Peter Matson, the longtime president and current chairman of Sterling Lord Literistic, has retired from the literary agency after six decades in the book business. Among Matson’s many clients throughout his time in agency are Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer, Alan Brinkley, Mary Gordon, John Irving, Barry Lopez, Mitt Romney, Ruth Rendell, and William Trevor.
Matson got his start working at such mass market paperback houses as Pocket Books before beginning his career as a literary agent in 1964, at the Harold Matson Company. In 1979, he established his own agency, Literistic, and merged with the Sterling Lord Agency in 1987, with Matson serving as president. In 2001, Matson partnered with Philippa Brophy, who succeeded him as president of the firm, and Laurie Liss, who currently oversees the firm with Brophy as EVP and managing partner.
“Matson’s retirement will allow time for other passions, including the historic house in the Berkshires he crafted himself and his apple orchard, famous in the agency office for producing myriad varieties come fall,” the agency said in a statement. “Matson leaves behind a legacy of professionalization and success in literary representation as Sterling Lord Literistic continues to flourish.”
