Political books have been about as welcome this year as a plate of warmed-over eggs. Let's face it: they were last year's obsession.

But this summer brings two titles that are bound to change all that - not to mention giving bookstores a shot in the arm at the same time.

First up: The Truth About Hillary: What She Knew, When She Knew It, and How Far She'll Go To Become President (Sentinel, $24.95).

Released last week, the book by former New York Times Magazine editor Ed Klein has been awaited with glee by conservative groups, who have been hoping it will sully Clinton's reputation and, thus, her political aspirations.

Initial reviews, however, would seem to quash those hopes. Most critics report that that the "revelations" in the book are either poorly sourced or are rehashes of old news.

"What 'news' he turns up is too minor to make even Entertainment Tonight," Publishers Weekly writes in a slam that seems typical of early reviews. "The former first lady drinks decaffeinated coffee, likes to sleep late in the morning (unlike her early-riser husband) and is self-conscious about her thick legs. Oh, and as a Wellesley student in the 1970s, she had lesbian friends and didn't shave her legs or underarms."

The book, PW goes on to say, is "too-boring-to-even-be-execrable."

Of course, that hasn't stopped it from selling. Klein's book ranked No. 4 in sales last week on Amazon.com.

It will soon be joined by another political tongue-wagger: Bob Woodward's The Secret Man (Simon & Schuster, $23). Woodward's take on Deep Throat hits bookstores Wednesday.

According to Simon & Schuster, the book is about "how Woodward first met W. Mark Felt and how the former FBI official became the legendary secret source" who guided The Washington Post's Watergate coverage.

The book is far below Hillary in sales rank - No. 863 on Amazon.com last week. But after Tom Brokaw's prime-time special about the book airs Wednesday, the number should rise significantly.

Of course, to put it all in perspective, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (out July 16) trumps both titles, holding the No. 1 position on the bookseller's Web site.

Politicians may grab headlines from time to time, but wizards rule.