Porter Anderson, editor-in-chief of Publishing Perspectives since 2016, has died.
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| Porter Anderson at the Frankfurt Book Fair earlier this year. | |
As publisher Erin Cox wrote yesterday in Publishing Perspectives, Anderson "traveled the world, moderating industry discussions, reporting on new and established markets, highlighting changes in technology, celebrating publishers and writers doing excellent work, and engaging with an international audience eager to learn more about the publishing industry beyond their borders.
"Just in the last two months, he could be seen on stage or reporting from Frankfurt, Sharjah, and Shanghai, interviewing CEOs, reporting on the future of audio, and sharing insight into markets around the world."
She added, "On a personal note, we are all shocked and saddened by Porter's passing. Whether you knew him personally or simply read his stories, you could tell that he had a passion for news, a desire to protect the trinity of freedoms, and a drive to share important information with readers around the world. We will honor his legacy by continuing the mission he started."
Juergen Boos, director of Frankfurt Book Fair, said, "All of us who have known him personally over the past few years, who admired him for his expertise, his journalistic experience, loved him for his humor and admired his high professional ethics and his seemingly inexhaustible energy--we are all saddened and shocked by this news. There are no words or thoughts that can adequately express our feelings. The void left by his death cannot yet be fully measured."
Before joining Publishing Perspectives, Anderson was associate editor for the FutureBook at the Bookseller; a senior producer and anchor with CNN.com, CNN International, and CNN USA for more than 10 years; and an arts critic for the Village Voice, the Dallas Times Herald, and the Tampa Tribune. He co-founded the Hot Sheet with Jane Friedman. In 2019, he was awarded International Trade Press Journalist of the Year in the London Book Fair's International Excellence Awards.
At Shelf Awareness, we were always impressed by the many panels he moderated and interviews he conducted at the Frankfurt Book Fair. He always showed a mastery of and passion for key topics in the book world and did a great job conversing with a range of fascinating book people from around the world.
People are encouraged to share memories and thoughts about Porter Anderson here.