David Obst

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David Obst is an American literary agent and author. Obst was the agent of Carl Bernstein and Bob Woodward. He also was involved in the productions of the films Revenge of the Nerds,[1] Fast Times at Ridgemont High, and All the President's Men.[2]

Alex Kyczynski of The New York Times stated, "Obst says he was born in 1946, but he also says his mother was pregnant with him a month after D-Day, so we can't be sure how accurate a historian he is to begin with."[1] Obst originated from Culver City, California.[3] He attended the University of California, Berkeley.[1]

Around 1969 Obst went to Taiwan to study the Chinese language and later moved to Washington, DC where he became Seymour Hersh's literary agent.[4] Obst had associated with Abbie Hoffman.[1] In a review of Obst's book, Too Good to Be Forgotten, Hersh stated that Obst was "in the middle of" important political movements in the 1960s and 1970s.[5]

In 1977 Obst had about 50 clients. On February 1 of that year he was shifting into being a publisher.[6] Obst stated that he had less success as a publisher compared to being an agent. He published Roadfood.[7]

In 1998 Obst wrote that Deep Throat was a composite person.[8]

He married and later divorced Lynda Obst.[9] As of 1998 he lived in Santa Barbara, California.[1]

Publications

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 Kuczynski, Alex. "Zelig's Back." The New York Times. October 25, 1998. Retrieved on August 9, 2014.
  2. "Event Information" (Archive). Rancho La Puerta, Inc. Retrieved on August 10, 2014.
  3. 3.0 3.1 Stiehm, Jamie. "'Too Good to Be Forgotten': the '60s, with joy." The Baltimore Sun. December 13, 1998. Retrieved on August 9, 2014.
  4. Swift, Pamela. "Young Literary Lion." The Spokesman-Review. September 28, 1974. p. 29/68. Retrieved from Google News on August 9, 2014.
  5. "Too Good To Be Forgotten: Changing America in the '60s and '70s" (Google Books index page). Retrieved on August 10, 2014. ""Whether it be My Lai, Watergate, The Pentagon Papers, or any of the other tumultuous events of that era, Obst seems to be in the middle of it. To understand this period, Too Good To Be Forgotten is a must read." —Seymour M. Hersh"
  6. "Big League for Superagent." New York. New York Media, LLC, January 31, 1977. Vol. 10, No. 5. ISSN 0028-7369. p. 56. Available on Google Books.
  7. Haller, Scot. "The Discreet Charm Of the Ego Logo." New York. December 4, 1978. Volume 11, No. 49. p. 110. Retrieved from Google Books on August 10, 2014.
  8. Barringer, Felicity. "Media; An author questions the existence of Deep Throat, Watergate's man in the shadows." The New York Times. September 21, 1998. Retrieved on August 9, 2014.
  9. Cohen, Jason. "Sleepless in Fredericksburg." Texas Monthly. July 1997. p. 3. "David Obst, at a party given by journalist (and San Antonio native) Marie Brenner. David was a literary agent whose circle included the likes of Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein, and Lynda was tantalized." Retrieved on August 9, 2014.