The Random House division of Bertelsmann, which also owns 40 percent of barnesandnoble.com, is participating.

Doubleday, the book's publisher and part of the Random House division of Bertelsmann, said it stood by Ms. Kelley's reporting.

The Random House division of Bertelsmann, the German media giant, is entering a no-investment mode.

Knopf, part of the Random House division of Bertelsmann, is considered the most likely publisher of an authorized book.

Knopf, part of the Random House division of Bertelsmann, paid a record advance of $10 million last week for the right to publish Mr. Clinton's book.

Knopf, part of the Random House division of Bertelsmann, agreed to pay Mr. Clinton an advance of more than $10 million for the book.

Consider a recent statement by Stephen Rubin, publisher of the Doubleday Broadway group at the Random House division of Bertelsmann.

Stuart Applebaum, a spokesman for the Random House division of Bertelsmann, said the company had no complaints.

The last two remaining bidders were the Perseus Books Group, founded by the financier Frank Pearl, and the Random House division of Bertelsmann.

The heads of most divisions now report directly to Peter Olson, chief executive of the Random House division of Bertelsmann, and pride themselves on their autonomy.