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Irita said, “Dick, you were the one that asked to do this book. I saved the front page, and the day before we go to press, you tell me that you're not going to do it. This is terrible.” He said, “Things have come up at Simon and Schuster. I just can't do it.”

So Irita called up Bob then, in panic, and said, “I don't know what to do. We go to press tomorrow, and we have to have a review tomorrow.” Well, Bob, who, when he got angry--boy, did he get angry--called up Dick Simon and called him every name under the sun and then slammed up the phone. He was fuming. This book meant an awful lot to him. Meanwhile, Dick Simon called me up and said, “Your partner, Bob Haas, just insulted me over the phone. I'm coming up there and punch him in the nose.” I said, “What is this all about?” Dick told me and I said, “Bob's absolutely right. I've never heard anything so disgraceful in my life. You were the one who asked for the book.”

Dick stopped for a minute and said, “Well, if that's the way you feel about it, I'm going to go home and write the review.” I said, “You just do that.” He went home and spent the day on the review and turned in a very good review the next day. But Bob never forgave him.

Was this typical of Dick Simon?

Yes. He was the most self-centered man that ever lived. Dick only saw things one way--his own way. He was a