Literary agent Deborah Owen is finally closing the book

 
22 November 2013

Deborah Owen, wife of ex-foreign secretary David Owen, is retiring as a literary agent after 43 years. She has handed over representation of her star author Amos Oz to Andrew Wylie as part of a plan to wind down the agency. “After almost 43 years of being the luckiest agent on this planet, I know that it is time to pass on Amos Oz’s ever-growing publishing portfolio,” says Owen.

“My brain keeps telling me that I am not as sharp as I used to be and, in a tough publishing climate, where it is vitally important to be on top of the changes going on, I want the very brightest and most enthusiastic brains to look after Amos.”

The effervescent Owen arrived in London in early 1969 and took the first job she was offered, working with the literary agent Nicholas Thompson. Among her tiny handful of clients was Delia Smith. “Nicholas said, ‘I don’t know why you spend all that time on the phone to her - she’ll never make any money’.”

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