I have big news! I am particularly pleased to announce my agent Jacqueline Flynn of Joelle Delbourgo & Associates has inked a deal with Potomac Books to publish RICHARD NIXON: California’s Native Son in 2022!!!

Many of you know that I previously published a map “biography” of Richard Nixon’s Southern California life. In researching the trove of oral histories at California State University, Fullerton and Whittier College, I saw that there was a biography that had to be written on President Nixon through the lens of his Southern California life.

After years of research, including interviewing Nixon intimates, and writing, editing, then revising draft after draft after draft, my manuscript is being published!!

Some of you may be asking, why Nixon? Why now?

We are now in an era where historical figures are re-evaluated against modern days standards, the result being to question long held, commonly accepted “truisms” about America’s leaders. Re-evaluating historical figures should not be limited to determining whether they are recipients of unwarranted platitudes, but also to examining the life Richard Nixon to fully understand the man. Every modern biography of Richard Nixon has been consumed with Watergate, the prism through which America’s thirty-seventh President is viewed. Biographers have analyzed Nixon from every perspective, except one–arguably the most important–as California’s native son. He is the only U.S. President born and raised in California. But he was also a son, brother friend, husband, father, uncle and grandfather. By shifting the focus from Watergate and Washington policy and instead examining the deep, defining California roots and life experiences of America’s thirty-seventh President, Richard Nixon: Native Son boldly challenges common preconceptions of Richard Nixon. Just as Wicked redefined The Wizard of Oz, likewise, Richard Nixon: Native Son humanizes Nixon.

I provided an early copy to Ed Nixon, Richard’s younger brother. This is what he thought of my work:

“Native Son is remarkably well done and is the best biography of my brother that I have read. Even as one who witnessed Dick’s life firsthand, I am amazed at the factual detail in which Native Son tells the story of my brother’s life. Paul Carter has crafted a fascinating, lawyerly narrative, scrupulously following the evidence in his research. By shifting the focus of Dick’s life from Washington, D.C. to Southern California, for the very first time, the true Dick Nixon is revealed. For those who have not yet made up their mind about my brother, Native Son will provide revelatory reading, and I have no doubt it will persuade those whose minds have heretofore been made up to reevaluate their assumptions and reinvest the time to take another look at his life.”

As I am sure you can imagine, I am SUPER Excited!! I will keep you posted once I know the release date!!