A Talk with Simon & Schuster’s CEO Carolyn Reidy

Students at Simon & Schuster with CEO Carolyn Reidy

Students in the Master of Science in Publishing program at NYU recently had the opportunity to sit down with Simon & Schuster’s President and CEO Carolyn Reidy as she discussed her career, the evolution and future of publishing, and her advice for publishing hopefuls.“ Publishing requires passion,” she told the group. “It takes people with backgrounds in all areas. No matter your interest or skill, it can be used in publishing.”

Oasis of Books

Shoppers at the Abu Dhabi International Book Fair

It was Saturday night in Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates. Women in black abayas and headscarves, children in tow, and men in flowing white dishdashas were wandering the aisles of the Abu Dhabi International Book Fair, eager to spend their dirhams. As a Western observer, I was intrigued to enter a realm very different from  the more regimented fairs such as Book Expo America or The Frankfurt Book Fair, where publishers  display their upcoming titles to booksellers and do rights business as well. For the Arab countries, in contrast, the book fair is predominantly a way to distribute reading materials directly to the buying populace.

Spotlight on Marie Claire and Good Housekeeping

Students visit Good Housekeeping and talk with Editor-in-Chief Rosemary Ellis, (third from right, back row)

The skies were grey and rainy, but the mood inside the Hearst Tower was upbeat and optimistic as a lucky group of NYU Master of Science in Publishing students visited the dramatic, eco-friendly building. The message from two of Hearst’s powerful editors-in-chief was simple: Take risks, and don’t be afraid to do what you love.

During the visit, students toured the Hearst Tower, got a behind-the-scenes look at the Good Housekeeping Research Institute laboratories, and capped it off with chats with Rosemary Ellis, Editor-in-Chief of Good Housekeeping, and Joanna Coles, Editor-in-Chief of Marie Claire.   Students learned that the future is indeed looking bright for two of America’s leading women’s magazines.