Memoirs Happen; Embargo For Hillary Book Is Crashed

Like Hillary Clinton’s emails, her latest memoir was supposed to remain secret (at least, until the September 12 publication date).

With Labor Day weekend now passed, the unofficial end of summer has arrived in the U.S. Along with Halloween and football, fall brings with it “big book” season. Next week, the first such title appears in bookstores: What Happened, Hillary Clinton’s account of her failed presidential campaign.

Like Clinton’s emails, her latest memoir was supposed to remain secret (at least, until the September 12 publication date). However, a canny CNN staffer did purchase a copy in advance of the official “lay down” date, allowing for a glimpse at what CNN called, Clinton’s “patchwork of explanations for what, exactly, did happen last year – some of which she insists were outside her control and some she concedes were her own fault.”

Ironically, the embargo effort for the book may turn out like much of the Clinton campaign – self-defeating.

“C’mon, this is politics—everything leaks! There was no chance this book was going to stay under wraps,” observes Andrew Albanese, Publishers Weekly senior writer.

“A hard embargo, which never had a chance of being respected, has ensured that the coverage will be more of a flash on the politics side, instead of a richer, detailed look at the book,” he tells CCC’s Chris Kenneally.

Every Friday, CCC’s “Beyond the Book” speaks with the editors and reporters of “Publishers Weekly” for an early look at the news that publishers, editors, authors, agents and librarians will be talking about when they return to work on Monday.