NY Observer > Gabriel Sherman

Times' Filkins Lands Book Deal

Observer Staff — Fri, 09 Jun 2006 07:50:11 -0400

New York Times Iraq correspondent Dexter Filkins will be writing a book about his experience covering terrorism in the Middle East. Filkins' agent Amanda Urban at ICM completed the deal on June 6 with Knopf.

"It'll be less a reported book than a Dispatches," Urban said by phone of Filkins' proposal, referring to Michael Herr's seminal account of the Vietnam war. "Dexter's book will be more impressionistic. He's covered terrorism in one place or another for nine years. He's watched the Twin Towers fall, he's been in Afghanistan and Iraq. It will be a recounting of those experiences...It's no secret that a lot of Iraq books haven't succeeded. The idea here is to write a book that will be an evergreen, that will rise above just an account of the war."

Filkins was in New York last week meeting with publishers before returning to Iraq on Sunday, three days before American forces killed Al Qaeda in Iraq leader Abu Musab al-Zarqawi.

In September, Filkins will leave the Times' Baghdad bureau and begin a Nieman Fellowship at Harvard University, where he will write his book. Knopf editor Jonathan Segal, who bought the proposal for six figures, didn't return a call seeking comment. Urban declined to comment on the advance.

--Gabriel Sherman

The Atlantic's D.C. Summer: Hot, Yes; Sultry, No

Observer Staff — Thu, 01 Jun 2006 06:26:09 -0400

With the onset of the hot, gummy months in Washington, D.C., Atlantic staffers are apparently still adjusting to their new home. So on May 31, the magazine's human-resources department sent out a post-Memorial Day memo to remind everyone of the company's "neat and professional" dress code.

"Our policy is intentionally vague and does not specifically exclude certain articles of clothing or types of shoes," Susan Lavigne, Atlantic director of benefits and compensation wrote. Lavigne then went on to specifically exclude certain articles of clothing and types of shoes: "Flip-flops, crop tops, tank tops, spaghetti-strap tops, and shorts (to name a few) are not appropriate." The full memo follows below: --Gabriel Sherman read more »

Conde Touts Cafeteria 2.0

Observer Staff — Thu, 04 May 2006 14:27:39 -0400

The following missive was delivered to Conde Nast staffers May 2 on a heavy, cream-colored card, nine inches by five inches, with perforated silhouettes of forks, knives, and spoons:

Let's do Lunch. This summer step into the future at the new Conde Nast cafeteria on the second floor at 750 Third Avenue.
Enter through a motion corridor with an incandescent glass wall that leads you to the serving area. 70,000 radiant lights create different atmospheres throughout the course of the day.
Restaurant Associates - whose passion for food and attention for detail are highly commended--will manage our newest cafeteria location as well. Breakfast and lunch will be served daily, and special lunchtime offerings will include a sushi bar, custom salad station, international specials and more.
Beginning this summer, employees will be able to use one common card for building access and food purchase in our cafeteria in 750 Third Avenue and 4 Times Square.
Stay tuned for more details as we approach the grand opening and go to connect to see images of cafeteria

--Gabriel Sherman

Salmon, Sliced Thinner

Observer Staff — Tue, 02 May 2006 11:21:20 -0400

On May 3, the New York Observer plans to reduce its trim size. The paper's width will shrink from 13 3/4 inches to 12 1/2 inches, making it as wide as The Washington Post. The length will remain at 22 1/2 inches. Editor Peter Kaplan said that the paper will continue to run its normal complement of seven stories on its front page, but in a five-column format rather than the current six. The inside pages will remain six columns. Kaplan said the move should result in "significant savings," cutting around $100,000 in annual newsprint costs. "It's money that I'd rather allocate elsewhere," Kaplan said. "The vitality and well-being of the paper demands that we don't waste money. I thought this is the best way to allocate resources without hurting the advertising and editorial properties. "It gave us a face-lift," Kaplan added, "that we needed." Nancy Butkus designed the new front page. "Nancy Butkus is creating a front page that is strong and decisive, while continuing to evoke the era of The Front Page when New York had 11 dailies," Kaplan said. Before settling on the current dimensions, Kaplan said, the paper had considered going to the much-hailed Berliner format, the elongated quasi-tabloid size adopted by the Guardian and Le Monde. The only American printer, however, with a Berliner capability is being built in Lafayette, Indiana and will not roll its presses until this August. So the New York Observer will publish the same size as other narrow broadsheets.

"We're not narrow, we're svelte," said Kaplan. --Gabriel Sherman

Time's M.E. Shopping List: Jacob Weisberg

Observer Staff — Mon, 01 May 2006 10:37:05 -0400

According to two sources with knowledge of Time magazine's search for a new managing editor, Time Inc. editor-in-chief John Huey has approached Slate editor Jacob Weisberg to see if he would be interested in the position.

"I shouldn't say anything about it," Weisberg said by phone. "I love my job and am happy where I am."

Time declined to discuss the subject of a replacement for current managing editor Jim Kelly. "We couldn't be firmer in saying Jim is the guy," Time Inc. spokesperson Dawn Bridges said. "People like to speculate. Jim has the honor of working for the flagship of Time Inc. and Time Warner. The name is on the building, and a lot of things come with that. One of those things is a bigger microscope." But according to multiple sources with knowledge of the search, Time is actively looking for a new managing editor. One source said that Huey has consulted Michael Kinsley, Slate's founding editor, about candidates to consider. According to another source, Time initially approached Weisberg this spring to discuss Time's Internet strategy. Since then, Huey reached out to Weisberg to discuss the managing-editor position.

--Gabriel Sherman

'Times' Goes Critically Shopping; Gets New Thursday Styles Editor

Observer Staff — Tue, 11 Apr 2006 13:30:07 -0400

New York Times Style czar Trip Gabriel has a new deputy to helm Thursday Styles. Today, The Times named former deputy regional editor Mary Ann Giordano as the Thursday Styles Deputy Editor. Gabriel said on The Times' internal web site that Giordano, in addition to her Thursday duties, "will have a hand in generating major stories for Sunday Styles and for the front page." --Gabriel Sherman

Times' Stolberg Takes White House Beat

Observer Staff — Thu, 06 Apr 2006 15:12:08 -0400

New York Times Congressional reporter Sheryl Gay Stolberg will be moving to cover the White House, filling the paper's last vacancy on that beat. Stolberg will be taking the spot currently held by Elisabeth Bumiller, who is scheduled to go out on book leave in June to spend a year writing a biography of Condoleezza Rice.

"I’m honored the Times thought of me," Stolberg said by phone April 6. "I think I have big shoes to fill."

Earlier this year, White House reporter Richard Stevenson was promoted to deputy Washington bureau chief. His seat was filled by Jim Rutenberg. Times sources said it remains undecided if the Washington bureau will bring in anyone to fill Stolberg's old position. Currently, David Kirkpatrick and Carl Hulse cover Congress. --Gabriel Sherman

Gonnerman Leaves Village Voice

Observer Staff — Thu, 06 Apr 2006 12:31:59 -0400

Village Voice investigative reporter Jennifer Gonnerman resigned from the paper on Monday, according to Voice sources. Gonnerman, 35, was a Livingston Award winner in 2000 and a National Book Award finalist in 2004. Her 2004 book Life on the Outside chronicled the effects of the Rockefeller drug laws through the story of Elaine Bartlett, a first-time offender sentenced to 16 years in prison.

Gonnerman left to further pursue book writing, Voice sources said. Amid turnover at the Voice, Gonerman was said to have told executives from the paper's new owner, New Times, that they should be tapping into the talent of current staff.

Gonnerman couldn't be reached for comment. Interim editor in chief Ward Harkavy said of her resignation, "I consider that personally and professionally a real loss. I'm saddened by that. Anybody who's worked with her would be saddened by her loss."

--Gabriel Sherman

New York Mag to Spotlight New(ish), Young(ish) Editors

Observer Staff — Wed, 29 Mar 2006 13:32:11 -0500

What's the statute of limitations on being a young talent to watch? Next week, former prodigy Adam Moss, 48, will use New York magazine to anoint the newest Wunderkindergarten class of editors. According to sources with knowledge of the project, the photo spread, with accompanying text by Carl Swanson, will include The New Republic's Franklin Foer (age 31), The Atlantic's James Bennet (39), Harper's Roger Hodge (38), and the Paris Review's Philip Gourevitch (44).

--Gabriel Sherman

Miller's Latest Subject: Qaddafi

Observer Staff — Fri, 24 Mar 2006 09:55:05 -0500

The piece that Judith Miller is working on for the Atlantic appears to be a profile of Libya's Col. Muammar el-Qaddafi, according to sources familiar with the magazine or with Miller's activities. Earlier this week, Miller told the Media Mob she had recently returned from the Middle East.

According to one source, Miller's Atlantic piece was assigned months ago, before the March 1 appointment of James Bennet to be editor. It is unclear whether Bennet, who was the Times' Jerusalem bureau chief while Miller was reporting on Iraqi weapons of mass destruction for the paper, plans to run the piece. Bennet declined to comment yesterday on Miller's reporting assignment. --Gabriel Sherman