Vintage continues publication of Bailey's Roth book after sexual assault allegations

Vintage says it will continue to publish Blake Bailey's Philip Roth biography in the UK following sexual assault allegations that have seen Bailey dropped by his agency and the book's shipment and promotion paused in the US.

The UK publisher, which released Philip Roth: The Biography on 8th April through imprint Jonathan Cape, said it was “assessing the situation closely”.

Bailey has been hit by claims, reported by the New York Times and other US outlets, of inappropriate conduct by former students at a New Orleans school where he worked as an English teacher in the 1990s and allegations of sexual assault against two other women, including one in 2015.

The author has strongly denied the allegations, telling the NYT they were “categorically false and libellous”.

A spokesperson for Vintage said: “These are extremely serious and concerning allegations made against Blake Bailey. At this stage they are allegations, and we continue to publish Philip Roth: The Biography. We are assessing the situation closely.”

In the US, publisher W W Norton announced last week it had decided to pause the shipping and promotion of the book “pending any further information that may emerge”. Bailey's literary agency the Story Factory in the US has also dropped the author as a client.