The Last Lecture
By Randy Pausch with Jeffrey Zaslow

• Publisher: Hyperion (April 10, 2008)
• Hardcover: $21.95
• ISBN-10: 1401323251
• ISBN-13: 978-1401323257

• Unabridged CD: $21.95
• Publisher: Harper Audio
• ISBN-10: 1401323251
• ISBN-13: 978-1401323257

In September of last year, Jeffrey Zaslow wrote a moving column in the Wall Street Journal about dying professor Randy Pausch’s last lecture — so moving that Oprah had Pausch reprise the lecture on her show in October, millions of people watched the video on the Web, and Hyperion paid a substantial advance for a book based on the story. We probably don’t need to remind you that Hyperion published the blockbuster Tuesdays with Morrie.

And then Zaslow and Pausch began a race against time to finish the book. Hyperion has just announced that the book will be published on April 10th. Happily, Pausch may live to see the publication.

By the way, in March last year, Zaslow wrote a column for the Wall Street Journal called “Of the Places You’ll Go, Is the Library Still One of Them?” In it, he talked about the library in his suburban Detroit community and his hope that his “girls would see the library as an oasis where they’d learn to understand themselves and the world.”

It’s as difficult to imagine Paul Giamatti playing John Adams as it is to imagine HBO doing a mini-series on the second president (isn’t this PBS territory?). Nevertheless, the HBO mini-series John Adams begins in March, based on David McCullough’s bestselling, Pulitzer Prize-winning biography. Produced by Tom Hanks it also stars Laura Linney as Abigail. Last Fall, the NY Times referred to it as “HBO’s most anticipated mini-series.”

Simon and Schuster is issuing a tie-in edition (the above is from S&S’s Summer catalog. The actual cover will be in color). It’s a good opportunity to replace worn-out copies.

On Sale: January 29, 2008

Paperback: $20

ISBN 13: 978-1-4165-7588-7

ISBN 10: 1-4165-7588-X

• Hardcover: $24.95
• Publisher: Touchstone (August 12, 2008)
• ISBN-10: 1416537481
• ISBN-13: 978-1416537489

Breaking book news over the weekend is that Herschel Walker, 1982 Heisman Trophy winner, has multiple personality disorder, which he reveals in his upcoming book, Breaking Free. Several people close to Walker are quoted in the Atlanta Journal Constitution saying the news comes as a complete surprise to them. His former coach, Vince Dooley, added, “All I know is whatever personality he had when he had the football was the one I liked.”

Simon and Schuster is not releasing advance copy. A publicist is quoted by ABC News, saying “Everyone’s questions will be answered when the book comes out,” indicating that the it will be embargoed.

The above image is from p26 and 27 of the Summer ‘08 Touchstone/Fireside catalog, available on the Simon and Schuster Web site.

Twelve, the year-old imprint of Grand Central Publishing (a division of Hachette Book Group and formerly called Warner Books) announced today that they have acquired the rights to Senator Kennedy’s autobiography, with a release date of Fall, 2010. The Times estimates the advance at more than $8 million.