In Memory: Carla Cohen

Carla Cohen, founder and co-owner of Politics and Prose Bookstore in Washington, D.C., died on October 11 of cancer. She was 74 years old.

Cohen had worked as a congressional aide and federal housing official, before opening Politics and Prose in 1984.

Barbara Meade, Politics and Prose co-owner, whose partnership with Cohen lasted more than a third of their lives, said on the store website: “What I miss most about Carla is her passion for living, along with all the many pleasures which she found and shared in books, friends, family, and, yes, food. To me, the cruelest parts of Carla's illness were that, before it killed her, it sapped her energy for reading and killed her taste for food. The next time you read a book that you love – or indulge in your favorite dessert, please bookmark a page – or raise a spoon – to Carla.”

Meade welcomed and encouraged “condolences, tributes, and memories” to be left on the store website.

“Carla was a remarkable bookseller, and her willingness to share her knowledge with colleagues was legendary,” said ABA CEO Oren Teicher. “Though she came to the book business from a different field in mid-life, for the past 25 years Carla helped reshape independent bookselling in the U.S. Her rich legacy is a new generation of talented and able booksellers – and there isn't anyone in this business who didn't learn from Carla. All of us will miss her.”

Lucy Kogler, president of the New Atlantic Independent Booksellers Association (NAIBA), said of Cohen: “Her legacy to us is legion: mentor, role model, friend, and advisor. A woman with impeccable and varied tastes in literature, she kept independent bookselling in front of the nation in the capital of our nation.”

Eileen Dengler, NAIBA executive director, said, “Carla showed everyone that they can make a difference in their communities by following their convictions. She was also a great mentor, spending time with any bookseller who wanted advice, and she was devoted to the staff at Politics and Prose.”

The Washington Post described Cohen as “an exuberant force behind the evolution of Politics and Prose from a simple storefront into an institution that defined Washington's literary scene…” The New York Times called Politics and Prose “a cornerstone of the community, a humming salon for the wonky and the literary alike and a neighborhood institution for those looking for a cup of coffee, a comfortable chair or just a good book recommendation – often courtesy of Mrs. Cohen herself.” On NPR’s Morning Edition, she was characterized as “a business owner who created something special in the world of books.”

In 1999, Politics and Prose was honored as Bookseller of the Year by Publishers Weekly, which acknowledged theimportant role that the bookstore plays in the Washington community.

Just a few weeks ago, Cohen attended the NAIBA trade show, where she accepted the NAIBA Legacy Award. The regional also honored her with the creation of the Carla Cohen Free Speech Award, which is presented to a children’s book that best exemplifies the ideals of the First Amendment. 

Cohen is survived by her husband, David Cohen; her son, Aaron Cohen; her daughter, Eve Cohen, her grandchildren, Ry and Georgia; her 100 year-old mother, Edith Furstenberg; and her five siblings, Mark Furstenberg, Frank Furstenberg, Michael Furstenberg, Anne Furstenberg, and Ellen Furstenberg.

In lieu of flowers, her family has requested that contributions may be made to Jews United for Justice, the Washington Literacy Council or Community Hospices.

A funeral was held at Tifereth Israel in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday, October 13.