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Sarah Palin Book Deal a Chance for Saul Bellow’s Son to Shine

Four months after the story came to light that Sarah Palin was looking to set down the story of her wild ride between hard covers, a deal has been struck with HarperCollins, whose CEO told the Anchorage Daily News the publisher was “first and fervent” in the bidding. The press release doesn’t really promise anything new from the book — just an account of her heroic struggles with humble roots, special needs, the media, and syntax. The latter should be amply on display; the News reports that, although she’ll have help from an as-yet unnamed collaborator, “the governor said she wants to do a lot of the writing herself, and that it will be her story and her words.” Palin added, “It will be nice to put my journalism degree to work on this and get to tell my story, Alaska’s story.” Which means her editor on the book, Harper executive editor Adam Bellow — son of Saul and author of the book In Praise of Nepotism — finally has a chance to prove his genius. This is a task even his brilliant father might not have been up for. No dollar figure has been released — though we might be able to piece it together a year from now when she releases her 2009 tax returns. She answered rumors she was asking for $11 million (just under Bill Clinton’s advance) by calling it “laughable” — perhaps the truest thing she’s ever said.

Sarah Palin Book Deal a Chance for Saul Bellow’s Son to Shine