HUNTINGTON, W.Va. (WSAZ) -- Dr. Jean Edward Smith was among the millions watching Barack Obama's first interview as president-elect last week on '60 Minutes.'

"I did watch 60 minutes, and I saw it but he simply referred to the fact that he was reading biographies, that he was reading about Roosevelt," Dr. Jean Edward Smith said.

Obama mentioned he was reading a couple books about President Franklin Delano Roosevelt at the time of the Great Depression. Dr. Smith did not realize Obama was referring to a book he wrote while at Marshall University.

"Obviously I was pleased, and obviously there's a connection between 1933 when Roosevelt was inaugurated and the situation now," Dr. Smith said. "Clearly this is the most serious domestic crisis we've faced since the Great Depression."

Dr. Smith says Obama can look to FDR for advice as he prepares to tackle the challenges ahead.

"Roosevelt responded to the crisis in '33 pragmatically. He didn't have a preconceived notion of what to do or a game plan when he was inaugurated, but he responded to the crisis as it presented itself," Dr. Smith said.

Dr. Smith wrote the book with help from some of his students at Marshall who proofread. Currently, he's working on a biography of President Eisenhower. Later, he will write a biography of President George W. Bush.