Alan Peppard

Just more than a decade ago, T. Boone Pickens was 70 years old, had been shoved out of the company he founded and was down to his last $30 million or $40 million. Today, he's an 80-year-old multibillionaire, touting his energy plan on TV screens across America. He even appeared on The Tonight Show sitting between Jay Leno and a zoned out Matthew McConaughey.

How did all of that happen during the decade when many men take up the rocking chair? The story is in his new book, The First Billion Is the Hardest, which just jumped onto The New York Times best-seller list at No. 5, sitting just under Bob Woodward and Tom Friedman's latest offerings.

And far from resting on his laurels, Boone is hop-scotching the globe.

The United States Military Academy wisely checked the football schedule for Boone's beloved alma mater, OSU, before inviting him to West Point. This was a bye weekend for the OSU Cowboys, so Boone accepted an invitation to spend a couple of days at West Point speaking to cadets and attending a ball game.

On Monday, he's off to Washington, D.C., to speak to students at Georgetown University followed by an appearance at the National Press Club.

But Boone isn't the only local rich guy with a new book out. Billionaire buccaneer Sam Wyly has just released his business memoir, 1,000 Dollars and an Idea. He'll talk about his life and sign copies of the book at 3 p.m. Oct. 4 at the Borders Books and Music on Preston Road.

Galatoire's, the Bourbon Street staple in New Orleans, is sending its executive chef Leon Galatoire to Dallas next month where he will work his Creole magic at The Club in the Centrum.

On Oct. 2, Chef Galatoire, a fourth-generation member of the restaurant's founding family, will create a special menu with Club executive chef Amador Mora. (Dallasites know that for years, Amador ran the Rosewood Mansion on Turtle Creek kitchen with Dean Fearing.)

Dallas restaurateur Brandt Wood will work his musical magic and spin some special tunes for the evening.