All Books Posts

Newsweek has obtained a chapter from the infamous O.J. Simpson confession book, "If I Did It." Assistant managing editor at the publication, Mark Miller, believes that the chapter indicates a confession and also declined to name the source from which the chapter was obtained. From Reuters:

Miller, in this week's Newsweek, said, "What is striking about the chapter I read ... is how closely it tracks with the evidence in the case -- and how clearly Simpson invokes the classic language of a wife abuser.

"In his crude, expletive-laced account, Simpson suggests Nicole all but drove him to kill her," he said.

Miller said that Simpson tells how he drove to his ex-wife's home with a friend called Charlie and encountered her and Goldman. But Simpson stops short of describing their stabbings.

Miller said Simpson wrote that his ex-wife came at him like a "banshee."

He added, "She loses her balance and falls hard, her head cracking against the ground. Goldman assumes a karate stance, further angering Simpson. He dares the younger man to fight. Then, in the book, Simpson pulls back. He writes, 'Then something went horribly wrong, and I know what happened, but I can't tell you exactly how.'"

Miller said Simpson wrote that when he regained control of himself, he realized he was holding a bloody knife and was drenched in blood. His ex-wife and Goldman were dead.

And apparently, as a promotion, it was originally planned that a bloody knife be enclosed with each copy of the book. Not really, but seriously, this shit is getting almost beyond the limits of hyperbole.

Newsweek spills contents of O.J. Simpson book [Reuters]

(Image source)

Bonnie Robinsons recently told Page Six of the New York Post that Melanie Griffith is reneging on a verbal agreement with Robinson to do an autobiography with a ghostwriter. From ContactMusic.com:

Robinson tells PageSix.com, "Two years ago, she promised to do her autobiography with me when she turned 50, which she will be this coming August. "In fact, she shook hands on the deal and gave her solemn word." The writer blames Griffith's use of medication, for which she reportedly sought treatment over the Christmas holidays, for her apparent memory loss and unfriendly behaviour during a recent meeting. She adds, "I guess all the 'mood' elevators have also destroyed her memory, because she told me that she wouldn't do the book and that she had no recollection of such a promise."

I see Robinson's tactic. Very clever. Clearly, she plans on sweet-talking Griffith back into the deal.

GRIFFITH 'FORGETS' PROMISED BOOK [ContactMusic.com]

(Flynet)

A book tour that is. LL Cool J has teamed up with his personal trainer, Dave "Scooter" Honig to release a book called LL Cool J's Platinum Body, which will give fans insight into what LL Cool J does physically in terms of his diet, workout, and philosophy to stay fit. I'm hoping it just has a bunch of pretty pictures in it.

More photos of LL Cool J and his massive guns after the jump.

(WENN)

The New York Daily News reports that O.J.s "If I Did It" isn't exactly dead yet. Unlike his ex-wife and her friend the waiter.

O.J. Simpson's controversial book "If I Did It" could be published after all, just in time for next Christmas, Time magazine reports.

The book, probably the biggest publishing fiasco of 2006, was killed by Rupert Murdoch's News Corp. in mid-November after widespread public outrage, just as it was scheduled to hit the bookstores.

But 400,000 copies were printed and are sitting in warehouses, and more significantly, Simpson's rights to the material will eventually revert back to him, Time reports in its new editions.

More on how OJ is still going to make money off of his book after the jump.

(Flynet)

David LaChapelle celebrated the release "Heaven To Hell," the third book in his trilogy at a book signing. As per David, he attracted some unique fans. A little about the book:

LaChapelle Heaven to Hell is the long-awaited third volume in an exhilarating trilogy that began with LaChapelle Land (1996) and continued with the infamous Hotel LaChapelle (1999). Packed with astonishing, color-saturated, and provocative images, those titles both became instant collector's items and have since gone through multiple printings. Featuring almost twice as many images as its predecessors, LaChapelle Heaven to Hell is an explosive compilation of new work by the visionary photographer. Since the publication of Hotel LaChapelle, the strength of LaChapelle's work lies in its ability to focus the lens of celebrity and fashion toward more pressing issues of societal concern.

More photos of David LaChapelle and his fans as he signs copies of his new book 'Heaven To Hell' held at Taschen store in Beverly Hills are after the jump.

(Image source)
---------------------------------------------------------

Famed unauthorized biographer to the stars, Kitty Kelley has long been trying to get someone to back her plan to tell Oprah's life story. And it looks like someone finally saw fit to take the bait--Crown Publishing. According to Galleycat:

Signing on for editing duties is Peter Gethers - an editor-at-large with Random House as a whole who does not report to anyone in the Crown Publishing Group. When reached for comment, Gethers stated he would not be answering specific questions about the deal and referred me to Crown's Vice President of Publicity, Tina Constable (attempts to reach her by telephone and email are still pending.)

For another, sources tell GalleyCat that there's a good reason the deal language Marketplace quotes, where "Crown group president Jenny Frost takes responsibility for the buy," is deliberate. Why? Evidently the deal was news to most of the Crown editorial staff. "Between this book and James Frey, she's never going to touch another Random House author," said our tipster.

Yeah, I don't know. If it were me, I probably wouldn't F with Oprah. Personally, I may have to avoid Random House myself, because my fantasy of having my novel published has pretty much always included getting my ass into Oprah's Book Club--that's pretty much the only reason TO write a book, really.

Kitty Kelley Deal Raises Eyebrows [GalleyCat]

Kitty Kelley book due on Oprah [AP]

(Image source)

Two days after the "Confessions" tour was broadcast on NBC, Madonna is returning to the airwaves as you've never seen her before. She'll be pitching her latest children's book "The English Roses: Too Good to Be True" on the Home Shopping Network.

"Launching The English Roses book series and my new title, The English Roses: Too Good to Be True, through this broadcast is a great chance to reach millions of homes," the singer said in a statement.

"HSN is thrilled to be partnering with Madonna to support Raising Malawi through the offering of her latest children's book, The English Roses: Too Good To Be True," Bill Brand, HSN's senior vice president of programming, said in a statement. "These books are terrific holiday gifts that give back by supporting a worthwhile cause."

Those interested in adding a new title to their Madonna collection can plunk down $29.95 for a special gift set that includes both the original English Roses and its sequel, Too Good to Be True, an audio CD of the Material Girl reading the first five books in her series and an exclusive illustration.

Madonna will be donating all of the proceeds from her book sales to her Raising Malawi foundation, while HSN will donate a portion of the network's proceeds from the broadcast to the organization.

Madonna: Like a Pitchwoman [E! Online]

Written by Lauren Burch

(Image source)

Being Reichen Lehmkuhl doesn't sound like too much of a hardship these days. The Amazing Race winner and boyfriend of 'N Sync's Lance Bass doesn't have much to complain about. In fact, he's just published a book. From the New York Post:

His erotically charged memoir, "Here's What We'll Say: Growing Up, Coming Out, and the U.S. Air Force," includes spine-tingling descriptions of his awakening as a closeted cadet. In one chapter Lehmkuhl describes an explosive afternoon with an Air Force pilot, saying, "We went at each other like two dogs that hadn't been fed in weeks." The mostly gay crowd at his New York book party last week was atwitter over Reichen rumors from years past. "He took home my friend from the W hotel in San Diego," whispered one guest, calling to mind the quip of Genre magazine columnist Joey Siesholtz: "F-ing Reichen is the new six-pack abs."

Great. Just what we need--another Carrie Bradshaw.

Written by Lisa Timmons

She's loved, and she's hated, but Paris Hilton's biographer says that he feels sorry for her.

Biographer Jerry Oppenheimer, author of "House of Hilton - From Conrad to Paris: A Drama of Wealth, Power, and Privilege," said he ended up feeling sorry for Hilton as he came to believe that her mother and maternal grandmother pushed her into using the family name and an exhibitionist streak to become a celebrity.

"Her mother, Kathy, put her in make-up and allowed her (into) nightclubs from a very young age," Oppenheimer, a biographer of Martha Stewart and Rock Hudson, said in a telephone interview.

"I feel sorry for her because in a way she had no chance to do anything else but live the dreams that her grandmother and her mother had for themselves."

More on the story and more photos of Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie at Domino Magazine's Party Honoring Lara Shriftman and Elizabeth Harrison's New Book "Party Confidential" after the jump.

Celebrity Paris Hilton stirs love, hate - and pity [Reuters]

"THE Pop-Up Book of Celebrity Meltdowns" cleverly re-creates the stars' most embarrassing scandals in 3-D - but don't expect to see it on "Today" or "Good Morning America." The tome, in stores next week, was deemed too racy for depictions of Paris Hilton making her porn video, Hugh Grant getting serviced by hooker Divine Brown, and Janet Jackson baring her boob. A flack for publisher Melcher added that "Access Hollywood" axed a piece on the book "to preserve its relationship with Tom Cruise and Michael Jackson," who are shown couch jumping and baby dangling, respectively.

Luckily, we have no relationships of which to speak, and can advise you to go buy this shit cause it looks funny as hell.

More photos from Paris Hilton's Seventeen mag photo spread after the jump.

Written by Lisa Timmons