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changed for a little while; but gradually I find Bernstein taking over more and more. Like all people getting older, I resent it, on one hand, but on the other hand I thank god for it because all of the nuisance and all of the problems--and they are manifold--I can now laugh at and say to Bernstein, “Well, you wanted to be president. Solve them.” I can go off on a vacation. That's the way it should be. I'm still there. Donald's still there to give advice, take care of our big authors, and keep things rolling. All of the mechanics and all of the big problems... They get bigger every day in any business today. Running a business today is not what it used to be, with all of the government interferences and taxes and regulations. We're all being sued now over our library editions of juveniles... the government says that we fixed prices. We don't think that we did at all, but the whole cumbersome proceedings are a nuisance and the legal expenses will be enormous even if we win all of the cases.

Anyway, Bernstein is there and he's the right man for the job. He's just as strong as I am. In fact, in some ways, he's stronger. And all of our editors are very independent. They will take no interference from RCA. If RCA ever came around and started interfering with the firm as I built it up, I think that the whole editorial staff would walk out.

Then what would happen?

Then it wouldn't be Random House anymore.