Summer of Excess

Now that former President Clinton's has signed a book contract reportedly worth more than $10 million, he ascends into a stratosphere occupied only by the pope and his wife, Hillary, as far as nonfiction book deals go. That record may be short-lived in publishing history, however, because Americans still live in a "Can you top this?" world.

After all, this is the summer when a ticket to see Madonna goes for upward of $250. Or when the movie "Rush Hour 2" brings in $67.4 million in its first weekend, the biggest debut for a comedy ever.

The book deal is classic Clinton - again co-opting the spotlight even as President Bush (Aren't Texans supposed to do everything bigger?) is squired away at his Texas ranch, breaking another record by taking the largest number of days away from the White House of any US president.

Publisher Knopf is banking on millions of readers devouring what Mr. Clinton describes as a "candid telling of his life," which may mean a tell-all of the scandals that beset his presidency. The public still hyper-idolizes presidents, along with music and sports stars, often seeking vicarious thrills in the private dramas of public persons. As the saying goes, "The box office never lies."