Quartet_Books
Naim Attallah
British businessman (1931–2021)
Naim Ibrahim Attallah CBE (Arabic: نعيم إبراهيم عطالله, 1 May 1931 – 2 February 2021)[2] was a Palestinian-British businessman and writer. He was the publisher of Quartet Books and the owner of The Women's Press. The Palestinian-born entrepreneur was described by The Guardian in 2000 as a "legendary adorer of beautiful women".[3]
Attallah was born in the British Mandate of Palestine in 1931 to a Catholic family. He was the owner of the publishing house Quartet Books, which was founded in 1972 by Ken Banerji, John Boothe, William Miller and Brian Thompson, and taken over by Attallah in 1976.[4] Attallah was a backer of the Literary Review and The Oldie.[5] He was also the owner of the London-based The Women's Press,[6] founded in 1977;[7] it was founded by him and Stephanie Dowrick.
His book of memoirs, Fulfilment and Betrayal: 1975–1995, was published in 2007.[8] According to Jennie Erdal's memoir Ghosting (2005),[9] she was the ghostwriter of some of his books, articles and other writings.[10]
Attallah was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the 2017 New Year Honours for services to literature and the arts.[11]
Attallah died in his sleep after contracting COVID-19 on February 2, 2021.[12]