Oval Office Artists
Basic Booksis buying the comic drawings from, and of, dozens of American presidents in a book that's both political and satiric. The authors are the ironists and artists of the Believer-esque Cabinetmagazine. The publication has been running the doodles as a regular feature. We can't explain them—except to say they're whimsical, pointed and are apparently going to take some time to put together (the book is scheduled for release in fall 2006). We can, however, show them to you (see right). Michelle Tessler sold to executive editor Lara Heimert.
The Biggest Little...
Random's Julia Cheiffetz has preempted Getting Everleighed: The Rise and Fall of the World's Most Famous Brothel by Karen Abbott. The book—which is being compared by the house to Erik Larson's National Book Award— nominated TheDevil in the White City—is about two sisters who ran a brothel at the turn of the 20th century in Chicago and whose name may or may not be the origin of the term getting laid. Anna Ghosh, of Scovil Chichak Galen, made the sale.
The Briefing
In a somehow appropriate segue, Pamela Paul's landmark 2002 book The Starter Marriage and the Future of Matrimony has been optioned to Gold Circle Films for a film/TV deal. Here's to a long(er) commitment.... Da Capo continues its music dominance with a signing of Rolling Stone's Parke Puterbaughfor a Phish bio. Viva Vermont!... Former Elle editor Patricia Beard has sold her journalistic account of the recent power struggle at Morgan Stanley to William Morrow; Beard's written about politics and mothers, and most recrently wrote about Wall Street scandals circa 1905.... Former Counterpoint editor Megan Hustad is poised to sell a guide to being "useful" to Amanda Cook at Houghton, via Trident; the book is subtitled "A Beginner's Guide to the Meritocracy," is aimed at 20- and 30- somethings and is described as Dale Carnegie meets David Brooks.
