Soft Skull to Publish Revised Giuliani Book

by Lynn Andriani, PW Daily -- Publishers Weekly, 2/9/2007

Following Rudy Giuliani's latest step toward running for president--the filing of a candidate statement with the Federal Election Commission--Soft Skull Press has decided to go to press with an updated version of its August 2005 book America's Mayor: The Hidden History of Rudy Giuliani's New York. A collection of essays edited by Robert Polner with a preface by Jimmy Breslin, the new edition (titled America's Mayor, America's President? The Strange Career of Rudy Giuliani) features three new essays and jacket art that more clearly evokes the book's content.

The original version of the book—which reveals "uncomfortable facts" about Giuliani—sold just a few thousand copies, according to publisher Richard Nash. "We made the mistake of giving it a cover that was way too subtle," he said. The new jacket was designed to evoke Fortunate Son, the controversial biography of George W. Bush Soft Skull published in October 2002. Three essays have been added to the Giuliani book: Michael Powell on "Rudy & Race"; Paul Schwartzman on Giuliani's formative years; and Richard Steier on the former police commissioner Bernard Kerik affair. Nash said the book's first printing will be 5,000 copies. "My model, basically, is Fortunate Son," he said. "That never really did a massive spike, but sold consistently 1,000 to 2,000 units a month for years."

Soft Skull will publish America's Mayor, America's President? April 2. The book's editor, Robert Polner, has made some media appearances and other publicity will likely be driven by how Giuliani's campaign unfolds. "On something like this, publicity is largely reactive, since it's in effect dictated by Rudy's actions," Nash said. With "books like this, you're at the mercy of the candidate. But we've a feeling Rudy is not going to stay within the universe imposed by his handlers, and keep Rob busy on the cable shows."