Publishers Abuzz Over Possible Rumsfeld Book

[sabra]

Source: NY Sun

The publishing world is abuzz over the news that a former defense secretary, Donald Rumsfeld, may write a memoir justifying the military strategy for the war in Iraq. While a deal has not yet been struck, Mr. Rumsfeld has toured New York publishing houses with an outline of his book in an effort to gauge how much information he would have to disclose in the memoir in order to justify a large cash advance.

A principal for the publicity firm Shirley & Banister, Craig Shirley, said such a book would have a better-than-fair shot of becoming a bestseller if it was properly marketed, well-written, and contained interesting new content. In addition, the publisher of the conservative imprint Regnery, Marji Ross, estimated the former secretary would command at least a six-figure advance. Someone like Mr. Rumsfeld, who has a loyal following and yet sparks a lot of controversy, is good for book sales, she said.

A former spokesman for Mr. Rumsfeld, Lawrence di Rita, who is familiar with the former defense secretary's activities, said the primary focus of Mr. Rumsfeld, who resigned from the Bush administration last year, has been the planning of a new educational foundation, and that the ex-defense chief has not made a final decision about whether to write a book.

Nevertheless, the Web site Galleycat reported a sighting last month of Mr. Rumsfeld visiting Penguin books, whose Sentinel imprint specializes in conservative subjects, and he is believed to have spoken with five or six other New York-based publishers to test the waters and learn more about the process. Mr. di Rita said it would be inaccurate to describe Mr. Rumsfeld as having a book proposal.

Read more: http://www.nysun.com/article/57376

[TreasonousBastard]

1. Yet another book with nothing new in it. n/t

[PRETZEL]

2. What the hell does Rummy needs an advance for

didn't Alcoa pay him enough?:crazy:

sorry,

I think it was Paul O'Niel. My fault.

But I believe Rummy was head of a real large corp before.

[tanyev]

3. If he writes like he talks, he'd better find a ghost writer or it won't make a lick of sense.

[lurky]

4. The title has been leaked to the press:

"Golly Gee Willikers! The Knowns and Unknowns of Invading a Small Country."

[zonkers]

5. Can war victims families sue for his book profits?

[Javaman]

6. early review of book...

Rumspuke says in a nut shell: "I was right, everyone else in the entire universe was wrong."

[calimary]

7. Oh, JUST Great. He's been busy planning "a new educational foundation."

JUST GREAT. Just what we need. More wrong-wing foundations and think-tanks from which more evil spawn like him will blight our world.

Burn in HELL, rummy. There isn't enough perfume in all of China, OR Arabia, OR ANYWHERE ELSE on earth to sweeten the blood-stench from your little hands (apologies to Will Shakespeare).