Paul, thanks for your Dec. 3 issue, especially the references to books about radio (“So Many Books, So Little Time”).
When “Charlatan” was given a full-page review in Newsweek last year, I knew it was going to be good. I could not wait for the paperback. While a wonderful read.
I wish the author of “Charlatan” would have written more about Mr. James O. Weldon, the engineer who made the powerful XERA possible. He later founded Continental Electronics in Dallas and used improvements in early high-powered transmitter innovations to construct many megawatt transmitters around the world for the U.S. and other government broadcasters.
Your reference to the book about WLS(AM) brought back many memories. During my undergraduate days at the University of Texas at Austin in the late ’50s and early ’60s, we would listen to WLS during the winter while driving to Dallas, often with the air conditioning on in the car; we loved the music and waited for the current temperature on what I believe was referred to as “Lake Shore” — often 3 degrees.
Douglas A. Boyd
Professor of Communication
University of Kentucky
Lexington, Ky.
