News

Nick Webb dies

12.04.12 | Benedicte Page

Author and former publisher Nick Webb has died. He was in his early sixties.  

Webb had a long career in publishing, including roles as managing director of Simon & Schuster between 1991 and 1999 and previously as m.d. of Arrow and of Sphere.

While at Pan in 1978 he commissioned Douglas Adams to write a novelisation of the first radio series of "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy", resulting in the bestselling book.

Following Adams' death in 2001, Webb wrote his biography, Wish You Were Here (2003). He was also the author of The Dictionary of Bullshit (2006) and The Dictionary of Political Bullshit (2010).

A full obituary will follow in The Bookseller.

John Broom, from Meridian Search & Selection writes:

Nick had a wonderful career in publishing, commencing at Penguin then moving on to Granada and then Hodder & Stoughton, then on to Sphere as MD when the company was acquired by Penguin. Sphere was then bought by Robert Maxwell where Nick continued for some time until he was head hunted to become MD of Simon & Schuster UK. He eventually left S&S and, after some time writing the biography of Douglas Adams, he had a brief spell at Editor-in-Chief at Duckworth.
 
Nick published hundreds and hundreds of books during his career across a whole range of subjects. He was a very talented and creative publisher, a wonderful raconteur, extremely entertaining and without doubt one of the nicest people you could meet in publishing.

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By mpetty

Apart from being a great and funny man, Nick was the best boss I ever had, when he was running Sphere and I was running Abacus. He said to me, "I've no idea what you're on about most of the time, but you seem to know what you're doing so I'm just going to let you get on with it." So he did...happy days.

He had a great way with words, too. Thanks to him there's no such thing as financial crises, just deep fiscal custard.

RIP Nick, we'll miss you.

Thu, 12/04/2012 - 13:33
By Louis Barfe

Terribly sad news. Nick was one of the nicest and funniest people I encountered in my time as a hack on Skateboarders' Weekly. I can just hear him saying 'deep fiscal custard', Mike. I remember once I had to ring him for a quote about something (I think it was when WHS bought Hodder Headline), and his reply contained the phrase "mind-buggering". At a time when the book trade was becoming increasingly corporate and buttoned-up, it was simply a joy to know that people like Nick were around.

Fri, 13/04/2012 - 00:58
By Ramsey Campbell

Very sad news indeed. Nick was a great chap, even bigger than his physique. I edited NEW TERRORS for him when he was at Pan, but it was his idea - he proposed it over burgers in Birmingham in 1978. A lot of us will be raising a glass in his memory.

Fri, 13/04/2012 - 14:09
By Linda Melvern

Nick Webb was the nicest man I ever met in publishing. He was unwavering in his support for my work. He always rode to my rescue when publishers behaved badly. A wise counsellor, a true friend. He was a marvellous man.

Fri, 13/04/2012 - 10:31
By Richford Becklow Literary Agency

Lovely man. Warm, funny and intelligent.

And yes, Nick had a fabulous way with words. When I once mooted to him an unusual split on serial rights, he said 'well, that's a baroque suggestion, and I'm going to agree because I'm relishing it so much'.

They don't make them like that any more....

Mon, 16/04/2012 - 21:57
By Carol Tarrant

I grew up in Kew alongside him. What an imaginative spirit he had, to share discovery of the green of Surrey and the greys of 1950s London. Richmond became an eruption of 60's music, and in the midst of it Nick introduced me to Danny Absie....my first foray into bohemia! Love his memory ...what a childhood soulmate.....Stardust now!

Tue, 24/04/2012 - 17:02
By John Shelley

Very sad news, I remember Nick very well from when I started out in the 1980's, his generous encouragement was a lifeline. A very great loss.

Wed, 18/04/2012 - 13:00
By mpetty

Apart from being a great and funny man, Nick was the best boss I ever had, when he was running Sphere and I was running Abacus. He said to me, "I've no idea what you're on about most of the time, but you seem to know what you're doing so I'm just going to let you get on with it." So he did...happy days.

He had a great way with words, too. Thanks to him there's no such thing as financial crises, just deep fiscal custard.

RIP Nick, we'll miss you.

Thu, 12/04/2012 - 13:33
By Louis Barfe

Terribly sad news. Nick was one of the nicest and funniest people I encountered in my time as a hack on Skateboarders' Weekly. I can just hear him saying 'deep fiscal custard', Mike. I remember once I had to ring him for a quote about something (I think it was when WHS bought Hodder Headline), and his reply contained the phrase "mind-buggering". At a time when the book trade was becoming increasingly corporate and buttoned-up, it was simply a joy to know that people like Nick were around.

Fri, 13/04/2012 - 00:58
By Linda Melvern

Nick Webb was the nicest man I ever met in publishing. He was unwavering in his support for my work. He always rode to my rescue when publishers behaved badly. A wise counsellor, a true friend. He was a marvellous man.

Fri, 13/04/2012 - 10:31
By Ramsey Campbell

Very sad news indeed. Nick was a great chap, even bigger than his physique. I edited NEW TERRORS for him when he was at Pan, but it was his idea - he proposed it over burgers in Birmingham in 1978. A lot of us will be raising a glass in his memory.

Fri, 13/04/2012 - 14:09
By Richford Becklow Literary Agency

Lovely man. Warm, funny and intelligent.

And yes, Nick had a fabulous way with words. When I once mooted to him an unusual split on serial rights, he said 'well, that's a baroque suggestion, and I'm going to agree because I'm relishing it so much'.

They don't make them like that any more....

Mon, 16/04/2012 - 21:57
By John Shelley

Very sad news, I remember Nick very well from when I started out in the 1980's, his generous encouragement was a lifeline. A very great loss.

Wed, 18/04/2012 - 13:00
By Carol Tarrant

I grew up in Kew alongside him. What an imaginative spirit he had, to share discovery of the green of Surrey and the greys of 1950s London. Richmond became an eruption of 60's music, and in the midst of it Nick introduced me to Danny Absie....my first foray into bohemia! Love his memory ...what a childhood soulmate.....Stardust now!

Tue, 24/04/2012 - 17:02

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