Pages : Powell’s Memoirs--at Random

Random House announced in New York on Wednesday it has acquired the rights to publish the post-retirement memoirs of Gen. Colin Powell, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

Harold Evans, president and publisher of the Random House Trade Group, will edit the as yet untitled work. Publication is planned for 1995.

“We are honored that Gen. Powell has chosen Random House to be his publisher,” Evans said. “His unusual journey to high office is an inspiration to millions of people both here and abroad, and the story he has to tell as a soldier and statesman, as an adviser to three Presidents and as head of our armed forces is quite extraordinary.”

Powell said he hopes his book will capture the “enjoyment and spirit” of his 35 years of military service and “will encourage young people to believe in the greatness of America and the opportunities it offers.”

The memoirs will detail not only his public life but also his personal story as the son of Jamaican immigrants who ascended to the Pentagon’s top job.