Latest news with #MyLife
New York Post
11 hours ago
- Business
- New York Post
Biden sells memoir for millions less than Obamas, Bill Clinton in embarrassing blow
Former President Biden has sold his presidential memoir for a $10 million advance – far less than the lucrative deals won by the Obamas and Bill Clinton, according to a report. Biden, 82, made a deal with Hachette Book Group for an advance of around $10 million, people familiar with the matter told the Wall Street Journal. The book's publisher, Hachette's Little, Brown & Co., has not yet set a publication date. 3 President Biden delivers his farewell address to the nation from the Oval Office in January. via REUTERS Former President Barack Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama, meanwhile, sold the rights to their memoirs to Penguin Random House for a record-breaking $60 million in 2017. Alfred A. Knopf, which is owned by Penguin Random House's parent firm Bertelsmann, paid $15 million for former President Bill Clinton's 2004 memoir 'My Life.' President Trump did not publish a presidential memoir after his first term. At an event earlier this month, Biden said he was 'working my tail off' to write a memoir. Biden was represented by Creative Artists Agency, which sold Hachette worldwide rights for the book. The agency also represented Biden for his 2017 memoir 'Promise Me, Dad: A Year of Hope, Hardship and Purpose,' which chronicled his last year with his oldest son, Beau, who died from brain cancer in 2015. 3 Barack Obama's memoir 'A Promised Land.' AP Hachette and CAA did not immediately respond to The Post's requests for comment. In May, a spokesperson for Biden announced that the former president has an 'aggressive' form of prostate cancer, though it 'appears to be hormone-sensitive, which allows for effective management.' It's likely that his health could impact the timeline of his memoir's release. Biden has hinted that the memoir will cover his four years as president. The longtime politician also served eight years as vice president during the Obama administration. He dropped out of the presidential race in late July last year after a disastrous debate performance and freezing episode ramped up accusations that he was mentally unfit to serve. 3 Bill Clinton's memoir 'My Life.' AP Biden's book is set to follow the best-sold presidential memoirs in history. Within its first 24 hours, Barack's memoir 'A Promised Land' sold 890,000 copies in the US and Canada, surpassing Michelle's 'Becoming' at 725,000 first-day copies and Bill Clinton's 'My Life' at 400,000. Just one month after its release in 2020, sales of Barack's memoir had surpassed 3.3 million copies – close to the then-lifetime total of Clinton's and George W. Bush's, at 3.5 million and 4 million copies respectively.
The Hill
12 hours ago
- Business
- The Hill
Biden memoir sells in $10M range
The publisher of former President Biden's forthcoming memoir reportedly paid around a $10 million advance for the book. Hachette Book Group paid the roughly $10 million figure to Biden for the book to be published by its Little, Brown & Co., The Wall Street Journal reported Wednesday. Neither the publisher nor Creative Artists Agency (CAA), which represents Biden, returned ITK's requests for comment. Other presidential memoirs have also meant big pay days for former first families. In 2017, a bidding war for the global rights to two books from former President Obama and Michelle Obama reportedly topped $60 million. Former President Clinton received a $15 million advance for his 2004 autobiography 'My Life,' according to multiple reports. Biden said earlier this month that he had been 'working like hell' to write a memoir documenting his presidency. The 82-year-old former president, who announced he was diagnosed with an aggressive form of prostate cancer, said as he was leaving office in January, 'I'm not going to be out of sight or out of mind.'
Hindustan Times
15 hours ago
- Business
- Hindustan Times
Biden Sells Memoir for Roughly $10 Million, Less Than Obama and Clinton
Former President Joe Biden has sold his presidential memoir to the Hachette Book Group for an advance in the range of $10 million, according to people familiar with the matter. The memoir's publisher, Hachette's Little, Brown & Co., hasn't yet set a publication date. Biden, who is 82, said at an event earlier this month that he was 'working my tail off' to write a memoir, and indicated that he would focus on the four years he served as president. Presidents and their spouses routinely shop memoirs after their time at the White House. Such books can provide a major source of income, and help the public figures frame their legacies. Biden was represented by Creative Artists Agency, which sold Hachette worldwide rights for the book. CAA also represented Biden for his 2017 memoir 'Promise Me, Dad: A Year of Hope, Hardship and Purpose.' The No. 1 bestseller told the story of Biden's relationship with his oldest son, Beau, who died from brain cancer in 2015. Spokeswomen for Hachette and CAA declined to comment. A representative for Biden declined to comment. Biden's representatives said in May that the former president had been diagnosed with prostate cancer. The illness was described in a statement from his personal office as a 'more aggressive form of the disease,' but one that 'appears to be hormone-sensitive which allows for effective management.' Biden's health will likely determine the timeline for completing a manuscript and any book publicity plans. Biden's lengthy political career includes an eight-year term as vice president during the Obama administration and four years as president between January 2021 and January 2025. Biden dropped out of the presidential race in late July 2024 in the face of concerns about his age and mental acuity. Some critics have said that timing contributed to Donald Trump's presidential victory over Vice President Kamala Harris, whom Biden endorsed. Penguin Random House acquired the rights to books by former U.S. President Barack Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama in 2017 for a price that was widely reported at the time as being in the range of $60 million. President Trump didn't publish a memoir after his first term in office. Alfred A. Knopf, which like Penguin Random House is owned by Bertelsmann, paid $15 million for President Bill Clinton's 2004 memoir 'My Life.' Write to Jeffrey A. Trachtenberg at
The Star
4 days ago
- Politics
- The Star
Cut to UK voting age puts new group in political spotlight
LONDON (Reuters) -Britain's move to lower the voting age to 16 launches the political battle for teenagers' votes, with campaign groups warning no one should make assumptions about their allegiances and parties must address the issues that affect them. For decades, election trends and polls suggested younger voters tended to lean more to the left in Britain, but recent evidence from Europe shows young voters, particularly men, backing right-wing parties, including the far-right. "Don't take them for granted. Don't assume that their vote has already been cast before an election," Dan Lawes, co-CEO of youth-led charity My Life, My Say, said of young voters. "Young people want to be sold policies. But politicians have to reach them." A diverse new generation also wants their specific concerns to be heard and addressed. According to a tracker by pollsters YouGov, the economy is the most important issue concerning the 18-24 age group, followed by housing and immigration. Data for 16- 18-year-olds was not available. A poll of 500 16-and 17-year-olds last week found that 33% said they would vote for the centre-left Labour Party, led by Prime Minister Keir Starmer, while 20% would support the right-wing Reform UK Party led by Nigel Farage, which leads polls of the wider population. "We are going to give this Labour government the shock of their lives. We're going to get 16- and 17-year-olds to vote for us," Farage said following the move. The new cohort would add around 1.6 million potential voters to the roughly 48 million eligible to vote at the 2024 election. In last year's European Parliament elections, many young voters shifted toward far-right populist parties that used social media highly effectively to address their concerns. In Germany, where 16- to 18 year-olds voted for the first time in European elections in 2024, their support helped boost the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party. In Austria, where 16- and 17-year-olds have been able to vote since 2007, polls showed that most voters under 35 voted for the far-right Freedom Party (FPO) in a 2024 parliamentary election, helping it secure first place. "It's quite scary how many... people (my age) are following him (Farage). He's not my favourite person," said 17-year-old student Matilda Grace. However, Anki Deo, from campaign group Hope Not Hate, said follows on social media did not directly lead to votes. "Many young people are mistrustful of the political system and politicians - it's going to take a lot more than funny TikToks for any political party to win them over," she said. "Reform UK can ramp up their social media efforts, but their policy platform is still far out of line with the attitudes of the majority of young people." BOOSTING TRUST Labour pitched the reform as a way to boost participation and trust after the lowest turnout at the 2024 national election since 2001, hoping to encourage a lifelong habit of voting. Britain's democratic system has endured a turbulent decade, marked by the divisive Brexit vote and the political upheaval that followed, including an unprecedented turnover of prime ministers and ministers. Some critics say 16- and 17-year-olds lack the maturity to vote, and the main opposition Conservative Party called the plan inconsistent, noting the new cohort still can't buy a lottery ticket, drink alcohol, marry, or join the military. Younger voters have reacted to the announcement with excitement, but also with some caution. "Young people can be very impressionable. Some people obviously can make their own decisions and they know what propaganda is, but I think education is the most important thing," said Ana Fonseca, a 17-year-old student, who called for mandatory lessons on politics and democracy. Rita Patel, vice chair of Operation Black Vote, which advocates for greater political representation, said the reform needed to lead to meaningful democratic participation for groups like young Black voters, who face distinct challenges and want issues like racism tackled. "Young Black people are politicised from birth because they have no choice in this world and in this country to navigate that system that is often hostile to their needs," Patel said. (Reporting by Catarina Demony and Marissa Davison, additional reporting by Dave Graham and Francois Murphy, writing by William James, edited by Kate Holton and Alexandra Hudson)
Straits Times
4 days ago
- Politics
- Straits Times
Cut to UK voting age puts new group in political spotlight
FILE PHOTO: A polling station sign is seen at a road junction during the general election, in London, Britain, July 4, 2024. REUTERS/Dylan Martinez/File Photo LONDON - Britain's move to lower the voting age to 16 launches the political battle for teenagers' votes, with campaign groups warning no one should make assumptions about their allegiances and parties must address the issues that affect them. For decades, election trends and polls suggested younger voters tended to lean more to the left in Britain, but recent evidence from Europe shows young voters, particularly men, backing right-wing parties, including the far-right. "Don't take them for granted. Don't assume that their vote has already been cast before an election," Dan Lawes, co-CEO of youth-led charity My Life, My Say, said of young voters. "Young people want to be sold policies. But politicians have to reach them." A diverse new generation also wants their specific concerns to be heard and addressed. According to a tracker by pollsters YouGov, the economy is the most important issue concerning the 18-24 age group, followed by housing and immigration. Data for 16- 18-year-olds was not available. A poll of 500 16-and 17-year-olds last week found that 33% said they would vote for the centre-left Labour Party, led by Prime Minister Keir Starmer, while 20% would support the right-wing Reform UK Party led by Nigel Farage, which leads polls of the wider population. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Asia At least 19 killed as Bangladesh air force plane crashes into college campus Singapore Subsidies and grants for some 20,000 people miscalculated due to processing issue: MOH Singapore 2 workers stranded on gondola dangling outside Raffles City Tower rescued by SCDF Business Why Singapore and its businesses stand to lose with US tariffs on the region Singapore NTU introduces compulsory cadaver dissection classes for medical students from 2026 Singapore Fine, driving ban for bus driver who hit lorry in BKE crash, causing fractures to passenger Singapore Jail for man who conspired with another to bribe MOH agency employee with $18k Paris trip Singapore New research institute will grow S'pore's talent in nuclear energy, safety "We are going to give this Labour government the shock of their lives. We're going to get 16- and 17-year-olds to vote for us," Farage said following the move. The new cohort would add around 1.6 million potential voters to the roughly 48 million eligible to vote at the 2024 election. In last year's European Parliament elections, many young voters shifted toward far-right populist parties that used social media highly effectively to address their concerns. In Germany, where 16- to 18 year-olds voted for the first time in European elections in 2024, their support helped boost the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party. In Austria, where 16- and 17-year-olds have been able to vote since 2007, polls showed that most voters under 35 voted for the far-right Freedom Party (FPO) in a 2024 parliamentary election, helping it secure first place. "It's quite scary how many... people (my age) are following him (Farage). He's not my favourite person," said 17-year-old student Matilda Grace. However, Anki Deo, from campaign group Hope Not Hate, said follows on social media did not directly lead to votes. "Many young people are mistrustful of the political system and politicians - it's going to take a lot more than funny TikToks for any political party to win them over," she said. "Reform UK can ramp up their social media efforts, but their policy platform is still far out of line with the attitudes of the majority of young people." BOOSTING TRUST Labour pitched the reform as a way to boost participation and trust after the lowest turnout at the 2024 national election since 2001, hoping to encourage a lifelong habit of voting. Britain's democratic system has endured a turbulent decade, marked by the divisive Brexit vote and the political upheaval that followed, including an unprecedented turnover of prime ministers and ministers. Some critics say 16- and 17-year-olds lack the maturity to vote, and the main opposition Conservative Party called the plan inconsistent, noting the new cohort still can't buy a lottery ticket, drink alcohol, marry, or join the military. Younger voters have reacted to the announcement with excitement, but also with some caution. "Young people can be very impressionable. Some people obviously can make their own decisions and they know what propaganda is, but I think education is the most important thing," said Ana Fonseca, a 17-year-old student, who called for mandatory lessons on politics and democracy. Rita Patel, vice chair of Operation Black Vote, which advocates for greater political representation, said the reform needed to lead to meaningful democratic participation for groups like young Black voters, who face distinct challenges and want issues like racism tackled. "Young Black people are politicised from birth because they have no choice in this world and in this country to navigate that system that is often hostile to their needs," Patel said. REUTERS
