Howard Kaminsky, former president and publisher of Warner Books, Random House, and Hearst, passed away on Friday, August 26. He was 77-years-old.
His daughter, Jessica Kaminsky, informed the New York Times that the cause was a heart attack.
Born in Brooklyn, Kaminsky joined the publishing industry in the early 1960s. In 1984, he became the publisher and chief executive of Random House’s trade department. Though he was soon succeeded by Robert Bernstein in 1987, he quickly resurfaced through Hearst. During this period, some well-known authors under their corporation included Elmore Leonard, E.L. Doctorow, Gore Vidal, and David Halberstam.
After their unit experienced a downturn in 1994, notable writers such as David Halberstam and Ken Follett left. Consequently, Kaminsky resigned in order to take care of his wife, Susan Kaminsky, who had been diagnosed with Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma.
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Kaminsky co-wrote five suspense novels with his wife. The first of which was named The Glow, published under the pseudonym Brooks Stanwood. Following his wife’s death in March 2005, Kaminsky continued to publish novels, including Angel Wings, which was released in April 2013.
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In addition to thrillers, he also wrote self-help books such as Magic Words and Magic Words at Work.
Howard Kaminsky is survived by his daughter and two grandchildren.
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