Clinton completes his memoirs

Former United States president Bill Clinton has completed his memoir and has already been asked to appear at 500 book signings, it emerged today.

Mr Clinton received an advance of more than €9m for his widely anticipated life story, called My Life.

Following reports that he was falling behind schedule with the memoir, he said recently: “It’s hard enough to live my life the first time. The second time has really been tough.”

The manuscript was sent to editors late last week, and the book cover, showing Mr Clinton staring into the distance against a white background, was sent to retailers.

There will be an initial print run of 1.5 million copies.

Publisher Alfred Knopf said the book demonstrates Clinton’s “talents and contradictions”.

Knopf has reportedly already received more than 500 requests for signing appearances by the former president.

Mr Clinton, aged 58, said recently that he was “killing” himself to complete the memoir.

According to an article in Vanity Fair, his publisher was said to be “despairing” because while Mr Clinton’s “prose is fine, there’s just not enough of it“.

It was reported that editor Robert Gottlieb had been sleeping overnight at the former president’s home in Chappaqua, New York, as he helped him complete the work.

In the event, the book will run into an estimated 900 pages.

Sources briefed on the manuscript claim Mr Clinton barely mentions how his affair with intern Monica Lewinsky nearly brought down his presidency.

And he is loathe to take responsibility for failing to stop the genocide in Rwanda in 1994.

Mr Clinton’s wife, Hillary, who is a New York Senator, has also published her life story, called Living History.

Nearly 1.7 million copies of the book are in print, in addition to more than half a million paperback copies.