Sonny Mehta Quotes

“There is something attractive about taking risks.”

― Sonny Mehta

“There is such a very large quantity of books clamouring for a buyer’s attention that publishers have relied more and more on support such as blurbs as a way of getting an independent recommendation from a familiar name, much in the same way that Amazon.com will send an e-mail recommending Book A to a customer who’s already purchased Book B.”

― Sonny Mehta

“I’ve started taking long walks in the park, which is quite wonderful.”

― Sonny Mehta

“It was the cholesterol. I had two fried eggs a day for breakfast. I had no checkups for five years. I kept meaning to go. The doctor would probably say it was years of bad living. I’ve always had a good time. Maybe I’ve had too good a time.”

― Sonny Mehta

“The biggest kick is reading something new and exciting and then getting other people to share your enthusiasm. Beyond all the cant and hypocrisy in publishing, that’s what it’s all about.”

― Sonny Mehta

“Tony Blair is an extremely popular figure in North America. His memoir is refreshing, both for its candour and vivid portrayal of political life.”

― Sonny Mehta

“The original publication of ‘The DaVinci Code’ preceded the e-book era.”

― Sonny Mehta

“Tony Blair is one of the most significant world leaders of the modern era. He has a remarkable story to tell. His tenure as prime minister was marked by close relationships with Presidents Clinton and George W. Bush, and he enjoys a profile in this country that is rare among foreign leaders.”

― Sonny Mehta

“President Clinton is one of the dominant figures on the global stage. He has lived an extraordinary life, and he has a great story to tell.”

― Sonny Mehta

“There isn’t really a whole lot to know about me.”

― Sonny Mehta

“I’m a boring guy who’s got a great job in a profession that still gives me a great deal of pleasure after 35 years.”

― Sonny Mehta

“One of the great things about New York is this wonderful park we have.”

― Sonny Mehta

“Most writers of entertainment fiction tend to receive controversial reviews.”

― Sonny Mehta

“There are not too many people who are polymathic these days.”

― Sonny Mehta

“I see myself as a transient, not an immigrant.”

― Sonny Mehta

“I don’t have a glamorous lifestyle.”

― Sonny Mehta

“We all have our notions of sport. If I’d wanted to make my living climbing mountains, I wouldn’t have gone into publishing. Most of the time, you’re sitting in a dark room reading a manuscript.”

― Sonny Mehta

“I have nothing but regret that I cannot continue to behave the way I behaved all my life, and I can’t wait for a chance to behave immoderately again.”

― Sonny Mehta

“In ‘Lean In,’ Sheryl Sandberg gives a frank assessment of what it will take for women to move forward as equals to men. Her book is full of sound advice and informed recommendations and marked by its positive outlook.”

― Sonny Mehta

“I believe ‘Lean In’ has the power to change not only our outlook but also the world and that it will become a touchstone publication for a generation of women.”

― Sonny Mehta

“There are distinctions between Indian and Pakistani writers.”

― Sonny Mehta

“The Pakistani writers are addressing change and what’s happening today in the world. There is something completely contemporary in this writing.”

― Sonny Mehta

“’French Women Don’t Get Fat’ has become something of a phenomenon.”

― Sonny Mehta

“Americans are tired of fad diets, counting calories, and living within restrictive guidelines about carbs and fat. They are turning to Mireille Guiliano for her sensible and admittedly contrarian advice on eating well.”

― Sonny Mehta

“John Grisham is one of the greatest storytellers of all time.”

― Sonny Mehta

“Terrorism has come to publishing. It is a grave concern when criticism is turned to mortal threats.”

― Sonny Mehta

“We are seeing historic, record-breaking sales across all types of our accounts in North America for ‘The Lost Symbol.’”

― Sonny Mehta

“Few writers can rival Helen Fielding when it comes to fully capturing the modern woman.”

― Sonny Mehta

“Sonia Sotomayor has lived a remarkable life, and her achievements will prove an inspiration to readers around the world.”

― Sonny Mehta

“’The War’ is a stunning achievement in filmmaking.”

― Sonny Mehta

“Lisbeth Salander is one of the most compelling heroines of 21st century crime literature, and I am thrilled to see readers have welcomed her return.”

― Sonny Mehta

“What can I say? I’m a book junkie.”

― Sonny Mehta

“I had to learn to call book jackets ‘jackets’ rather than ‘covers.’”

― Sonny Mehta

“I think I’m more marketing- and sales-oriented than others, and the notion of selling books continues to interest me.”

― Sonny Mehta

“Just because we’re Knopf doesn’t mean we shouldn’t sell books as well as any other publisher in the land.”

― Sonny Mehta

“I am still convinced I have the best job in the world.”

― Sonny Mehta

“Sometimes you find something new, and you just say, ‘Wow.’”

― Sonny Mehta

“I was from somewhere else. Then all of a sudden I was here, in New York. With one suitcase.”

― Sonny Mehta

“I use Amazon for books. I use Amazon for loads of other things. I regard Amazon as a source, as I think a lot of other people do.”

― Sonny Mehta

“A good part of the work is just reading a manuscript and coming to the office. I can’t imagine wanting to even read an article about book publishing.”

― Sonny Mehta

“So much has changed in our business. E-books, that’s been one of the principal developments. There has been also the failure of Borders and the rise of Amazon, just to name two others.”

― Sonny Mehta

“I have, from time to time, stopped using it for books, when they pissed me off about something – the negotiation with Hachette, for instance. I thought that was outrageous bullying, and I discontinued using Amazon for books. I did use it for socks, but I didn’t use it to buy books.”

― Sonny Mehta

“Knopf is solidly profitable, and that is how I intend to keep it.”

― Sonny Mehta

“Profit is one way that you can take pride in the way you publish things and insure that you can go on doing it.”

― Sonny Mehta

“There’s a blockbuster side to Knopf, whether it’s P. D. James or John le Carre or our best-selling books. We try to sell our writers as aggressively as those houses regarded as commercial with a capital C.”

― Sonny Mehta

“I didn’t think I would be an exceptional writer, and I thought I might be a useful publisher. I’ve never regretted it.”

― Sonny Mehta

“At Knopf, everything is inherited.”

― Sonny Mehta

“We think continuity’s important.”

― Sonny Mehta

“As I see it, my job has always been to champion the work of the authors I publish.”

― Sonny Mehta

“You do not give a great biographer a timetable. You let them do their work and, in due course, publish it.”

― Sonny Mehta

“’Dispatches’ is one of the seminal works of the twentieth century and the most brilliant treatment of war and men I have ever read.”

― Sonny Mehta

“It seems the world of book publishing is constantly changing. Whether it was the rise of chain stores or their decline, or the digital revolution… fortunately, we have been able not only to adapt but to thrive.”

― Sonny Mehta

“I’ve always loved the physical book and remain committed to it.”

― Sonny Mehta

“Hillary Clinton is one of the most compelling figures in the world today… and Carl Bernstein’s stunning portrait shows us, for the first time, the true trajectory of her life and career.”

― Sonny Mehta

“Not all new books carry endorsements, and I wouldn’t say that blurbs are indispensable for marketing.”

― Sonny Mehta

“At Knopf, we look at each book on a case-by-case basis… in some cases, we think a writer might get a boost from an endorsement by a fellow writer, but in other cases, a new book will be better served by other means, such as publicity and reviews.”

― Sonny Mehta

“A blurb might bring a reader to a book, but then the book itself has to do the rest of the work.”

― Sonny Mehta

“If the response to ‘Suite Francaise’ is any indication, there’s a great deal of curiosity about Nemirovsky, and the best way to deal with it is to produce another book. So much of her work has been unavailable, and we want to bring as much of it back into print as possible.”

― Sonny Mehta

“Andre Agassi is one of the world’s most popular and admired figures. He has lived an extraordinary life, and he has a great story to tell.”

― Sonny Mehta

“I have been waiting a long time to see what’s next for Bridget Jones, and I am beyond thrilled she’s back.”

― Sonny Mehta