Ted Turner Writes Memoirs

The "Mouth of the South" has a story to tell — his own.

Ted Turner, the outspoken yachtsman, philanthropist, CNN founder and ex-husband of Jane Fonda, is writing his memoirs, "Call Me Ted: The Life and Times of Ted Turner," to be published by Warner Books in fall 2008.

Financial terms were not disclosed Wednesday, although a publishing official with knowledge of the negotiations said the deal was worth $4.5 million.

Turner, 67, announced earlier this year that he would not seek re-election to the board of Time Warner Inc. He became a director of Time Warner in 1996 when the media conglomerate bought his cable networks company Turner Broadcasting Systems.

In recent years, Turner has spent more time on philanthropic efforts such as the Turner Foundation, an environmental group, and overseeing his large land holdings, which at 1.7 million acres make him the largest individual property owner in the United States.

Warner Books, which announced the book deal, is a division of Hachette Book Group USA.