February 17, 2011
By Staff Reporter
Residence: Menasha, Wis.
Published works: “McCarthy and McCarthyism in Wisconsin;” “Vince: A Personal Biography of Vince Lombardi;” “Senator Philip Hart: The Conscience of the Senate;””Hesburgh: A Biography of Fr. Theodore Hesburgh;” “Not an Ordinary Joe: A Biography of Joe Paterno;” “John F. Kennedy: A Biography.”
Personal: His writing has earned awards from Choice Magazine, the Wisconsin Library Association, the National Catholic Press Association, and the “Wisconsin Magazine of History.” He received his B.A. from Notre Dame in 1965 and he got his doctorate from the University of Wisconsin, Fox-Valley, in 1971, from which he has recently retired.
What is your latest book about?
It is a complete biography of John F. Kennedy, from birth to death, in almost 1,000 pages. The first chapter deals with his Irish ancestry and the influence of his Irish ancestry on his later life. While current fashion in Kennedy scholarship is to deride the man’s achievements, the book describes Kennedy’s strengths, explains his shortcomings and offers many new revelations.
There are many specialized books on Kennedy’s career, but no biography that takes advantage of the huge volume of recent books and articles and new material released by the JFK Library.
What is your writing routine? Are there ideal conditions?
After 32 years of teaching and writing, I now write full time.
What advice do you have for aspiring writers?
Be determined and persevering.
Name three books that are memorable in terms of your reading pleasure?
A. Taylor Branch, “Parting the Waters: The Life of Martin Luther King.” William Manchester, “American Caesar: Douglas MacArthur. ” Philip Caputo, “Rumor of War.”
What book are you currently reading?
E.D. Hirsch, “Cultural Literacy.”
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Is there a book you wish you had written?
“Parting the Waters,” by A. Taylor Branch. Martin Luther King Jr. is my favorite American and I had wanted to write about him, but I learned that Branch and David Garrow [“Bearing the Cross”] were too far ahead of me in their research. But I didn’t like Garrow’s book, because of his writing style, which I found almost unreadable. He didn’t deserve the Pulitzer Prize [for biography in 1987]; “Parting the Waters” certainly did [for history in 1989].
Name a book that you were pleasantly surprised by?
T. Harry Williams, “Huey Long.” It’s a beautifully told story. It read likes a novel. I hadn’t known much about Long and I was amazed. The book reads like a novel.
If you could meet one author, living or dead, who would it be?
William Styron. I’m not much of a novel reader, but I’m interested in the struggles of his life, for instance with alcoholism, and I read his book on depression. Also he met John F. Kennedy, and he wrote beautifully and intelligently about that.
What book changed your life?
E.B. White, “Elements of Style.” The essay portion made me a better writer.
What is your favorite spot in Ireland?
I haven’t been to Ireland yet. I will be going shortly.
You’re Irish if . . .
You wear green on March 17, and have spirit.