Over the weekend, Alexander Tsesis brought to our attention
the story in the New York Times on the retirement of
Richard A. Baker as Historian of the Senate and the naming of his associate,
Donald A. Ritchie, to be his successor. Even if they don't know his other work, including his recent
Electing FDR, a thoughtful and engaging book on the presidential campaign election of 1932 and its aftermath, legal historians will recognize him as the author of
an indispensable biography of the law professor and New Deal regulator James M. Landis (pictured at right).