GARDINER

Career journalist and lifelong Mainer Douglas Rooks recently wrote and released the George Mitchell biography “Statesman,” which chronicles the life and times of the retired Maine senator. Rooks — no stranger to Maine politics — has followed Mitchell for years, and seemed destined to write about him in one form or another.

“I first met George Mitchell in 1985, when I was an editorial writer at the Kennebec Journal in Augusta,” said Rooks. “My managing editor let me sit in on a meeting with Mitchell, and I was immediately struck by his vast intelligence. He was very cerebral and well-spoken. A lot of politicians talk the talk, but it was clear Mitchell was a unique talent.”

Rooks kept a close eye on Mitchell’s career from then on, from his rise to Congress stalwart and left-wing unifier in the 1980s to his retirement in 1994. As additional achievements took Mitchell into the 21st century, a biography seemed like the obvious move for Rooks.

“I was in the middle of my newspaper career in ’94, but I knew that someday I would want to write about (Mitchell),” said Rooks, who retired from the paper in 2001 to become a freelance writer and editor. “In ’01 I called Mitchell and did some interviews with him. Since he had just finished the (Good Friday) peace agreement in Ireland, I thought the time was right to tell his story. But I couldn’t find a publisher.”

Rooks put the idea on the back burner for ten years, reviving his manuscript when Angus King decided to run for the Senate in 2012.

“I thought, ‘the old guys are making a comeback, people will be into this,’” said Rooks.

After a few more turndowns, Rooks signed a contract with Downeast Books.

“I spent 13 months in the Mitchell collections room at the Bowdoin library after that,” said Rooks. “There was a lot to sift through. I tried to retrieve the information that was most meaningful.”

When asked if Rooks did his job, Mitchell agreed wholeheartedly. “As I read through the book, I recalled much of my past that I had forgotten,” Mitchell, now 82, said. “It’s flattering, really. Doug is a very good writer and researcher. I think very highly of him.”

Though the bulk of “Statesmen” was a product of that research, knowing Mitchell personally helped Rooks enrich the biography with lesser known details.

“There were some things that only Mitchell could provide, like an account of his years at Bowdoin,” said Rooks. “He was a very modest student from Waterville and didn’t stand out, and so his records there are vague. He claims he only made average grades, but he tends to undersell himself. He doesn’t like to take credit for his accomplishments. That’s rare in the political world.”

As far as politics go, the timing of the book’s release couldn’t be better.

“The book is coming out during a heated presidential race,” said Rooks. “Mitchell’s legacy reminds us that there was once a time when politics were quieter. There was far more agreement on the purposes of government, and what government needed to do. There’s this polarization within both parties now, and Mitchell was an advocate of keeping order. We can learn from him.”

Though Mitchell helped steer the Democratic party during the Reagan, Bush and Clinton administrations, and was behind such feats as the Irish peace agreement, the Clean Air Act of 1990, peace efforts in the Middle East, and straightening out the Red Cross Liberty Plan after 9/11, the ex-senator stresses that he wasn’t perfect.

“Like all human beings, I’ve made a lot of mistakes in my life,” Mitchell said. “What I’ve always tried to do is concentrate on the future.”

To do his part for a better future, Rooks will be embarking on a book tour this summer. His first reading is in Bath on July 21 at Mustard Seed Bookstore. He also plans to visit the island of Vinalhaven — one of Mitchell’s favorite Maine locales — and many other small towns throughout Maine.

“For somebody who has spent so much time in a library, it will be good to get out and talk to the people,” said Rooks. “Spreading Mitchell’s legacy is important, but it’s equally pressing to learn about other people’s values and ideas.”

bgoodridge@timesrecord.com