to the creators of the Berenstain Bears, has died. After years of failed attempts, a filmed version of On the Road was released in 2012. But he was alert to new trends and an early ambassador for a revolutionary cultural movement: the Beats. Even younger editors who may have related to Kerouacs jazzy celebration of youth and personal freedom turned him down. Lord oversaw Kerouac's numerous posthumous releases even as he battled the authors family for control of the estate. One early client was Al Hirshberg, who ghostwrote Fear Strikes Out, Jimmy Piersalls memoir of baseball and mental illness. Lord had quick success by selling film rights to two popular sports books, Rocky Grazianos Somebody Up There Likes Me and Jimmy Piersalls Fear Strikes Out. But Lords On the Road quest would prove bumpier. Second, I am interested in new and good ideas. Lord had met many agents during his years at the magazine and believed that they failed to understand that the American public was becoming increasingly urban and sophisticated. Many of Mr. Lords biggest books Peter Gents North Dallas Forty, Bill Nacks Secretariat, Pete Axthelms The City Game grew out of that sports world. His full roster of clients produced works about sports, politics, murder and the travails of illustrated animals. But this is not a well-made novel, nor a saleable one nor even, I think, a good one.. Mr. Lord represented Ken Keseys novel One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest.. It began when his mother read to him after dinner; he continued to edit his school newspaper and worked as a sports stringer around the same time for the Des Moines Register. Mr. Lords long string of successes began with Jack Kerouacs novel On the Road, which he sold for $1,000. His full roster of clients produced works about sports, politics, murder and the travails of illustrated animals. She married Read More, Jo Anne Mills Born: May 20, 1946 in Hinsdale, IL Died: January 15, 2023 in Sterling, IL Jo Anne Mills, 76, of Dixon, passed away on Sunday, January 15, 2023, surrounded by her family and friends. Mr. Lord had met many agents during his magazine years and believed they failed to understand that the American public was becoming more urban and sophisticated. Elijah W. Sterling of Dover, DE, went home to be with the Lord on November 21, 2019. In 1957, the book was released, the New York Times raved, and On the Road soon entered the American canon. Some of the great sports books of the 20th century, from North Dallas Forty to Secretariat, were written by his clients. Carolyn was born on November 26, 1947 in Freeport Read More, Lucy Anderson in Rock Falls, IL in Sterling, IL Lucy Anderson, 94 of Sterling died Monday February 20, 2023 at Rock River Hospice and Home. Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. After several years of unsuccessful attempts, in 2012, a screen version of On the Road was released. (He was married four times in all and had one child, Rebecca.). He was well-spoken and athletic, a most able negotiator who dressed in tweed and avoided most vices. An editor from Viking Press contacted Lord, offering an advance of $900. Frances was born March 20, 1923 in Harmon to John and Lucy (Peters) Read More, Anthony J. Avila Born: November 23, 1987 in Sterling, IL Died: January 15, 2023 in Sterling, IL Anthony J. [7][8], Lord's four marriages all ended in divorce. Dodgers announcer Vin Scully, Queen Elizabeth II, NBA great Bill Russell and country icon Loretta Lynn are among the notable deaths of 2022. As a matter of longevity, at least, its pretty safe to say that no other literary agent anywhere at any time could have assembled such a group. But Kerouac was a shy and fragile man, Lord wrote. Lord instead found a deal for Quotations from Chairman LBJ, a bestselling parody. Sterling Lord, uniquely enduring literary agent, dies at 102 He had a good death and died peacefully of old age, she told The Associated Press. She was born on December 12, 1928 in Rock Falls, the daughter of Ernesto and Maria (Bologna) Bellini. Mike was born on May 9, 1950 in Dixon the son of Richard and Lolita (Horton) Hoyle.