the paper promoted him to daily book reviewer in 1969 and made him the executive editor of the "times book review" in 1971 at the age of 31. in 1975, he returned to the role of daily book reviewer, championing the work of women writers such as maxine hong kingston and mary gordon. he was the first critic to review nobel prize-winner toni morrison and the first american critic to review nobel prize-winner gabriel garcia marquez. from 1977 to 1980, leonard wrote "private lives," a weekly column for the "times" about his family, friends, and experiences.