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Joe Biden and wife strike world deal with Macmillan US
Former US vice president Joe Biden and his wife Jill have struck a publishing deal with Macmillan US.
Bob Miller, president and publisher of Flatiron Books, a division of Macmillan US, announced the acquisition of two non-fiction works by Biden, plus a third book to be co-written with his wife, Dr Jill Biden, yesterday (5th April), saying the company was "so deeply honoured to be the publisher".
The world deal was handled by CAA on behalf of the Bidens, with Flatiron Books' editorial director Colin Dickerman to edit. Pan Macmillan have yet to comment on whether it will publish any of the books in the UK.
All the books are as yet untitled. However, Flatiron refered to the first book, a memoir, as "the story of not just a politician, but of a father, grandfather, friend and husband" that will explore "one momentous year"; this for Biden was 2015, the year in which he is said to have tackled "some of the most difficult challenges in the White House" and he endured the death of his son, Beau, who died of cancer, aged 46. After Beau's death in May 2015, Biden in October 2015 announced his decision against running for 2016's US presidency.
The book deal is speculated to be worth $8m to the Bidens, according to sources Publishers Weekly has spoken to.
Miller said in a statement: "We’re so deeply honoured to be the publisher of these books by vice president and Dr Biden. The vice president’s book promises to give us all a deeper understanding of recent political history, but it will clearly also be a book about the values that have given the vice president strength in both good times and bad."
The deal follows Penguin Random House's global book deal with former US president Barack Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama. The couple are writing separate books, but the deal was brokered for both through literary agent Robert Barnett. PRH UK will publish the books as part of a globally co-ordinated publication plan under its Viking imprint. The date of publication is yet to be announced.
PRH UK c.e.o. Tom Weldon said in March: "We could not be more thrilled that the Obamas have chosen Penguin Random House as their global and UK publishing home. Our publishers all believe in the real ability of books to change and shape lives for the better. We know the Obamas' books will be both magnificent pieces of writing and inspiring calls to action."
