Naim Attallah

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] established in 1977;^[7] it was founded by him and Stephanie Dowrick.

In 1990, he became joint managing director of jewellers, Asprey.^[8] In 1992, he became group chief executive.^[9]

Attallah's book of memoirs, Fulfilment and Betrayal: 1975–1995, was published in 2007.^[10] According to Jennie Erdal's 2005 memoir Ghosting,^[11] she was the ghostwriter of “speeches, newspaper articles, a dozen works of nonfiction and two novels”^[12] in addition to “hundreds of letters”^[13] The last part of her book’s dedication states that he “inspired this story and allowed it to be told.”^[14]

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.^[15]

Attallah died in his sleep after contracting COVID-19 on February 2, 2021.^[16]

• Fulfilment and Betrayal: 1975–1995, Quartet Books, 2007, ISBN 978-0704371217
• In Touch with his Roots, Quartet Books, 2006, ISBN 978-0704371187
• The Boy in England, Quartet Books, 2005, ISBN 978-0704371170
• The Old Ladies of Nazareth, London: Quartet Books, 2004, ISBN 978-0704371842
• Dialogues, Quartet Books, 2000, ISBN 978-0704371156
• Insights, Quartet Books, 1999, ISBN 978-0704371132
• In Conversation with Naim Attallah, London: Quartet Books, 1998, ISBN 978-0704380875
• A Woman a Week, Quartet Books, 1998, ISBN 978-0704380868
• Tara and Claire, Quartet Books, 1997, ISBN 978-0704371057
• Asking Questions: An Anthology of Interviews with Naim Attallah (with Charlotte Smith), 1996, ISBN 978-0704380271
• A Timeless Passion, Quartet Books, 1995, ISBN 978-0704380189
• Speaking for the Oldie, Quartet Books, 1994, ISBN 978-0704370913
• More of a Certain Age, Quartet Books, 1994, ISBN 978-0704370586
• Of a Certain Age, Quartet Books, 1993, ISBN 978-0704370289
• Singular Encounters, Quartet Books, 1992, ISBN 978-0704301665
• Women, Quartet Books, 1988, ISBN 978-0704300804

• Interview The Times. (subscription required)

• "Naim Attallah Online".
• Official Quartet Books website
• Sally Weale, "Farewell, my lovelies", The Guardian, 27 November 2000 – profile of Naim Attallah.
• Portraits of Naim Attallah at the National Portrait Gallery, London