The reputation game: how authors try to control their image from beyond the grave | Philip Roth | The Guardian

A month ago, the book was destined to be the literary biography of the year - a "narrative masterwork", according to the New York Times. Then, the book's US publisher, WW Norton, "paused" distribution after Roth's hand-picked biographer, Blake Bailey, who has denied any wrongdoing, was accused of sexual misconduct. Last week it withdrew the book entirely, and it was subsequently picked up by Skyhorse.

Roth's literary agent, Andrew Wylie of the Wylie Agency, and Julia Golier, a lover of Roth and later a close friend, are interpreted to be under Roth's direction to destroy archival material after it was seen by Bailey. Princeton University's library gave Bailey access to material that is not currently available. A university spokesperson said the library was in "ongoing discussions with Roth representatives regarding the collection". The Wylie Agency did not return a request for comment.