For love of research

var addthis_product = 'wpp-252'; var addthis_config = {"data_track_clickback":true};When people gauge authors, they tend to discuss writing skills. “That guy is a great writer,” “That guy is a crappy writer.” So on and so on. Truth is, when it comes to books—and certainly when it comes to biography—pure writing ability ranks about fourth on the importance list. No. 1, without any question: Research skills. In the course of completing Sweetness, I probably spent two years just digging and digging and digging into Walter Payton’s life—and six months writing. This isn’t just a matter of traveling to Mississippi and Chicago and talking to people. It’s the grind behind the grind: Standing alongside a copy machine for five … six … seven … eight days. Thumbing through yellowed, mildewed archives in the basement of some nowhere library in some nowhere town. Tracking down phone numbers that haven’t been calle...