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ROSLYN TARG Obituary

TARG--Roslyn,

Pioneering Literary Agent, died peacefully in her Greenwich Village apartment on October 29 at age 92. Born Roslyn Siegel in Brooklyn on May 27, 1925, Targ was raised by her mother, a seamstress in Greenwich Village. She graduated from Hunter College in 1949, majoring in economics and English. Targ joined the Franz J. Horch agency as a "girl Friday". In 1969, Targ bought the agency and became its president. An expert on foreign rights, she represented top-selling authors including Italo Calvino, Henry Roth, Samuel Beckett, Erich Maria Remarque, Harold Robbins, Norman Mailer. Married in 1965, her beloved husband, Bill Targ, was the former editor-in-chief of Putnam and World Publishing, died in 1999. Targ was widely known and respected for her keen intellect, sales prowess, quick wit, and style. She worked to age 85. In 2009, Hunter College inducted her into the school's Hall of Fame. She lived in the same eclectic art and book-filled Greenwich Village penthouse apartment for 52 years. As Targ told a friend on her 92nd birthday, "When I look back on my life, all I can say is 'Wow'!" She is survived by many friends, and relatives of her late husband, Bill Targ. At Targ's request, there will be no service.

To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.

Published by New York Times on Nov. 1, 2017.

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4 Entries

Amy Leonard

December 6, 2020

Roz was my agent for 25 years. She was extraordinary. She took a chance on me when I was a senior in college and had just one Mademoiselle Magazine’s literary prize. She told me, many times, that her authors were her children. I always felt loved and nurtured by her. She was supportive and honest in her assessments of my work and was always a fierce warrior for my literary rights.
Meetings with Roz were always joyous events, one quarter business and three quarters fantastic stories, with much laughter.
Over the years we exchanged many letters, sharing life’s joys and sorrows. I valued her advice and insights. She was a force of nature. I consider having had her as my agent and dear friend an incredible honor.

Norina Morales

February 4, 2019

While I attended the HS of Art and Design in the 70s I was hired to do filing. It was my first job and she was wonderful. It gave me a sense of responsibility and a way to make money after school. I will always remember her fondly.

The Great Roslyn Targ

November 3, 2017

November 1, 2017

Roz was one of the last of the great New York literary agents: totally committed to writing and her authors. Over the more than 25 years she represented me, she was far more than just my agent. She was one of my dearest friends. I will deeply miss her, literature will miss her, writers whom she served will always be grateful for what she did for us.

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