March 28, 2024

Gov. Branstad in Newton on April 13 for book signing

Gov. Terry Branstad will appear at the Newton YMCA for a special book signing from noon until 1:30 p.m. April 13, and Newton resident Mike Chapman will be with him. Chapman is the author of the book “Iowa’s Record-Setting Governor: The Terry Branstad Story,” which was published in December of 2015.

The book is 234 pages long with more than 50 photos, covering the governor’s life from growing up on a farm near tiny Leland, to attending high school in Forest City and then on to the University of Iowa and Drake law school. The book details his career as a politician, up through 2015 when he became the longest serving governor in American history.

“Mike Chapman has penned a warm and glowing tribute to the nation’s longest serving governor,” wrote David Yepsen, former chief political writer for the Des Moines Register. “Written in a folksy, down-home style, Chapman chronicles Branstad’s life from the farm near Leland to the Terrace Hill governor’s mansion. An easy read, the book looks at the forces and people who shaped the governor. It’s something of a how-he-did-it manual that will interest history buffs….”

“This story captures the heart of a public servant and shares the remarkable, positive impact Gov. Branstad’s drive, determination, skill and vision have had for all of us in Iowa,” wrote U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley.

Also at the April 13 event, Chapman will debut his latest book called “A Journey: Reflections on 50 Years on Writing, Wrestling, Weightlifting and Heroes.” The book is 286 pages with nearly 200 photos, including stories on some of the best-known figures in U.S. history — from Ronald Reagan, Muhammad Ali, Robert Redford, and Lou “The Incredible Hulk” Ferrigno to Iowa icons like Dan Gable, Hayden Fry, Dan McCarney and, of course, Terry Branstad. It is Chapman’s 29th published book.