H.W. Brands, professor of history at The University of Texas at Austin, was among the 93rd annual Pulitzer Prize finalists. He was nominated in the category of biography or autobiography for his book “Traitor to His Class: The Privileged Life and Radical Presidency of Franklin Delano Roosevelt.”

This is the second time Brands has been nominated for the honor. Brands was also named as one of the Los Angeles Times Book Prize nominees, which will be announced during a ceremony on April 24, kicking off the L.A. Times Festival of Books.

The biography details FDR’s experimentation with The New Deal and his revolutionary efforts to save democracy during the Great Depression and World  War II.

In the story “A Revolutionary President,” Russell Baker suggests the blooming of FDR books “…probably has a lot to do with Barack Obama’s assuming the presidency at a moment of economic breakdown just as Roosevelt did seventy-six years ago.”

The New York Review of Books isn’t the only media outlet to take note of the Obama-FDR connection. Brands has spoken about the lessons FDR’s presidency holds for the Obama administration in a number of commentaries and interviews.

Check some of the stories:
• CNN: “When a black man was invited to the White House,” Nov. 6.
• NPR: “What Obama Can Learn from FDR and Reagan,” Nov. 20.
• PBS NewsHour: “Lincoln, Roosevelt Presidencies Offer Lessons for Obama,” Nov. 27.
• MarketWatch: “In Obama’s inaugural speech, crisis is opportunity,” Jan. 16.
• Detroit Free Press: “Nation has high expectations for Obama,” Jan. 17.

For insight on Brands’ inspiration for the project, check out book editor Jeff Salamon’s interview with the historian in the story “TR, FDR, and Ph.D.’s: Two Austin historians discuss all things Roosevelt” from the Nov. 1 issue of the Austin American-Statesman.

Brands heads out on a nationwide book tour for “Traitor to his Class” this week. Visit his Web site for more info on cities and tour dates.

Austinites: If you missed Brands’ talk at the Texas Book Festival, BookPeople will host a signing for “Traitor to His Class” next Monday, Nov. 10 at 7:30 p.m.

“Traitor to His Class: The Privileged Life and Radical Presidency of Franklin Delano Roosevelt”
Author: H.W. Brands
Professor, Department of History
When: Sunday, Nov. 2, 2-2:45 p.m.
Where: Texas State Capitol: House Chamber

H.W. Brands offers an illuminating portrait of Franklin D. Roosevelt’s life and career. The biography details FDR’s experimentation with The New Deal and his revolutionary efforts to save democracy during the Great Depression and World War II. Brands is author of “Andrew Jackson, “Lone Star Nation” and “The Age of Gold.” He was a finalist for the 2001 Pulitzer Prize for “The First American: The Life and Times of Benjamin Franklin.”

“Dolph Briscoe: My Life in Texas Ranching and Politics”
Author: Don Carleton
Director, Center for American History and J. R. Parten Chair in the Archives of American History
When: Saturday, Nov. 1, 12:30-1:30 p.m.
Where: Texas State Capitol: Senate Chamber

Former Texas Gov. Dolph Briscoe tapped Don Carleton’s narrative writing expertise to author his memoir, highlighting his life and career in Texas politics. Briscoe describes his days as Texas’ largest individual landowner and cattle rancher, his years in public office and his education at The University of Texas at Austin. Carleton has collaborated on books with Walter Cronkite and Waco Entrepreneur Bernard Rapoport.

“The Predator State: How Conservatives Abandoned the Free Market and Why Liberals Should Too”
Author: James Galbraith
Professor, LBJ School of Public Affairs and Department of Government
When: Sunday, Nov. 2, 12:30-1:15 p.m.
Where: Texas Capitol: Extension Room E2.014

James Galbraith’s compelling, timely work covers hot-button issues, such as the free-market economy, the subprime crisis, economic and social disparities and the future of the dollar. The expert economist dissects conservative economics and conventional liberalism, stimulating debate across party lines about the mistakes made within the U.S. economy. Galbraith is author of six books and contributes to the American political magazines, including Mother Jones, The American Prospect, The Nation, The Texas Observer, as well as op-ed pages of major newspapers.

“Bending Science: How Special Interests Corrupt Public Health Research”
Author: Thomas O. McGarity, Joe R. and Teresa Lozano Long Endowed Chair in Administrative Law
When: Sunday, Nov. 2, 3-3:45 p.m.
Where: Texas State Capitol: Capitol Extension Room, E2.012

Thomas McGarity and co-author Wendy Wagner, Joe A. Worsham Centennial Professor in Law at The University of Texas at Austin, expose how scientific data are distorted by the government, provoking questions about possible poisons that industrial technologies leave in our air and water. The book examines how federal regulatory agencies “bend” damaging research to fit their needs, and offers a case for reforms to safeguard health and environmental hazards. McGarity is a former editor of the Texas Law Review and is the author of “Workers at Risk: The Failed Promise of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration,” “The Law of Environmental Protection: Cases-Legislation-Policies” and “Reinventing Rationality: The Role of Regulatory Analysis in Federal Bureaucracy.”

“The Necessity of Theater: The Art of Watching and Being Watched”
Author: Paul Woodruff
Professor, Department of Philosophy and Dean, Undergraduate Studies
When: Sunday, Nov. 2, 3-3:45 p.m.
Where: Texas State Capitol: Capitol Extension Room E2.016

From runway fashion shows to football games, Paul Woodruff examines the definition of live drama. Building the case that humans have an innate need to watch and be watched, Woodruff explains how theater brings together essential human elements, such as love, conflict and justice. Woodruff has translated such classic thinkers and writers as Plato, Sophocles and Thucydides. He is the author of “Reverence: Renewing a Forgotten Virtue” and “First Democracy: The Challenge of an Ancient Idea.”

The Texas Book Festival was founded in 1995 by former first lady Laura Bush to promote reading and honor Texas authors. Sessions are free and open to the public. Proceeds from books purchased at the festival benefit the state’s public libraries.