Bristol Palin's memoir: Worth printing?

On Tuesday, HarperCollins determinedly announced it will publish a memoir by Sarah Palin's daughter, Bristol, this summer. Titled Not Afraid of Life, the book will provide "an inside look at her life, her world, and the things that matter most, including her family and the faith that keeps her centered," the publisher said. While Bristol, 20, has become a figure in her own right (as an abstinence-promoting single mom and a reality-TV contestant) since her mother was thrust into prominence as John McCain's running mate in 2008, some commentators scoff at the notion that her relatively brief life is memoir-worthy. Is it? (Watch a report about Bristol Palin's memoir)

Nobody needs to read Bristol's life story: "This is ridiculous," says Michael Statz at Progressive Too. She may very well have "an interesting story to tell," but it has no bearing on anyone living in the real world. Bristol faces none of the hardships that other young single moms deal with. Her mother's connections got her a deal for a book that will be written by a ghost writer. Why bother?

"Bristol Palin's book deal"

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up

Let's hope it's more honest than Sarah's books: Maybe, like Snooki's novel, this is "another sign of the cultural apocalypse," says Megan Angelo in Business Insider. But maybe, just maybe, Not Afraid of Life will "turn out to be the first honest account of what life was like inside the 2008 campaign — and what it is like inside the Palin family." We didn't get that from her mom's Going Rogue. But Bristol's pregnancy and "Dancing with the Stars" escapade showed she's not afraid to break with "Sarah's party lines." This could be interesting.

"It's official: Bristol Palin is writing a memoir"

This book is a cash cow: It's "easy to make jokes" about a 20-year-old memoir writer, says Gina Barreca in The Chronicle of Higher Education. But it's also "easy to hear the ring of the cash register" as all the moms and daughters eager to absorb Bristol's abstinence message buy their copies. So publishing Not Afraid of Life looks like a good business move for HarperCollins. This book will likely make "serious money."

"Bristol Palin's book with HarperCollins: A new 'Twilight'?"