Jordan Rodman (Kerem ’07) is a VP Senior Director of Publicity at Vintage Books / Knopf Doubleday Group at Penguin Random House — which means she gets paid to be obsessed with books and talk about them to anyone who will listen.
For anyone who doesn’t know what you actually do — how would you describe your job?
I am the VP Senior Director of Publicity at Vintage Books at the Knopf Doubleday Group at Penguin Random House. In my role, I work with incredible authors and literary estates including Haruki Murakami, Dave Eggers, Nathan Englander, Sandra Cisneros, Toni Morrison, James Baldwin, Jane Austen, Tommy Orange, and many more. My job involves securing media coverage for our books across television, radio, print, and digital outlets, planning book tours, placing op-eds, and finding creative ways to keep great books part of the cultural conversation.
How did you end up in publishing?
I studied English at Emory University, and one of my best camp friends, Eva Zenilman, helped connect me with people in the publishing world after graduation. Those introductions ultimately led to my first interview at Penguin Random House, so in many ways I have Yavneh to thank for helping me get my foot in the door.
What is your favorite part about your job?
When I love a book, I immediately want to tell everyone about it, so I feel incredibly lucky that I get to do exactly that for a living. Over the years I’ve had the opportunity to work with some of my literary heroes, many of whom have become friends. Helping bring their work into the world is something I never take for granted.
What’s one project you worked on recently that you loved?
This past December marked the 250th anniversary of Jane Austen’s birth, which was especially exciting because we publish her work. To celebrate, we released new editions of Austen’s classics featuring introductions by contemporary authors such as Jennifer Egan and Lauren Groff. One highlight was securing Pride & Prejudice as a Today Show Book Club selection. We also organized Jane Austen-themed events at bookstores around the country and generated extensive media coverage. There’s something especially satisfying about helping books that are more than 200 years old remain relevant today.
What are a few books you’d recommend?
Because I spend so much time working with our backlist, here are a few favorites, both old and new:
- Heartburn by Nora Ephron
- Contrapposto by Dave Eggers
- Into Thin Air by Jon Krakauer
- Rules of the Wild by Francesca Marciano
Where would we have found you on a Shabbat afternoon at camp?
After a quick cat nap, probably watching Shabbas Ball, rolling down the hills with friends, and planning the perfect deli sandwich for lunch: turkey, salami, mayo, and mustard on a challah roll.
What was your go-to Kolbo snack?
Slush! So sour, so good. I still miss it.