Sentinel Acquires Rumsfeld Memoir

By Rachel Deahl -- Publishers Weekly, 4/14/2008 3:05:00 PM

Donald Rumsfeld has signed with Sentinel for his forthcoming memoir. The Penguin imprint bought world rights to the embattled former Sectretary of Defense's story, in a deal, none-too-surprisingly, brokered by powerhouse Washington attonery Robert Barnett. There is no pub date yet for the currently untitled work, which editorial director Jeffrey Krames will edit. According to Penguin, Rumsfled is going to donate all proceeds from the book to his recently founded nonprofit, The Rumsfeld Foundation (which was established to fund microfinance projects). Rumsfeld, in the giving spirit, is also ditching the advance.

Speaking to the book itself, Adrian Zackheim, publisher of Sentinel and Portfolio, said it will be "essential reading for everyone who wants to understand the monumental events of Donald Rumsfeld’s six years at the Pentagon and his historic career." Zackheim added that the book will also include "previously untold stories and events" from Rumsfeld's Depression-era youth, his time in Congress and his stints with the Nixon, Ford and Reagan administrations, as well as his career in the private sector.