This book was written in 1918 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 "To you, Bill White-- and good luck to you! Edna Ferber. Chicago, Sept. 25, 1918"