Colin Powell, former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and Secretary of State, who died yesterday at age 84, was the author of a blockbuster memoir, My American Journey, written with Joseph D. Persico, and published in 1995.
PRH's Igloo Daily remembered: "Powell was noncommittal for a long time about writing a book. While he flirted with many publishing suitors--meeting in 1993 at his request with Bantam Doubleday Dell CEO Jack Hoeft and publicity head Stuart Applebaum in his Pentagon office--he ultimately signed with Random House, whom he later privately admitted was always his first choice, in part because of his respect for CEO Alberto Vitale and publisher Harry Evans.
"As speculation swirled and intensified on the nightly newscasts and newspaper front pages whether he would run for U.S. President on the Republican ticket [in 1996], the General unflappably worked on his book with Mr. Persico and his editor Jonathan Karp (now head of Simon & Schuster)."
The New York Times Book Review called My American Journey "a great American success story... an endearing and well-written book," while the Wall Street Journal described it as "profound and moving.... Must reading for anyone who wants to reaffirm his faith in the promise of America."
Powell was a model author, remembered fondly by many booksellers who didn't necessarily agree with his politics but found him cordial, kind, and considerate to all customers and bookstore staff. And we at Shelf Awareness remember meeting Powell at a pre-publication party in Frankfurt hosted by Alberto Vitale. We had wondered why a general was receiving so much adulation and attention, but in an instant, it was apparent that he had unusual charisma and charm and a special personal touch.
"Putnam, Dutton, and Berkeley president Ivan Held, then a Random House publicist under Carol Schneider, recalls accompanying him to 28 cities in 20 days," Random House added. "He performed every piece of PR and book signing with aplomb. Some of his signings had over 1,000 people--and everyone felt like they had a moment with him." The following year, Powell went on tour, with publicist Kim Hovey, for the Ballantine paperback edition, which was updated in 2003.