Michiko and Bill *

Michiko Kakutani gave a bad review to Bill Clinton's book, but Publishers Lunch says the only surprise there is that the New York Times let her do the review.

Given that Michiko Kakutani hating the book was a foregone conclusion, and that by her own definition she's unlikely to view the book any differently than she viewed Clinton's term in office ("In many ways, the book is a mirror of Mr. Clinton's presidency: lack of discipline leading to squandered opportunities; high expectations, undermined by self-indulgence and scattered concentration."), why give it to her to review? Particularly after we know how much she disliked Hillary Clinton's book this time last year.

She really blasted the newest Clinton tome:

The book, which weighs in at more than 950 pages, is sloppy, self-indulgent and often eye-crossingly dull — the sound of one man prattling away, not for the reader, but for himself and some distant recording angel of history...

While Dan Rather, who interviewed Mr. Clinton for "60 Minutes," has already compared the book to the memoirs of Ulysses S. Grant, arguably the most richly satisfying autobiography by an American president, "My Life" has little of that classic's unsparing candor or historical perspective. Instead, it devolves into a hodgepodge of jottings: part policy primer, part 12-step confessional, part stump speech and part presidential archive, all, it seems, hurriedly written and even more hurriedly edited...

Endless litanies of meals eaten, speeches delivered, voters greeted and turkeys pardoned...

Clinton comes to town this week for signing appearances at Brentano's in Century City (Friday) and at Eso Won Books on South La Brea (Saturday). Eso Won is seling tickets for the event.

* Update: Clinton's book will be given as a premium to donors during this week's pledge drive on KPCC, which also will air the former president on "Fresh Air" on Thursday.