$3 Million for a Memoir about Landing A Plane...

Goodbye more midlist authors...


At least this "celebrity" actually did something.

I have no objection this THIS high-priced book deal. None whatsoever.

How many people would really read that, though? I mean, we're talking about - what was it - seven minutes? It's about landing a plane. Would you spend 20 bucks on that?

harpercollins didn't rush to his house waving a blank check and making googly eyes at him. they read a proposal, did some research, ran the numbers and contructed a contract that they thought would be to their ultimate benefit.

factoring in the profit margin, the number of people they estimate will read it, their marketing plan, the film rights, etc, they struck a deal.

It's going to make a fortune. I think they've made a sound business decision. I'd read it. It was an incredible story and the background of Sullenburger is quite amazing; it's like he's lived his whole professional life for that moment.

How many people would really read that, though? I mean, we're talking about - what was it - seven minutes? It's about landing a plane. Would you spend 20 bucks on that?

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I know lots of people who will buy it. I know lots of pilots, though.

I have no objection this THIS high-priced book deal. None whatsoever.

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I agree, Plot.

It's going to make a fortune. I think they've made a sound business decision. I'd read it. It was an incredible story and the background of Sullenburger is quite amazing; it's like he's lived his whole professional life for that moment.

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Hell, yes. He made a tough decision in no time flat. I can't imagine the horrible disappointment those two pilots felt when they lined up on the Hudson only to see the damned Washington bridge in the way. They were only at 1500 feet when they passed it. We'll never know what they really said in the cockpit at that moment, but I imagine it went something like this:

'Wow, that's beautiful, looks enough like a runway to me.'
'Yep. Beautiful.'
'Izzat a bridge?'
'Shit, the Washington bridge.'
'Damnit, what else can go wrong?'

Sully had to touch down on the water at exactly 11 degrees, any more or less would have caused the craft to break apart and many lives would have been lost.

It is truly an amazing story, and it certainly deserves the nickname 'Miracle on the Hudson'.

It's a great, real story. They better get it out, quick-like, or the public will have forgot and be fixated on the latest romantic strife of Lindsay Lohan or Miley Cyrus or the Jonas Bros.
caw

Well. Since I already know the ending, maybe I'll wait for it in paperback, maybe pick a leftover copy off the seat of a jet heading out of New York. . . .

Bird of Prey said:

How many people would really read that, though? I mean, we're talking about - what was it - seven minutes? It's about landing a plane. Would you spend 20 bucks on that?

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As a person who has been a commercial passenger for over 50 years, hell yes I'll buy it. I just hope if I am ever on a plane with a serious issue that my pilot is half as skilled as Sully.

MM

Pilots have told me there's a bit more to the story which hasn't come out yet. Apparently, in the checklist, there was a switch they should have hit. They didn't get to that point on the list, so that switch wasn't hit yet.

That switch might have doomed many, if not all of them.

I don't know what that is yet, but I'll update you if I can find out more. Pilots are a close bunch. I know that, my father, my fil, my bil, and my daughter are all pilots.

I'm sure my fil knows this Sully, he has to, with the history I've seen of the two of them. If I can get some inside, ya'll will know it.

the 3 million, incidentally, is for two books, the second of which will be a volume of poetry.

I'd rather see something like this than book deals for people like Blagovich.

MaryMumsy said:

As a person who has been a commercial passenger for over 50 years, hell yes I'll buy it. I just hope if I am ever on a plane with a serious issue that my pilot is half as skilled as Sully.

MM

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Well, I stand corrected. I just thought between all the film clips and the interviews, it was a pretty hashed out story. Of course he's a hero, without a doubt, but I guess I imagined a TV movie in a year or two at best.

Bird of Prey said:

Well, I stand corrected. I just thought between all the film clips and the interviews, it was a pretty hashed out story. Of course he's a hero, without a doubt, but I guess I imagined a TV movie in a year or two at best.

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The description of the project, found at the link in the first post of the thread, makes it clear that it's about much more than the "seven minutes" you referred to in your earlier post.

I'll read it and I have no problem with the deal. Especially since if that book makes a bundle, it might help keep its publisher afloat (forgive me).

I agree with everyone here, it does seem like a lot of cash for the advance, but Sully is the real deal (vs. Miley Cyrus, Blago, and others). And yes, I've also read that the book will be about his background and life events, everything leading up to that defining moment. I haven't flown since the late '70's, but if I knew that Sully was my pilot, I might consider flying once again (hmm, let's see, Hawaii? ).

Lyv said:

The description of the project, found at the link in the first post of the thread, makes it clear that it's about much more than the "seven minutes" you referred to in your earlier post.

I'll read it and I have no problem with the deal. Especially since if that book makes a bundle, it might help keep its publisher afloat (forgive me).

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Excuse me, no it's not "much more" than the "seven minutes." The publishers are trying to inject some metaphysical factor into the whole thing, to embellish what is probably an averagely interesting life. You know, there's nothing wrong with just being a hero without having it exploited. He didn't start out saying anything more than his success was a result of excellent training. He was a modest and admirable guy which contributed to his well deserved stature. Now I fear his whole demeanor and everything he is will be - excuse the pun - sullied in some extended greedy media extravaganza.

Regarding his poetry: maybe it should have been published, maybe not. I hope it's great. I would like every creative effort recognized, but to publish his poems because he landed a plane is a sad reason to do it.

I think he's a wonderful man, and I hate to see him cheapened.

Bird of Prey said:

Excuse me, no it's not "much more" than the "seven minutes." The publishers are trying to inject some metaphysical factor into the whole thing, to embellish what is probably an averagely interesting life.

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That's your opinion, though it's hard to conclude that seeing as how the book isn't even written. But as described, yes it is more than just those seven minutes, which is what you said. You said:

I mean, we're talking about - what was it - seven minutes? It's about landing a plane.

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And as we can see, those of us who read the description, the book isn't about that. It's about much more than that.

He didn't start out saying anything more than his success was a result of excellent training. He was a modest and admirable guy which contributed to his well deserved stature. Now I fear his whole demeanor and everything he is will be - excuse the pun - sullied in some extended greedy media extravaganza.

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I guess we'll see if Sully is sullied. Ahem.

I think he's a wonderful man, and I hate to see him cheapened.

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Well, I don't think many people will feel he is being cheapened. And reading a book about a wonderful man who had an interesting life and did something amazing and heroic might not be your cup of tea, worried as you are about the impact on poor Sully, but I bet it sells well. I plan to read it.

MattW said:

Goodbye more midlist authors...


At least this "celebrity" actually did something.

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Not necessarily. The more best selling books a publisher has under it's week, the more midlist authors and new authors it can sign up because it has the funds to do so.

I hope this book sells millions of copies.

Lyv said:

That's your opinion, though it's hard to conclude that seeing as how the book isn't even written. But as described, yes it is more than just those seven minutes, which is what you said. You said: And as we can see, those of us who read the description, the book isn't about that. It's about much more than that.

I guess we'll see if Sully is sullied. Ahem.

Well, I don't think many people will feel he is being cheapened. And reading a book about a wonderful man who had an interesting life and did something amazing and heroic might not be your cup of tea, worried as you are about the impact on poor Sully, but I bet it sells well. I plan to read it.

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Reading it is not the same as buying, which was my original question. Will you pay hard cover price for it??

And no, it really is about seven minutes. The rest is filler. The poetry, well, I just don't know.

It sounds interesting. Would I pay hardcover price for it? No, can't afford it. But I'll watch for it in paperback. At least there's some real achievement there.

Bird of Prey said:

Reading it is not the same as buying, which was my original question. Will you pay hard cover price for it??

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Possibly. I'd take a peek in my favorite indie bookstore and decide then. So far, I think I would buy it. And when I first heard about the book, I immediately thought of someone I'd send it to as a gift. So, that's two for me.

And no, it really is about seven minutes. The rest is filler.

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That's a question of execution. I read a lot of memoir. I can easily see how information about Sully's life could be more than filler. I can how it could be filler. But what you already have decided is filler is what I'm most interested in, having seen him in interviews and read articles that quoted him.

C'mon, a lot more has been paid for a lot less. Yeah, it's seven minutes but this guy's entire life will have informed every one of those 420 seconds and I think in this world of mindless, shrieking fraud, it's probably worth reading about someone who did his job just the way he was supposed to. Those seven minutes will be read about and studied by every pilot that ever flies from this point on. It will affect how pilots are trained, it will affect how airplanes are built, it will affect how rescue personnel do their jobs, it will affect passenger emergency procedures, it will affect the ongoing study of pilot post-traumatic stress diagnosis and treatment.

This is why airline travel is so safe - because when something happens, good or bad, it is studied and torn apart and put back together and the entire industry learns from it. This happens through more formal NTSB and FAA investigations but personal, accessible first-hand accounts are as big a part of that process. It'll be an important and necessary book for those reasons alone. It also happens to be a riveting and dramatic one.

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I just hope they quit this 'miracle' line of labelling when they name it. This was the product of the combined efforts of an exceptional pilot & co-pilot, a trained flight crew and the response of ATC, La Guardia and the Port Authority - it didn't happen by chance or because of some cosmic roll of the dice. I know plenty of people see a supernatural hand in things like this but, personally, I think calling it a 'miracle' is tying a pretty little movie-of-the-week ribbon around what is, ultimately, an extraordinary human achievement.

[/rant]