Candida Donadio
Candida Donadio (October 22, 1929 - January 20, 2001) was an American literary agent. She represented many writers, including postmodern novelists Joseph Heller, William Gaddis, and Thomas Pynchon.
Candida Donadio | |
|---|---|
| Born | October 22, 1929 Brooklyn, New York City, U.S. |
| Died | January 20, 2001 Stonington, Connecticut, U.S. |
| Occupation | Literary agent |
Life
Donadio was born on October 22, 1929 in Brooklyn, New York City.[1] Her parents were immigrants from Italy.[1]
Donadio began her career by working as a secretary for Herb Jaffe.[1] She eventually founded her own literary agency, and she represented Bruce Jay Friedman, William Gaddis, Joseph Heller, Michael Herr, Thomas Pynchon, Mario Puzo, and Robert Stone.[2] Heller's Catch-22 was initially called Catch 18, and it was changed to her birthday to avoid confusion with Leon Uris's Mila 18.[1][2] In 1984, Donadio sold 120 letters written by Pynchon to herself between 1962 and 1983 to Carter Burden for $45,000 via Santa Barbara book dealer Ralph Sipper.[3]
Donadio resided in Stonington, Connecticut. She was diagnosed with cancer in 1995, and she died on January 20, 2001.[1][2]
References
- "Candida Donadio; Literary Agent for Heller, Roth, Other Authors". The Los Angeles Times. January 28, 2001. p. 39. Retrieved August 18, 2019 – via Newspapers.com.
- Van Gelder, Lawrence (January 25, 2001). "Candida Donadio, 71, Agent Who Handled 'Catch-22,' Dies". The New York Times. Retrieved August 18, 2019.
- Gussow, Mel (March 10, 1998). "Pynchon letters give a peek at reclusive writer". South Florida Sun Sentinel. Fort Lauderdale, Florida. p. 47. Retrieved August 18, 2019 – via Newspapers.com.