SONNY MEHTA

As I see it, my job has always been to champion the work of the authors I publish.

Just because we're Knopf doesn't mean we shouldn't sell books as well as any other publisher in the land.

I had to learn to call book jackets 'jackets' rather than 'covers.'

A good part of the work is just reading a manuscript and coming to the office. I can't imagine wanting to even read an article about book publishing.

I was from somewhere else. Then all of a sudden I was here, in New York. With one suitcase.

I don't have a glamorous lifestyle.

The biggest kick is reading something new and exciting and then getting other people to share your enthusiasm. Beyond all the cant and hypocrisy in publishing, that's what it's all about.

There are not too many people who are polymathic these days.

At Knopf, we look at each book on a case-by-case basis... in some cases, we think a writer might get a boost from an endorsement by a fellow writer, but in other cases, a new book will be better served by other means, such as publicity and reviews.

'French Women Don't Get Fat' has become something of a phenomenon.

A blurb might bring a reader to a book, but then the book itself has to do the rest of the work.

What can I say? I'm a book junkie.

There are distinctions between Indian and Pakistani writers.

Tony Blair is an extremely popular figure in North America. His memoir is refreshing, both for its candour and vivid portrayal of political life.

Knopf is solidly profitable, and that is how I intend to keep it.

Hillary Clinton is one of the most compelling figures in the world today... and Carl Bernstein's stunning portrait shows us, for the first time, the true trajectory of her life and career.

I think I'm more marketing- and sales-oriented than others, and the notion of selling books continues to interest me.

Andre Agassi is one of the world's most popular and admired figures. He has lived an extraordinary life, and he has a great story to tell.

I have, from time to time, stopped using it for books, when they pissed me off about something - the negotiation with Hachette, for instance. I thought that was outrageous bullying, and I discontinued using Amazon for books. I did use it for socks, but I didn't use it to buy books.

Few writers can rival Helen Fielding when it comes to fully capturing the modern woman.

Profit is one way that you can take pride in the way you publish things and insure that you can go on doing it.

There isn't really a whole lot to know about me.

Terrorism has come to publishing. It is a grave concern when criticism is turned to mortal threats.

Lisbeth Salander is one of the most compelling heroines of 21st century crime literature, and I am thrilled to see readers have welcomed her return.

I use Amazon for books. I use Amazon for loads of other things. I regard Amazon as a source, as I think a lot of other people do.