(Thumbnail image: Chicago Sun-Times)

Five chapters, name-dropping, and hearty bashing of national media. That’s what book critics say Palin fans can look forward to with the release of her new book "Going Rogue" on Nov. 17. Is this book tour purely a money-making operation? Or a preview of a potential 2012 presidential campaign?

We’re looking at perspectives from MSNBC, Oprah, CNN and Time Magazine.

Let’s start with CNN Reporter Candy Crowley who says she understands Palin’s strategy for marketing her book and highlights its similarity to another type of tour: a campaign.

“‘I think I’m going to have to cast my vote for the maverick.’ She will visit mostly small and mid-sized towns in politically pivotal states: Iowa, Florida, Virginia, Michigan. Is this a book tour fueled by politics? Or a political tour fueled by a book? Probably, yes. Sarah Palin is a two-fer."

MSNBC Washington Correspondent Nora O’Donnell says Sarah Palin’s first stop in Michigan is just one way her tour gives a nod to McCain’s old campaign trail.  Michigan was the state Palin “went rogue” in during the campaign when the McCain camp conceded the state for Obama when Palin wanted to keep campaigning there.

“This is kind of all about Sarah. It’s all about her book, she wrote it very quickly. And I think this is her return to the campaign. If she wasn’t happy about what happened in the last campaign this is her recreating a small part of that, if you will, by going back out there.”

Political Analyst Mark Halperin writes in TIME Magazine that he does not see any immediate political application from Going Rogue.

“For now, she's all about polishing her brand for its purchasing — not its political — power."

So what do you think? Is Sarah Palin using her book tour to lay the foundation for a 2012 presidential run? Or is it just a different way of marketing her memoir?