Jim Lehrer

(1934–2020)

Though Jim Lehrer, the veteran PBS news anchor, is known for his objective reporting, he is also a prolific fiction writer, who has focused on Oklahoma in his One-Eyed Mack series. The novels feature Mack, the state’s quirky lieutenant governor, in a variety of tongue-in-cheek political capers that have had real-life consequences. In fact, some pundits credit Crown Oklahoma (1989), with jump-starting the successful campaign to build a dome for the state capitol.

Jim, who grew up in Kansas, had relatives in Oklahoma and became acquainted with the state by catching rides on his father’s bus route. He has written several accounts of his life, most recently Tension City (2011), about his tenure moderating presidential debates.

Related links: George Nigh and David Boren

Did You Know...

Jim Lehrer's father was a bus driver, and Jim collects bus memorabilia. He even has his own bus.

Getting Started with Jim Lehrer

Selected Works

A Bus of My Own, 1992
Crown Oklahoma, 1989
Tension City, 2011

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