Middlemen

“A Millions Most Anticipated Book”
“Shrewd, scholarly, and generous… . McGrath writes with a deft and dust-free feeling for scene and character that is matched by the depth and clarity of her analysis.”—Michael Gorra, New York Review of Books
“If we are to truly come to grips with contemporary fiction, literary agents and their logic of fit are essential parts of the story. While Middlemen may concentrate on the powerful few who do it best, McGrath offers a new and important way to orient our understanding of the novel today.”—Tom Williams, Los Angeles Review of Books
“Extensively researched… . There is plenty here for readers curious about the sociology or economic of literature–or for those who just appreciate a bit of literary gossip.”—Magdalena Miecznicka, Financial Times
“Because their work is largely invisible to the public, [agents] would seem to typify the publishing industry at its most commercial, cliquish, and hidebound… . Nevertheless, many of them are decent people, [McGrath] contends—they protect writers from a variety of evils, including themselves—and their profession has become central to cultural production. Your favorite novelist, no matter how experimental or antiestablishment, all but certainly has some representative … negotiating her contracts, talking her up over cocktails, talking her down from the ledge.”—Dan Piepenbring, Harper’s
“McGrath’s book brims with a wealth of material, much of which would be otherwise difficult for an outsider to glean.”—Elias Altman, Bookforum
“McGrath is a lively writer, eschewing academic jargon in favour of anecdotes.” * The Economist *
“An enlightening study of how agents have shaped the American literary landscape… . McGrath’s research is extremely thorough and presented in entertaining prose. Anyone curious about how their favorite books came to be will appreciate this peek behind the curtain.” * Publishers Weekly *
“Drawing on archival sources, input from more than 75 agents (including several of the most influential in the field), trade and industry publications, biographies, and memoirs, McGrath offers insights into the strategies, values, and relationships that shape an agent’s work… . A fresh, well-researched debut.” * Kirkus Reviews *
“Middlemen is a thorough, diverting investigation of the role literary agents play in the creation of book markets and reader tastes… . An invaluable work of literary analysis.” * Foreword Reviews *
“The best—and most impartial—history on what agents actually do… . McGrath’s research and insight is unparalleled.”—Adam Vitcavage, Debutiful
“Polyphonic in its sources and capacious in its methods, this highly readable study brings together interviews with data analysis to grant a new perspective on how literature is made and categorized.”—Leah Price, Public Books

Laura B. McGrath is assistant professor of English at Temple University. Her writing has appeared in The Atlantic, The Nation, and the Los Angeles Review of Books.

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