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Adrienne Vaughan, the president of Bloomsbury USA, the publishing house behind the Harry Potter series, died on August 3, 2023, in a tragic boating accident off the coast of Italy. She was 45 years old and is survived by her husband and two children.

Contents

A Tragic Collision

Vaughan went on a trip where her husband, Mike White, and their two children, Leanna, 14, and Mason, 11, joined her on the Amalfi Coast. It is a popular tourist destination. On August 04, 2023, the White family rented a speedboat in order to explore the scenic coastline.

Unfortunately, their boat collided with a larger sailing boat carrying about 80 tourists. Adrienne Vaughan was thrown into the water. As per my research, she suffered fatal injuries from the sailing boat’s propeller. She was pulled out of the water onto a dock and was pronounced dead at the scene before the emergency crew could make it.

Aftermath

Her husband Mike also sustained a dislocated shoulder. He also has cuts to his arms. According to him, their 30-year-old Italian skipper named Elio Persico was drunk and he was responsible for the accident.

Mike White also told that Elio was busy checking his phone before the tragedy. The skipper also suffered a broken pelvis and ribs. He had more than the legal limit of alcohol in his system as per the investigation reports.

The captain of the sailing boat did not test positive for any substance and is not under investigation. Both boats have been sequestered by the Salerno Port Authority pending the investigation.

Vaughan’s children were not physically harmed. However, they are traumatized after seeing their mother’s death in front of their eyes.

Education

She graduated from the College of William and Mary in 2001. She had a Bachelor of Business Administration degree. She also has an MBA degree from NYU’s Stern School of Business which she earned in 2007.

Career: A Passionate Publisher and Leader

Vaughan joined Bloomsbury USA in 2018 as the editorial director and was promoted to president in 2020. She oversaw the publication of many critically acclaimed and bestselling books, including The Testaments by Margaret Atwood, The Midnight Library by Matt Haig, The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett, and The Body by Bill Bryson.

She was also instrumental in securing the rights to publish the Harry Potter series in the U.S., which has sold over 200 million copies and spawned a global phenomenon. She had a close relationship with J.K. Rowling, the author of the series, who described her as “a brilliant editor and a wonderful friend.”

Vaughan was known for her vision, creativity, and enthusiasm for books and authors. She championed diverse voices and genres, from literary fiction to memoirs to graphic novels. She was also a mentor and a role model for many aspiring editors and publishers in the industry.

“She was a force of nature, a brilliant leader, and a generous colleague,” said Nigel Newton, the founder and chief executive of Bloomsbury Publishing. “She will be sorely missed by everyone who knew her and worked with her.”

Quick Biography / Trivia

Family: A Loving Wife and Mother

Vaughan was married to James Vaughan, a lawyer, and an avid sailor. They met at Yale University, where they both graduated with honors. They had two children, Leanna, 14, and Mason, 11, who shared their parents’ love of reading and adventure.

The family was vacationing in Italy when their speedboat collided with a sailing ship near the island of Capri. Vaughan died at the scene, while her husband and children were taken to a hospital with minor injuries.

The Italian authorities are investigating the cause of the accident, which has shocked the local community and international visitors.

Vaughan’s family released a statement expressing their grief and gratitude for the support they have received.

We are devastated by the loss of our beloved Adrienne, who was a wonderful wife, mother, daughter, sister, and friend. She touched so many lives with her kindness, intelligence, and passion for books. We are grateful for the outpouring of love and condolences from around the world. We ask for privacy as we mourn our loss and celebrate her life.

A Legacy of Excellence and Inspiration

Vaughan’s death has been mourned by many prominent figures in the literary world, who have paid tribute to her achievements and influence.

PEN America, an organization that promotes free expression and literature, issued a statement praising Vaughan for her commitment to the cause of free expression and the freedom to read.

Adrienne Vaughan lent her extraordinary talent, passion and persistence to the cause of free expression and the freedom to read. Beyond her impressive publishing talents working with writers, she was committed to the idea that books are at the core of our civilized values

they said.

Tributes

Many authors who worked with Vaughan also expressed their admiration and appreciation for her editorial skills and personal support.

“She was more than an editor. She was a visionary, a collaborator, a champion, a friend,” said Matt Haig, whose novel The Midnight Library won the Goodreads Choice Award for Fiction in 2020.

“She was one of the best editors I ever worked with. She had an amazing eye for detail, a keen sense of story, and a genuine respect for writers,” said Margaret Atwood, whose sequel to The Handmaid’s Tale, The Testaments, won the Booker Prize in 2019.

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“She was a joy to work with. She always had a smile on her face, a laugh in her voice, and a spark in her eyes,” said Brit Bennett, whose novel The Vanishing Half was selected by Oprah Winfrey’s Book Club in 2020.

Vaughan’s legacy will live on through the books she published and the people she inspired. She will be remembered as one of the most influential publishers of her generation and a leader in the field of literature.

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