This book was written by prolific American novelist Edna Ferber (1885-1968) who won the Pulitzer Prize in 1925. She first met William Allen White when they covered the 1912 Republican National Convention for the same newspaper syndicate. They became close lifelong friends. Ferber handwrote on book's front flyleaf "For the William Allen Whites-- who won't particularly care for it. from Edna, who doesn't either. Chicago Oct 26 – 1920"