One of the highlights of my bicentennial pilgrimage to Springfield was having the opportunity to meet Lincoln scholars and experts I’ve covered in my blog. The first Lincoln author/expert I ran into on Sunday, Feb. 8 was Daniel Weinberg of the Abraham Lincoln Book Shop in Chicago.
Weinberg and I had exchanged emails a time or two and I’d promoted some of his Virtual Book Signings in my blog, but we’d never met. He was just as pleasant in person as he had been by email and seemed in the online book signings. This man just has an aura about him that puts his interviewees at ease and elicits some powerful discussion.
You’ll get a change to see Weinberg at work this weekend and again in early March if you tune in to his next two Virtual Book Signings.
David Leroy on Feb. 21
Be sure to log on to your computer at 12 noon Central Time on Saturday, Feb. 21, 2009, as Weinberg interviews David Leroy, Idaho Lincoln Bicentennial Commission chair and chairman of the Governors Council of the United States Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Commission. Leroy will be speaking about his book, Mr. Lincoln’s Book: Publishing the Lincoln-Douglas Debates.
Remember, you can order your book for this and other Virtual Book Signings ahead of time through the Abraham Lincoln Book Shop BookBlast page.
Unfortunately, Mr. Leroy is one Lincoln buff I haven’t yet met. I remember reading about him last year in an online news story about the Lincoln Forum symposium at Gettysburg. I’m planning to attend this year, so I hope meet him there. In the meantime, we can all meet him in cyberspace, thanks to Weinberg’s book event.
Michael Burlingame on March 5
On Thursday evening, March 5 at 6 p.m. Central Time, join Weinberg and Michael Burlingame, as Burlingame talks about the most grandiose Lincoln biography since Sandburg finished his six-volume Lincoln bio 70 years ago.
I had the pleasure of meeting Burlingame, author of the two-volume Abraham Lincoln: A Life, at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library last week. I later watched as he moderated a panel for the Abraham Lincoln Association’s Lincoln Roundtable. I also got to hear him speak at a luncheon and at the Abraham Lincoln Association banquet. Burlingame’s good nature and wit make him a pleasant conversationalist and an engaging speaker.
You won’t want to miss this event, either. If you do, though, be sure to check back on the Virtual Book Signing website later, as the book signings are archived so they can be watched again and again.
If you missed White and Clinton
How did you spend your Valentine’s Day? Mr. and Mrs. Lincoln spent their day together on Virtual Book Signing. Okay, they didn’t, but the authors of books about each of them did.
Ronald C. White, Jr., author of A. Lincoln: A Biography, and Catherine Clinton, who wrote Mrs. Lincoln: A Life, teamed up on Feb. 14 to talk with Weinberg about one of the most misunderstood marriages in the history of our country. Just last week, I heard one writer speak of the strength of the Lincoln marriage and another speak of its misery. No one really knows what the marriage was like, of course, but the couple themselves, and they’re not here to tell us.
I’m sure you’ll gain some new insight into the individuals and into their marriage if you watch the archived interview when it’s available on Virtual Book Signing. When this article was written it wasn’t yet ready, but keep checking back. They should have it out there before long.
I had the opportunity to meet White in 2005 at the opening symposium of the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum when my Lincoln buff buddy, Karen Needles, who has done research for White, introduced us. She spoke very highly of him and of his work.
Clinton was at that event too, but we didn't really get to meet until this year. Her inquisitive nature and tenacity inspire me. I'll be reviewing her book in the coming months, so be sure to watch for it here.
Be in the know
Afraid you’ll miss out on future Virtual Book Signings? You won't have to if you sign up for the free email mailing list. I joined a few months ago and it’s a great way to keep in the know on who’s on first, what’s on second and I don’t know’s on third in the world of Lincoln literature.
Showing posts with label Ronald C. White Jr.. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Ronald C. White Jr.. Show all posts
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Sunday, February 8, 2009
Upcoming Lincoln events you won’t want to miss
When I set out to do this blog four months ago, I knew there would be a lot to share before the bicentennial, but I don’t think I realized how much I wouldn’t have time to share. I’ve missed out on sharing a number of events I wish I could have. The days are only so long. On many of them I’ve been not only burning the candle at both ends, but sometimes I think it’s spring tentacles and I’m burning it at the ends of all of them, too.
Here are four events which are special to me, and I think you’ll enjoy them, too. Why are they special? It’s because in one way or another, I like to call the people involved with each of these my Lincoln friends. I wanted to share more about all these events, but time just got away from me. I’ll give you a “Reader’s Digest” version and hope to follow up with more later.
In the next few days, you’ll want to catch a Virtual Book Signing wherever you are, a play if you can make it to Bloomington (Ill.) and a couple of cool bicentennial events in Springfield with people whose work I admire.
Here are four events which are special to me, and I think you’ll enjoy them, too. Why are they special? It’s because in one way or another, I like to call the people involved with each of these my Lincoln friends. I wanted to share more about all these events, but time just got away from me. I’ll give you a “Reader’s Digest” version and hope to follow up with more later.
In the next few days, you’ll want to catch a Virtual Book Signing wherever you are, a play if you can make it to Bloomington (Ill.) and a couple of cool bicentennial events in Springfield with people whose work I admire.
- Virtual Book Signing with Ronald White and Catherine Clinton
- Lincoln’s in Town! original production, Bloomington (Ill.)
- Emancipation and the Dream of Freedom - From Slavery to the White House with Frederick Douglass, Harriet Tubman and Martin Luther King, Springfield (Ill.)
- Chris Vallillo, Abraham Lincoln in Song, Springfield, Ill.
Virtual Book Signing
Daniel Weinberg of Chicago is the owner of the Abraham Lincoln Book Shop. He’s got a gift a store owner needs – the ability to make a person feel as if they are important to him – whether it’s in an author interview, at a signing of his own book or in the hallway at a scholarly event. Yet, somehow I feel that even if he weren’t a merchant who knew that anyone could someday be your customer, he’s still just be this all-around kind and very pleasant guy.
Weinberg hosts Virtual Book Signing, and this Saturday, Feb. 14 at noon, he’ll have two of the authors on his show whom I first met or heard speak at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum’s opening symposium in 2005: Ronald C. White, Jr., author of A. Lincoln: A Biography, and Catherine Clinton, author of Mrs. Lincoln: A Life.
You won’t want to miss these interviews, but if you do, be sure to go back to the website later to see them online.
Lincoln’s in Town!
I really wanted to tell you a whole lot more about this next production. Robert Bray is an Illinois Wesleyan University professor, whose work I’ve used over and over through the last 18 years as I’ve studied the literature and history of Illinois, including Lincoln. He and writer Nancy Steele Brokaw are the playwrights for a new play about Lincoln’s time in McLean County (Ill.)
Here’s the information from the play’s website. I have much more to share with you, but I’ll have to do it as a follow-up piece later. I think you’ll still enjoy hearing about it. In the meantime, if you’re in the area, you oughta come. It will be a great show, but don’t wait. Tickets are really selling well.
Lincoln's In Town! is an original dramatization of Abraham Lincoln's sojourns in Bloomington, Illinois. This show, which includes an annotated booklet, was designed for Lincoln buffs, school children, and everyone in between.
The play follows Lincoln's Bloomington career from his initial appearance as a newly-minted lawyer through all of his best known legal and political appearances in town - including the famous 'Lost Speech' of 1856.
The storytellers of the production, a grandfather and his young grandson, wait at the recreated Bloomington train depot for Lincoln's train to arrive in town. The stories they tell come to life before the audience's eyes, and include a story-telling Lincoln entertaining the town children, a rollicking courtroom scene, tense political debating and plotting with Leonard Swett, David Davis and Jesse Fell, a memorable haircut with Billy the Barber and Asahel Gridley, a quilting bee gone awry, and much, much more.
Lincoln's friends and experiences in Bloomington, his 'second hometown,' helped to shape the man who saved the nation. Learn how all that happened in a true historical celebration on stage at the Bloomington Center for the Performing Arts, February 13-15, 2009.
Lincoln's In Town! is a commissioned project of the McLean County Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Commission. It is produced by Holiday Spectacular, Inc.
Emancipation and the Dream of Freedom - From Slavery to the White House
This Springfield event is part of the Bicentennial festivities there. I just had to tell you about it, because two of the three are the most believable characters you’d ever want to meet – and just plain really neat people, too. The third might be, too. I just don’t know who the presenter is or, obviously, anything about him.
Stop by the Lincoln Home Historic Site in Springfield on Friday, Feb. 13 at 2 p.m or Saturday, Feb. 14 at 10 a.m. to see Frederick Douglass (Michael E. Crutcher, Sr.), Harriet Tubman (Kathryn Harris) and Martin Luther King, Jr.
Crutcher and Harris play their roles so well, that you’ll think you’d stepped back to Lincoln’s time. Be sure you don’t’ miss this.
Abraham Lincoln in Song
While you’re at Lincoln’s Home on Saturday, Feb. 14, be sure not to miss my west central Illinois buddy, songster Chris Vallillo with Rocky Maffit with his program "Abraham Lincoln in Song." The performance is at 1 p.m.
And that’s not all
I wish I could share all the other cool Lincoln Bicentennial events I’ve read and heard about with you, but I’m just plain tuckered out, as a Southern Uplands frontierman like Lincoln might say. This is it for now. I’ve got a big week ahead of me.
Be sure to follow me on twitter. I had some technical challenges today (translate: didn’t know what the heck I was doing), but I think I’ve got a work-around. I should be back in business tomorrow. And, who knows, if I have insomnia, you may even see some surprise blog posts from me this week.
In the meantime, this is what we’ve been anxiously awaiting. This week really is the Bicentennial of Lincoln’s birth. Enjoy it, celebrate it, learn from it. To find events in your area, please visit these websites:
Don’t forget to send a birthday card
It’s still not too late to send Lincoln a birthday card, you know. Try to do an original card rather than store-bought. As soon as I get this posted, I’m going to make mine!
Sunday, November 2, 2008
A look at some new Lincoln books
As I work today to finish pulling together my paper on Abraham Lincoln and his mentors, I wasn't going to take the time to write a blog post from scratch myself. I was just going to draw attention to an article by Desmond Ryan in today's Philadelphia Inquirer. Ryan's "A. Lincoln turning 200: Books on him keep coming; here's a sampling" provides an overview of nine of the dozens of books on Lincoln coming out within the next year. Of course, as I set out to do that in a few words, I realized I had much to tell you myself about these authors and their books.
An all star cast
I've only got first-hand knowledge of one of these books, but I've met or heard several of the other authors speak at some of the Lincoln scholarly events I've been privileged to attend. These scholars/enthusiasts are Harold Holzer, James McPherson, Gary Ecelbarger, Brian Lamb and Ronald C. White, Jr. Each of these gentlemen is committed to keeping the legacy of Lincoln alive, doing so with accuracy and passion, while earning and keeping the respect of their peers. Any of their books will be a welcome addition to your Lincoln library and a great read, I'm sure.
My lack of familiarity with the other authors in no way negates or diminishes their contributions. It just shows how much work is being done in this area, and how far behind I am in learning all the contributors. Susan Swain, Lamb's co-editor, is also a C-SPAN legend. In her work with the network, she collaborated on The Lincoln-Douglas Debates of 1858 series, American Presidents: Life Portraits, and American Writers II: The 20th Century. I can't wait to read Lamb and Swain's anthology of interviews with Lincoln historians.
Eric Foner's book collecting essays with new perspectives by other brilliant Lincoln scholars will certainly be an interesting read, while Fred Kaplan's study of Lincoln as a writer will focus on what I've always felt was one of Lincoln's greatest gifts and strengths. John Stauffer's book parallels the lives of Lincoln and Frederick Douglass and is sure to shed new perspectives on this important relationship.
Ladies and gentlemen - start your reading
So, head to your library or your local bookstore, or get your Christmas wish list ready. With all these new Lincoln books on the shelves, there's no excuse not to celebrate the Bicentennial of his birth (Feb. 12. 2009) by learning more.
© Copyright 2008 Ann Tracy Mueller. All rights reserved.
An all star cast
I've only got first-hand knowledge of one of these books, but I've met or heard several of the other authors speak at some of the Lincoln scholarly events I've been privileged to attend. These scholars/enthusiasts are Harold Holzer, James McPherson, Gary Ecelbarger, Brian Lamb and Ronald C. White, Jr. Each of these gentlemen is committed to keeping the legacy of Lincoln alive, doing so with accuracy and passion, while earning and keeping the respect of their peers. Any of their books will be a welcome addition to your Lincoln library and a great read, I'm sure.
My lack of familiarity with the other authors in no way negates or diminishes their contributions. It just shows how much work is being done in this area, and how far behind I am in learning all the contributors. Susan Swain, Lamb's co-editor, is also a C-SPAN legend. In her work with the network, she collaborated on The Lincoln-Douglas Debates of 1858 series, American Presidents: Life Portraits, and American Writers II: The 20th Century. I can't wait to read Lamb and Swain's anthology of interviews with Lincoln historians.
Eric Foner's book collecting essays with new perspectives by other brilliant Lincoln scholars will certainly be an interesting read, while Fred Kaplan's study of Lincoln as a writer will focus on what I've always felt was one of Lincoln's greatest gifts and strengths. John Stauffer's book parallels the lives of Lincoln and Frederick Douglass and is sure to shed new perspectives on this important relationship.
Ladies and gentlemen - start your reading
So, head to your library or your local bookstore, or get your Christmas wish list ready. With all these new Lincoln books on the shelves, there's no excuse not to celebrate the Bicentennial of his birth (Feb. 12. 2009) by learning more.
© Copyright 2008 Ann Tracy Mueller. All rights reserved.
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