Don Shire and Laura White Erdel share several things in common. Both are former journalists, they worked for The Ledger -- Shire for 17 years -- and they are authors. The two collaborated on the popular Mexico, Missouri in the Making of the American Empire 1941-1945. It’s Shire’s third book on the city and Erdel’s first, although she has plenty to contribute.

Erdel is the daughter of former Ledger editor and publisher Bob White and part of the family that owned the paper from 1876 to 1984. During Shire’s time with The Ledger he helmed a literacy program that caught the attention of Barbara Bush. The book draws on stories and images from the paper during the war years to tell the community’s story.

1. When you co-author a book, who has more say?

Erdel: [Points at Christine Shire, who helped edit the book]

Shire: The editor

Erdel: Don was my boss, Christine was his.

2. How difficult is it to pull a book like this together?

Shire: It’s about a four year project. You spend a lot of time going through The Ledger files, at the library and doing a host of local interviews.

3. What did you learn about the city?

Erdel: That Mexico has always been a vision and there are people who coalesce behind that vision to make it happen.

Shire: I lived through it [laughs].

4. Don has written a few books. How did it go for you as a first timer?

Erdel: It’s a type of writing I’ve never done. It was a new experience. I’m a who, what, when, where person.

5. Were you surprised by the success of the book?

Shire: No, because once word got out, people needed to have it on their bookshelves.

Erdel: It’s about the people my generation knew. And I think there was both a curiosity -- ‘I never knew that about Mexico’ -- and a sense of pride in the city.

6. How has Mexico changed since then?

Erdel: In the ‘60s there were so many local businesses on the square.

Shire: We were an agricultural and industrial hub.

Erdel: My dad said when manufacturing was down, agriculture was up and when agriculture was down, manufacturing was up so it balanced out. And when both were strong we flourished.

7. Everyone knew your father, Bob White. What was that like?

Shire: [Laughing] She would answer the phone ‘the White house.’

Erdel: My favorite was when Kit Bond was on the other end. He said ‘the White House? I want to live there.’ But he was just dad. I knew the importance he placed on The Ledger, but he was dad.

8. How has community journalism changed?

Erdel: It’s good to have The Ledger back.

Shire: I see a likening to the current paper and what I saw when looking at microfilm from the ‘40s.

9. And the future of community papers?

Erdel: I think the future is bright.

10. So what’s the next book?

Shire: I’ve hung it up. I have three -- that’s a full house for me. But I’ve enjoyed the three.

Erdel: I don’t know.

Shire: You still have that one to do about your dad.