Despite all my best intentions I find it difficult to escape the Third Man or commentary on the Third Man. This week, he is everywhere.

I am reflecting on how intensely relaxed Mandelson is about getting filthy rich.

This probably explains why he rushed into print so quickly.

Way back in 2006, the Public Administration Select Committee looked at political memoirs and said this:

“The question of motive is sharpened as more money is involved. It is in the financial interest of memoir writers to get their accounts published as soon as possible, and to ensure that they are titillating. Not only do authors have a publishing contract to consider, but newspaper fees as well. These do much to encourage the “instant” and “juicy” memoir.

“Simon Jenkins told us that he could: remember very well a certain Chancellor of the Exchequer, who shall be nameless, inquiring as to what his memoirs might be worth and the answer was: ‘A quarter of a million tomorrow, £100,000 next week, £10,000 two months from now. How fast can you write them?’ It was as simple as that—because there were going to be no sales two months from then. It is show business.”

Peter Hennessy saw the future all those years ago when he told us the publication of Alastair Campbell’s diary would be: “...the equivalent of an archduke being shot in Sarajevo in July 1914. It will be the opening salvo in the most ghastly mobilisation of the most wonderful exchanges in competitive memoiring…”

Blair's Journey is out in September.

Brown's can't be far behind.

There is, indeed, no escape.