Washington Post columnist Charles Krauthammer inked a book deal with Crown Forum. Things That Matter: Three Decades of Passions, Pastimes, and Politics will come out this fall, including work from the Pulitzer Prize-winning writer’s career.

Williams & Connolly attorney Robert B. Barnett negotiated the deal with publisher Tina Constable. Crown Forum executive editor Sean Desmond will edit the collection. Here’s more about the book:

Featuring a special introduction from Dr. Krauthammer and annotations throughout, THINGS THAT MATTER will collect in one volume the best of his newspaper and magazine writing, presenting his widely acclaimed pointed and provocative take on society, culture, and politics.

(Photo Credit: Washington Post)

Monty Python, Fawlty Towers and A Fish Called Wanda star John Cleese has inked a deal with Random House Group (UK) and Random House Inc. (US) for his autobiography. The title and the publication date have yet to be announced.

Phil McIntyre of Phil McIntyre Entertainment negotiated the deal with Crown Archetype publisher Tina Constable and Cornerstone Publishing managing director Susan Sandon.  Crown Archetype executive editor Rick Horgan will edit the US edition and  Random House Books Publishing Director Nigel Wilcockson will edit in the UK. Above, we’ve embedded Cleese’s classic lecture on creativity.

Here’s more from the release: “From gangly adolescent (he was 6’ at the age of 12) to giant of the comedy world, John Cleese has led an extraordinary life and enjoyed astonishing acclaim. Now he plans to tell the inside story of how a shy child from Weston-super-Mare, who dabbled briefly with teaching and law, went on to become one of the most feted writers and performers of the past fifty years.  His autobiography, like the man himself, promises to be both hilariously frank and frankly hilarious.”

How I Met Your Mother star Neil Patrick Harris has landed a book deal with Random House’s Crown Archetype imprint for his first book. Publication is set for 2014.

Here’s more from the publisher: “As yet untitled, Harris’s book will be a work of imaginative nonfiction that delivers an interactive, nonlinear reading experience that breaks the boundaries of conventional memoir. An accomplished amateur magician, Harris will draw upon his love of adventure and surprise in creating the book, as well as upon the many roles he has played in his life and career—from being a child star to coming out, and from acting on Broadway to becoming a proud father.”

Laura Nolan from Paradigm negotiated the deal with publisher Tina Constable. Senior editor Suzanne O’Neill will edit. Harris’ career has spanned genres, ranging from Doogie Howser, M.D. to playing himself in the Harold & Kumar to leading Joss Whedon’s cult musical,  Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog.

Rock star Rod Stewart has inked a book deal with Random House’s Crown Archetype imprint. Publication is set for 2012, and Stewart promised to reveal the “socks and knickers” beneath his metaphorical bed.

Arnold Stiefel of Stiefel Entertainment negotiated the deal with  Random House Group chairman Gail Rebuck and Cornerstone Publishing managing director Susan Sandon, and Crown Archetype publisher Tina Constable.  The star has sold 250 million records, known for classics like ‘Maggie May,’ ‘Do Ya Think I’m Sexy?,’ ‘Rhythm of My Heart.’

Here’s more from Stewart: “I thought long and hard before committing to write my book.  It is a funny old thing telling my life story but I truly intend to hold nothing back.  I’ve had quite a life, known some extraordinary people and had some amazing experiences. I’ve waited all this time, until my 50^th year in the business and realise I can no longer put it off.  Forget skeletons in the closet; this one’s going to be socks and knickers under the bed.”

Former White House press secretary Dana Perino (pictured) has been appointed editorial director of Crown Forum, the conservative books imprint at the Crown Publishing Group.

Perino served during George W. Bush‘s presidency. She also worked as communications strategist for Bush’s memoir, Decision Points, and former First Lady Laura Bush‘s book, Spoken From the Heart. She went on to become a contributor for Fox News.

Here’s more from the press release: “Ms. Perino will recommend, initiate, and submit exclusively to Crown Forum six to eight nonfiction book projects each year, to be written by conservative political or media personalities. Ms. Perino will also play an active role in devising and implementing the promotional campaigns for select Crown Forum publications. Ms. Perino will collaborate closely with Tina Constable, Senior Vice President, Crown Forum, and Sean Desmond, who has been promoted to Executive Editor, Crown Forum.”

Today Crown Publishing Group detailed a major reorganization at the Random House division, changes helmed by publisher Maya Mavjee since her December appointment. The division will be divided into three editorial units: “general interest trade nonfiction and fiction; branded/category books; and four-color and lifestyle books, encompassing our cookbook, design, syle, crafts, and visual arts titles.”

Along with the shift, the Shaye Areheart Books imprint will be closed–but publisher Shaye Areheart will continue to serve as editor-at-large. Broadway Books was hardest hit by the reshuffling as publisher Diane Salvatore and senior editor Lorraine Glennnon will both step down.

In addition, the Crown Publishing Group publicity department will now be unified with one leader, and executive director of publicity Katie Wainwright will leave the company. Finally, the publisher has named Tina Constable publisher of the new Crown Archetype imprint, Harmony Books, Crown Forum, and Crown Business (a new imprint that combines Crown and Broadway Business). Also, Tina Pohlman will serve as publisher of Three Rivers Press and Broadway Paperbacks

The whole memo is embedded after the jump.

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The woman who picks America’s most popular books will soon have her own biography to read.

Following three years of research, Kitty Kelley‘s 544-page biography of Oprah Winfrey‘s life has been completed. Crown Publishers has set a first printing of more than more 500,000 copies, and the book debuts on April 13, 2010, in hardcover, audiobook, and eBook formats.

Kelley has written juicy books about the Bush family, Nancy Reagan and Frank Sinatra and many other public figures. For the Winfrey book she conducted 850 interviews.

Crown’s publisher Tina Constable had this statement: “Anyone who is a fan of Oprah Winfrey or who has followed her extraordinary life and career will be fascinated and newly informed by the closely observed, detailed, and well-rounded portrait of her provided by Kitty Kelley’s exhaustively researched book. Readers will come away with a greater appreciation of who Oprah really is beyond her public persona and a fuller understanding of her important place in American cultural history.”

PW Daily reports that Katie Wainwright, Executive Director of Publicity and Associate Publisher of Trade Paperbacks at Hyperion for the past seven years, will take up the post of Vice President, Executive Director of Publicity at Crown Publishing Group as of August 1. In a letter sent today to the Crown Publishing Group staff, Jenny Frost, President and Publisher, praised Wainwright’s “great expertise and her upbeat, collaborative work ethic.” Wainwright replaces Tina Constable, who was made Vice President and Publisher for Crown Publishers, Crown Business, and Crown Forum in June.

It’s been a very strange week for the world’s largest publishing company. First we had Wednesday’s surprise announcement that Crown svp and publisher Steve Ross would be moving to Collins, with Tina Constable stepping in to take his place. Now comes last night’s announcement that Daniel Menaker was jumping ship from Random House‘s eponymous imprint, though it remains to be seen if the party line that the decision was “absolutely mutual” will hold up under scrutiny.

Maybe it’s because the current edition of Publishing Revolving Door takes me on a time warp all the way back to 2003 – ancient history for some, but important history nonetheless. Menaker, after 26 years at the New Yorker, first joined Random House in 1995 and continued uninterrupted there save for a sixteen-month stint at HarperCollins, which ended in 2003. The company he returned to was not the company he left behind. They had moved to sleek new offices in an office condominium between 55th and 56th streets; Ann Godoff was gone in one of the most publicized oustings in recent memory; Little Random had been absorbed in the same umbrella containing Ballantine and its holdings; and at the center of the new-look imprint was, and still is, president and publisher Gina Centrello. Taken together, these were clear signs of the company’s increasingly commercial shift that would play out in a major way over the next four-plus years. And yet Menaker was hired to give Little Random a distinct literary bent, which he did in the form of novelists Benjamin Kunkel, Arthur Phillips, Gary Shteyngart and Jon Clinch as well as former poet laureate Billy Collins, even if said acquisitions didn’t necessarily pay off in terms of sales.

No matter how much Menaker, Centrello and the Random House brass want to downplay the bottom line, it’s difficult to play by their rules in light of the company’s most recent shakeups – not to mention their gutting of the sales force, Bertelsmann‘s attempts to patch up the mothership after getting scared straight by former minority shareholder GBL’s threats to take their holdings public (Bookspan, anyone?) and a downturn in profits. All of which has to make one wonder about the overall health of Random House – and if more “unexpected” news is just lurking around the corner.

Instead of waiting weeks and weeks for speculation to mount on who would replace Steve Ross, Crown has gone ahead and announced his replacement right away – and they are promoting within. Publishers Marketplace reports that Tina Constable will take over as vp and publisher of Crown and Crown Business and Crown Forum in July 1. She has been executive director of publicity (a successor will be hired for that position.) At the same time, director of marketing Philip Patrick will add responsibilities as vp and publisher of Three Rivers Press and publisher of e-books and digital content for the Crown Publishing Group.