Britannia Radio

Sarah Palin signs up to write her memoirs

‘Having that journalism degree will be a great assistance,’ says the Alaskan governor. But will it prove to be enough?

BY JOSH BURROWS

FIRST POSTED MAY 14, 2009

Sarah Palin has finally signed the book deal everyone knew was coming. Her memoirs will be released at a politically opportune moment - in 2010, the year she is up for re-election as governor of Alaska. Predictably, Palin used the announcement to take another dig at the press and the bloggers who she says have been unfairly attacking her ever since she rose to prominence in last year's presidential election.

"There's been so much written about and spoken about in the mainstream media and in the anonymous blogosphere world," Palin told the Associated Press. "This will be a wonderful, refreshing chance for me to get to tell my story, that a lot of people have asked about, unfiltered."

Palin's memoirs, as yet untitled, are sure to include details of her Alaskan upbringing, her strong views on marriage and abortion, the story of how Senator John McCain plucked her from obscurity as his Republican running-mate, and the subsequent high-profile births of her son, Trig, and her illegitimate grandson Tripp.

"In fairness to my family, this is going be a good opportunity for them, too," the 45-year-old added, "because there have been so many misperceptions out there about who we are and what we believe in."

Palin’s book will be jointly published by HarperCollins and the Christian publisher Zondervan. The publishers have not disclosed Palin's fee, but it is believed to be in the millions. She is represented by Robert Barnett, the Washington DC attorney who helped Barack Obama,Bill Clinton and Tony Blair negotiate their memoirs. He said HarperCollins were "first and fervent" in pursuit of his latest client.

Palin said: "Being a voracious reader, I read a lot today and have read a lot growing up. And having that journalism degree, all of that, will be a great assistance for me in writing this book."

Her critics are not so convinced: following her disastrous interview last September with Katie Couric of CBS TV, when the wannabe VP was unable to name a single newspaper she read, many have questioned whether Palin has what it takes to pen a readable autobiography. The ghost-writers are on call.