Having a book reviewed by The New York Times is an honor, but appearing in the prestigious publication’s Sunday Book Review twice is extraordinary.
Just ask Richard White, interim associate dean for Academic Affairs in the E.J. Ourso College of Business.
White, who has authored three political biographies, had his most recent work, “Will Rogers: A Political Life,” reviewed by The New York Times on Sunday.
The biography, which was published by Texas Tech University Press in February, highlights the life of Will Rogers, a comedic social commentator, actor and national figure in the early 1900s.
White uncovers a more serious side to the wisecracking cowboy in his book by focusing on Rogers as a political insider.
“It’s a serious book about a funny man,” White said. “It gets to the heart of the matter.”
John Schwartz, the Times’ national legal correspondent, wrote that White was successful in contributing to the understanding of Rogers.
“Proving one unelected man’s influence isn’t easy, but White makes a convincing case that Rogers had plenty,” Schwartz wrote in the review.
Schwartz’s only criticism was that White downplayed Rogers’ humor, stating “a biography of a famously funny man should be funny.”
White said he was pleased with the review, saying “people would kill for that.” He said it was especially gratifying to have his biography in the Sunday edition, which has a wider circulation.
White’s other biography, “Kingfish: The Reign of Huey P. Long,” was reviewed by The New York Times in 2006. The book was published by Random House.
He said the decision to write about Rogers was “serendipitous.”
White said while he conducted research for other publications, information about Rogers would often appear in documents, and it sparked his interest.
White said he began researching Rogers and spoke with experts at the Will Rogers Memorial Museum in Oklahoma. When White pitched his idea for a biography, he said the answer “was not ‘yes’ but ‘hell yes.'”
Three years and countless hours of research later, it was complete.
“The bottom line is it’s not about sales or money — it’s my career and my scholarship,” White said. “I’ve found I have talent as a political biographer, and I’m taking advantage of it. You only get one shot.”
 
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Contact Sydni Dunn at [email protected]