Rose Friedman Dies: NPR Arts Editor & ‘Books We Love’ Co-Creator Was 38 — SkimNews
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- Rose Friedman died of cancer on September 17 at her New York City home at age 38, with NPR's Elizabeth Blair announcing the death on-air and calling her one of the outlet's finest journalists.
- Friedman co-created what was initially called the Book Concierge — later renamed Books We Love — personally sifting through hundreds of titles nominated by NPR staff and critics to produce the annual reader's guide.
- She joined NPR in 2010 as an editorial assistant in her early 20s and rose to edit and report on arts & culture coverage, becoming deeply sourced in the publishing industry with features on author Herman Wouk and editor Sonny Mehta.
- In her pre-written obituary notes, Friedman asked that her role as a SAG-AFTRA shop steward for NPR's editorial workers be acknowledged, calling her proudest achievement helping convince NPR to increase its paid parental leave.
- Novelist Meg Wolitzer, who collaborated with Friedman on multiple NPR reviews and features, called her "voracious," "gifted, delightful, brilliant, deeply kind" and "a true enthusiast."
- Friedman is survived by her partner Andrew Anastasi, two children, her parents and two sisters; she was raised in Newton, Massachusetts.
Why it matters: Friedman co-created one of NPR's most recognized reader-facing products and was a union shop steward whose proudest achievement — securing expanded paid parental leave for NPR editorial workers — came directly from her pre-written obituary request, spotlighting both her journalism legacy and the labor organizing embedded in NPR's newsroom culture.
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