The Joe the Plumber book is coming soon. Really soon.

Joe the Plumber, a.k.a. Samuel Wurzelbacher, landed on the national stage on Oct. 15, when John McCain brought him up during a debate with Barack Obama. The Ohio-based tradesman wasn't planning on national stardom -- if he had been, he probably would have renewed his plumber's license -- but he's managing his time in the spotlight with an agent and a book deal. An amazingly fast book deal: It's due on shelves on Dec. 1.

Mediabistro's Unbeige has a preview of the cover of "Joe the Plumber -- Fighting for the American Dream." The book will be released, Fox News reports, "by a group called PearlGate Publishing and other small publishing houses."

PearlGate Publishing has released one other book, "Things Forgotten" by author/publisher Thomas Tabback. In it, "I wanted to marry the account given in the Book of Joshua with direct historical evidence," Tabback writes on his website. "You can use the Bible and extra-biblical history together as a roadmap to the past." The book's opening, titled "The Promised Land," ends with this paragraph:

Yet, as it was written, Israel invaded Canaan and the events that transpired were immortalized within the Bible, forever changing the course of history. Though acts of God and triumphs and failures of Israel are recorded in poetic detail, lost are the personal accounts of those who lived it. No account, save the biblical record, has ever been discovered.

Tabback could benefit from the help of a copy editor (the second "it" has no antecedent; "personal accounts who lived through those times," maybe?), but with a release date of Dec. 1, the publisher has got to be scrambling to finalize the manuscript. What's more, he's also the co-writer of "Joe the Plumber -- Fighting for the American Dream." That would be a lot of responsibility for a seasoned publishing professional; Tabback must really have his hands full.

Tabback's short bio on the PearlGate website doesn't reveal any publishing experience other than his own book. Tabback does have a Southern California connection, though -- he once worked at Universal Studios in Hollywood, and was here during the 1994 Northridge earthquake. So he's experienced at least one bumpy ride.

-- Carolyn Kellogg

Photo: Lori King / Associated Press

Comments

[Jim]

With the economy as bas as it is I hope people do not spend their hard earned money on this book or the Sarah Palin book coming out. People save your money do not give these idots any money.

[Eric]

Samuel the Unlicensed Plumber doesn't seem like much of a reader. He would be better off applying at Fox News as a "journalist." There, he will be free to levy all the accusations he wants without having to bother with little details like truth or fact-checking.

[Joe Cottonwood]

For the view by another published plumber named Joe, you might want to go to http://clearheartblog.blogspot.com/2008/11/joe-other-plumber.html

Or not. As you wish.

[Framma]

This has got to be the shortest book ever written. One more useless person cashing in on undeserved fame.

[Robert NO longer in LA]

Ghost written by that master of the 3-syllable sound bite, Gomer W. Bush....with a free box of Crayolas, for every 'reader.'

[InsertTitle]

Palin's book is a coloring book. Joe's is a "connect the dots" book.

Both come with free crayons.

[Inaty]

Just in time for Christmas. On Dec 26th it goes onto the discount book shelves at Borders and by March you can buy it off the book rack at the dollar store.

[Andrew Burt]

I was unaware Muppets could write or type.

[unreal]

You must be joking. This guy knows NOTHING and clearly just reads the worst right wing conspiracy websites with no ability to decipher what's true and what's BS.

Idiots teaching other idiots about the middle east with no idea of history? Great! Looking forward to that.

[Robert NO longer in LA]

Hey, is that gorgeous furniture from the RNC Designers' Label? More tax deductions for the RNC!

[pistol pete]

If "Joe the plumber".......sorry, Samuel Wurzelbacher uses his illusionary stage name in the title......doesn't that already expose what a lie his "American dream" is based on? What's this phony really fighting for? I think A better title would've been "Samuel the Fake American Plumber ......Cashing in on The American Dream."

[LA / Certified]

Wait!!!! I'm seeing a Block Buster Movie on the horizon. This is really sad, as the rest of the world watches our country going down like a 747 in flames, they get to meet Joe the Plumber.

[pistol pete]

Silly of me to doubt this great American patriot, Joe the plumber's integrity.........sorry, Samuel Wurzelbacher, who uses his illusory stage name in the title.........what other lies is his so-called American dream based on? And what exactly is this phony hack fighting for? I think a better title would have been "Samuel, the fake American plumber.....Cashing in on The American Dream."

[jnipper]

this guy joe is a nut, just how much did mccain pay this guy if he thinks a book is gonna sell he's a bigger nut. he stated on tv that obama'a tax plan was better for himself...so what't his beef?

[Steve]

Hey, he's got a chance to cash in on his 15 seconds of fame, so why not? It's the American way. No evidence to date that he has anything particularly important to say-- Joe the (un) Plumber was about symbol, not substance-- but the only ones likely to buy the book are those who already agree with his apparently conservative views (the idea that he had not already made up his mind between Obama and McCain was a charade), so the influence will be minimal. He will undboutedly get a few appearances on Fox News.

[silly nonsense]

I hope Sarah Palin's book is a pop-up book...

[Skin the Goat]

By "personal accounts who lived through those times," you meant "personal accounts of those who lived through those times," maybe?

Copy editors are indeed needed.

[Mary Soderstrom]

This year I served as a juror for prize for a first book given by an association of writers which shall remain nameless. The difference between professionally produced books--that is, ones that had been edited by people who knew a bit about grammar and felicity of expression--and self-published or amateurishly produced books was depressing. Desk top publishing and the web have opened the floodgates to a sea of writing by people who should have kept their thoughts to themselves.

Cheers

Mary

[tony]

poor joe the plumming guy. he has no furniture from this decade and he smokes marlboro lights. I'm so surprised that they didn't get the picture with the stuffed deer head on the wall behind him

[skc]

will read
them both
a look thru others eyes
real people
best seller is about a dead cat
so why not an everyday joe
and
a governor of alaska

[Franklly....]

good grief, we won the election. What's with all the juvenille remarks.

[MGsurf]

I hope the pages are soft... so we can use the book for other purposes.

[Squigman]

The schill for McCain wasted no time trying to pilfer the rest of the nation with a book deal. It would take a dimwitted fool to think the book wasn't already in the works before the election. Boycott, seems to be the operative word for this endeavor.

[Ron]

I'm sure the neocons are hoping it will morph into a trilogy and they'll be waiting impatiently for the movie to come out.

[Jack]

These are now the people who call themselves Republicans, just full of fluff and unable to think ideas through critically and have the temerity to say they will guide us through this complex new world. Thank God, he gave us Democrats too.

[The]

The sale of the books is Samuel's American dream, but not mine for sure!!! Never thought of buying it!!!

[Larry in NC]

Can't wait. I need to wrap some fish!

[S Thomas]

It is imperative that Joe the Plumber's book be released ASAP before people forget who he is.

[Erin]

You folks have no taste. His book will be made into a Bravo reality show: "Desperate Plumbers." Palin will make a guest appearance w/ a plumbing question. Then "Joe" will start appearing on FOX as a guest commentator on foreign policy. Watch out, the other "Joe" (Scarborough)--he's after your job!

[ernieson]

He stands to make more money returning to the welfare line.

[Joe the armchair analyst]

The guy just lost the election, so please, go easy on him.

[Eric]

Notice that in the picture there is no reading material in sight. Hmmmm, those issues of The Economist and Harper's must have been cropped out by the liberal media and replaced with the cheap plastic cup and pack of cigarettes.

[David]

Wouldn't be ironic if he made finally made enough dough to "suffer" a tax increase, maybe spend most of it on lawyers sorting out his other problems with the IRS.

[JMarra]

Well.

If I were someone in Joe's position, without any solid career, children to pay for and bills in the mail, I'd grab at any offer of cash for dignity, or cash for dumb opinions that other people snicker at.

You know: will abase myself for food. That kind of thing. I could see it happening in my case. I don't have any dignity anyway: I'm poor.

If Joe DOES cash in and buys himself a nice house, sets up trusts for his kids, "makes the scene" with a posse of shaveheads called Joe 2, Joe 3, Joe 1089--well, he'll be blushing and ducking and dodging his critics and name callers all the way to the bank, like Liberace.

Don't get me wrong: I despise Joe's provinciality and ignorance. But if I had a shot at some financial security for looking like a fool, I might take it too.

People have done more undignified things for money than write a book and be mocked. Some guy in the gummint embezzled for money to pay his wife's medical bills. I myself am looking at less mobility, less capability, greater fragility and greater senility in the next two decades! Does it take cold cash to assuage old age? You betcha.

Bob Dole probably needed that Viagra money too.

..

[Allan Castle]

Joe the Haiku

bald bogus plumber
plucked from dire obscurity
time to get your coat

[Who?]

Wow, two weeks from the deal to the shelves. Scholastic books take longer to write!

We all know the reason behind the hasty release is that Joe is sitting at 14 minutes and 34 seconds. They're running against time to keep the public's attention.

[Who?]

Jim wrote:
"With the economy as bas as it is I hope people do not spend their hard earned money on this book or the Sarah Palin book coming out. People save your money do not give these idots any money."

You've got a good heart, Jim. I say...so be it. Anyone who would buy Joe The Plumber's book deserves to go broke...

[Steve the Soundman]

Whilst plunging out my clogged toilet last night I took pause to realize that I too could walk in the footsteps of that famous almost plumber.

I also have a story to tell and you betcha' I could pound dat thing out in a coupla' week or so don't ya know. You're gonna love it! A real beaut!

[Jane Scott]

Joe the Plumber speaks for many Americans.

Why shouldn't an ordinary person put his thoughts

on paper? I will buy the book.