Publishing Loses Two Greats

This past week has seen the loss of two respected and loved authors. Author Stephen R. Covey best know for his bestselling The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, passed away from injuries sustained in a bicycling accident. He was 79 years old. Mr. Covey created some of the most notable business books in publishing. Forbes named The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People “one of the 10 most influential management books ever written”.

Dr. Covey received the Fatherhood Award from the National Fatherhood Initiative, was honored with the Sikh’s International Man of Peace Award, and received The National Entrepreneur of the Year Lifetime Award for Entrepreneurial Leadership.

Beloved children’s author Donald J. Sobol has also passed away at the age of 87 from natural causes. Best known for his young adult mystery book series, Encyclopedia Brown. First written in 1963, the books are as popular today as they were then, and they have never gone out of print. His hero, Leroy Brown was dubbed “Encyclopedia” “because he is so smart that he seems to know everything you would find in a set of encyclopedias.”

When readers asked Mr.Sobol if he was a real kid, the author replied” “No … He is, perhaps, the boy I wanted to be — doing the things I wanted to read about but could not find in any book when I was ten.”

The family of Mr. Sobol asked in lieu of flowers or other condolences, the you donate in memory of this great author, to the New York Public Library Children’s Services at this link: “Gifts made in remembrance of Donald J. Sobol, author of the beloved Encyclopedia Brown Series, will benefit Children’s Services at The New York Public Library. The New York Public Library will send The Sobol Family a card acknowledging your generosity.”