Candida Donadio

Candida Donadio (October 22, 1929 - January 20, 2001) was an American literary agent. She represented many writers, including postmodern novelists Joseph Heller, William Gaddis, and Thomas Pynchon.

Candida Donadio
Born	October 22, 1929 Brooklyn, New York City, U.S.
Died	January 20, 2001 Stonington, Connecticut, U.S.
Occupation	Literary agent

Life

Donadio was born on October 22, 1929 in Brooklyn, New York City.[1] Her parents were immigrants from Italy.[1]

Donadio began her career by working as a secretary for Herb Jaffe.[1] She eventually founded her own literary agency, and she represented Bruce Jay Friedman, William Gaddis, Joseph Heller, Michael Herr, Thomas Pynchon, Mario Puzo, and Robert Stone.[2] Heller's Catch-22 was initially called Catch 18, and it was changed to her birthday to avoid confusion with Leon Uris's Mila 18.[1][2] In 1984, Donadio sold 120 letters written by Pynchon to herself between 1962 and 1983 to Carter Burden for $45,000 via Santa Barbara book dealer Ralph Sipper.[3]

Donadio resided in Stonington, Connecticut. She was diagnosed with cancer in 1995, and she died on January 20, 2001.[1][2]

References

1. "Candida Donadio; Literary Agent for Heller, Roth, Other Authors". The Los Angeles Times. January 28, 2001. p. 39. Retrieved August 18, 2019 – via Newspapers.com.
2. Van Gelder, Lawrence (January 25, 2001). "Candida Donadio, 71, Agent Who Handled 'Catch-22,' Dies". The New York Times. Retrieved August 18, 2019.
3. Gussow, Mel (March 10, 1998). "Pynchon letters give a peek at reclusive writer". South Florida Sun Sentinel. Fort Lauderdale, Florida. p. 47. Retrieved August 18, 2019 – via Newspapers.com.