Former Sen. Alan Dixon writes memoir

CARBONDALE — Former U.S. Sen. Alan Dixon is making appearances to promote his new book, “The Gentleman from Illinois.”

The Southern Illinoisan reported he was in Carbondale at Southern Illinois University on Tuesday. He talked about how his family urged him to write the memoir even though he didn’t want to. He says he wrote on a legal pad and his wife typed out what he wrote.

Dixon held elected office for more than 40 years. He is a former lawyer from Belleville.