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A Busy Week for Lincoln: The Fire of Genius, Plus Award Nominations

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Well, it’s been a busy week for Lincoln: The Fire of Genius (and me, as its author). Three big presentations, two award nominations, and one award non-nomination. Here’s a quick rundown.

After participating in two Lincoln-related Zoom calls on Monday, Tuesday evening was the official Lincoln: The Fire of Genius book launch in conjunction with the Lincoln Group of DC. Around forty people jammed into the banquet hall at Maggiano’s Little Italy restaurant in Chevy Chase (Washington, DC) for a grand celebration. There was a happy hour, a grand multi-course dinner, and even some swag bags full of cool Abraham Lincoln stuff (check your bags closely because some of that “stuff” could be priceless artifacts). This was followed by my presentation about the big ideas behind the book, which is foreshadowed by its subtitle: How Abraham Lincoln’s Commitment to Science and Technology Helped Modernize America. The live event was also broadcast on Zoom to people across the country and was recorded by C-SPAN for video broadcast soon. When I have the specifics on the C-SPAN video, I’ll post the link here.

Maggiano's book launch

But that was just the start of the week. Another Zoom call on Wednesday, then on to a presentation at an exclusive club in downtown Washington, DC to talk Lincoln, Science, and Technology during the Civil War. I was honored with a great surprise – Sidney Blumenthal, the exceptional multi-volume author of the Political Life of Abraham Lincoln series who graciously wrote the foreword for The Fire of Genius – was a special guest of one of the members. I hadn’t known he would be there, and it was wonderful to have his support. Introducing me was club member Marc Rothenberg, who was director of the Joseph Henry Papers for the Smithsonian for 25 years before spending a decade at the National Academy of Sciences. Marc had given me considerable insight into Henry, the first Secretary of the Smithsonian and a key advisor to President Lincoln.

Cosmos Club

The week ended with a spectacular dedication and unveiling of an incredible new memorial to famed Civil War photographer Mathew Brady. Brady is buried in Congressional Cemetery, so I joined about fifty people to see a new installation, the brainchild of photohistorian Larry West. This new monument includes two large marble columbaria with inlaid photos related to Mathew Brady. But Brady isn’t the only subject – there are life-size bronze statues of both Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass, as well as a bronze replica of a Brady camera of the time period. I gave one of four short speeches that day honoring Brady, Lincoln, and the importance of photographic technology to American memory. Indeed, the event itself was unforgettable. Look for more details and photos on the Lincolnian.org website shortly.

Congressional Cemetery

And then there were the award nominations. On Thursday I find out that I did not quite make the longlist of ten books for the highly prestigious National Book Awards. I had been told I was in the running for the longlist (which consists of 10 books out of more than 600 considered), but it was not to be. However, Friday brought better news. My editor forwarded me the notice from the LA Times book prize committee that Lincoln: The Fire of Genius had been nominated for consideration of their annual award. The finalists will be named in February 2023 (just in time for Lincoln’s birthday), with the winner announced at an April banquet in Los Angeles. Fingers crossed.

Friday also brought confirmation that the book is being considered for the Abraham Lincoln Institute book award (given in March 2023) and the Gilder Lehrman Lincoln Prize (given in April 2023). There are two other awards in the works that also offer strong possibilities. I’ll have more on those as details are announced.

This week gives me a bit of a break from presenting, which is good because there are many additional appearances coming up that I need to prepare for. Unlike some people who essentially give the same presentation no matter who the audience is, I tend to tailor mine to the group (big picture for Lincoln Group of DC, Civil War focus for Civil War Round Tables, Arts and Science for the Arts Club, etc.). Both Abraham Lincoln and the book are so far-reaching that there is plenty of material to fit whatever venue and audience interested. Several more opportunities are in the works. A continually updated listing can be found on my media page: https://davidjkent-writer.com/media/.

[Photos, top to bottom: Book launch signing by Dan Kreske; Sidney Blumenthal by David J. Kent; Congressional Cemetery by anonymous]

Lincoln: The Fire of Genius

 

Lincoln: The Fire of Genius: How Abraham Lincoln’s Commitment to Science and Technology Helped Modernize America was released on September 1, 2022.

The book is available for purchase at all bookseller outlets. Limited signed copies are available via this website. The book also listed on Goodreads, the database where I keep track of my reading. Click on the “Want to Read” button to put it on your reading list. Please leave a review if you like the book.

You also follow my author page on Facebook.

David J. Kent is President of the Lincoln Group of DC and the author of Lincoln: The Fire of Genius: How Abraham Lincoln’s Commitment to Science and Technology Helped Modernize America and Lincoln: The Man Who Saved America.

His previous books include Tesla: The Wizard of Electricity and Edison: The Inventor of the Modern World and two specialty e-books: Nikola Tesla: Renewable Energy Ahead of Its Time and Abraham Lincoln and Nikola Tesla: Connected by Fate.

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My Busy Week at the Lincoln Memorial Centennial

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David J Kent Lincoln Memorial centennialThe Lincoln Memorial reaches its centennial this month and this past week was the culmination of a year’s worth of work to celebrate the iconic structure’s 100th birthday. Around this time last year, the Lincoln Group of DC, of which I am the current president, decided that we must have a magnificent event on the Memorial steps. We had done something similar in 2015 for the sesquicentennial of Abraham Lincoln’s second inaugural speech so we followed the basic format. There were differences of course. We couldn’t really have a Lincoln reenactor for a memorial to his life and death, especially since it wasn’t dedicated until 57 years after his assassination. We also couldn’t just recapture the Civil War theme, nor did we want to exactly recapture the segregationist Jim Crow-era time of 1922. Plus, we would be working with the National Park Service, which would prefer not to be overly controversial. Still, there were issues from that 1922 dedication we wanted to address and there has been 100 years of history we wanted to show.

You can read background on the dedication ceremony on the Lincoln Group of DC website here, and here, and here. Click on the events tab on that website for more information about the speakers and the follow ups. In short, Chief Justice (and former president) William Howard Taft gave a speech and officially handed over the Memorial to then-current President Warren G. Harding. Lincoln’s son Robert was also there but did not speak. The only other speaker was Dr. Robert R. Moton, director of the Tuskegee Institute, a predominantly Black university in Alabama. Dr. Moton was not allowed to sit with the other dignitaries. He was forced to walk to the speaker stand, give his speech – which was censored to remove suggestions that Jim Crow laws were counter to the nation’s unfinished business – and then returned to the segregated section of the audience.

We also understood that much has changed over the 100-year history of the Memorial. While the original focus was on unity – the reconciliation between (whites in) the North and South – the meaning has grown and broadened into a symbol of civil rights and hope for all Americans. Famed contralto singer Marian Anderson sang on its steps in 1939 after having been refused a concert at the “whites only” Constitution Hall. Martin Luther King gave his “I Have a Dream” speech on the steps in 1963, the 100th anniversary of Abraham Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation. Most modern presidents incorporate the Memorial in their inauguration programs, including that of Barack Obama, our nation’s first African American president. We wanted to capture this evolution as well as the design and art of the building and its iconic seated Lincoln statue. To cover the art and architecture we brought in Lincoln and Daniel Chester French expert Harold Holzer. Edna Greene Medford traced the evolution in meaning over the last century. Frank Smith discussed the U.S. Colored Troops role in the fight for freedom. Our keynote speaker was Charlotte Morris, the current president of Tuskegee University, the institution run by Robert Moton 100 years ago when he spoke at the dedication. Morris contrasted that time, and unlike Moton’s censored speech, was forthright in both the greatness of Lincoln and the dangers to his vision expressed by today’s society. She received a standing ovation. We had representatives from the Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the U.S. to cover their involvement in the memory of Lincoln. The first Native American director of the National Park Service, Chuck Sams, offered some history of the Memorial. Sarah Johnson of the New York Avenue Presbyterian Church (“Lincoln’s Church”) gave a Lincoln-inspired invocation. We also had music. The national anthem and two songs from Marian Anderson’s 1939 concert were sung by the amazing Felicia Curry while the United States Marine Band “The President’s Own” Brass Quintet provided pre-, inter-, and postludes. The words of poet Edwin Markham and Lincoln’s own words etched in the walls of the Memorial were powerfully performed by stage and screen actor Stephen Lang. We were also able to bring in four descendants of Robert Moton to be present at the event.

The program was broadcast on C-SPAN, CBS, and ABC. Not only was I the main organizer of the event, I was also the Master of Ceremonies. 

That was Sunday morning on May 22nd. But that was only one of the series of events the Lincoln Group organized to celebrate the centennial of the Lincoln Memorial.

On Tuesday (5/10), we sponsored and I moderated a virtual presentation by the authors of a book on the Lincoln Memorial, a sort of prelude to the festivities.

On Thursday (5/19), I attended a special Library of Congress one-night-only exhibit of Lincoln’s reading copy of the Gettysburg Address and many other documents related to the Memorial.

Also, on Thursday (5/19), I attended a program at the Arts Club of Washington that the Lincoln Group supported featuring Harold Holzer.

On Saturday morning (5/21), I joined the Lincoln in Washington walking tour led by the Lincoln Group’s immediate past president John O’Brien.

Saturday afternoon (5/21), I attended a special showing of “Mr. Smith Goes to Washington” at the AFI Silver Theatre, which the Lincoln Group co-sponsored and Ed Epstein of our group introduced.

Sunday morning (5/22), the program described above, which I emceed.

Sunday afternoon (5/22), we hosted the speakers and members of the Board for a luncheon at Clyde’s in downtown Washington, DC

Monday evening (5/23), I spoke a few words to open a special dramatic reading of a new play called “Freedom’s Temple” by Bryce Stenzel. The Lincoln Group co-sponsored this event with the DC Civil War Roundtable. The event was produced by the Lincoln Group’s Debbie Jackson.

Tuesday (5/24), I attended virtually a program developed by the U.S. Capitol Historical Society and which the Lincoln Group supported.

In between, there were plenty of emails flying back and forth on other issues.

So, if you’ve noticed I hadn’t written much in the last week, that was why. Things won’t necessarily be getting less busy in the weeks to come, although the emphasis will shift. Most immediately is paying the bills for all of the above. One of the flying emails was to add an event in September that I’ll write more about later. We also have an in-person dinner event scheduled for June 14th that will require some significant organization. There’s a Lincoln Group board meeting scheduled for June 25th that I will chair. I have two travel trips coming up soon. Two other Lincoln Group members and I will be repeating a four-session course (two of which are mine) in October for Encore Learning. The Lincoln Forum is in November, which should have events both for me personally and the Lincoln Group. I’m hoping for another big trip in December.

And, of course, my new book, Lincoln: The Fire of Genius, will be released on September 1st. I have a book launch and several presentations scheduled for September (with likely several more to come), and at some point soon I need to prepare them for delivery.

I’ll have more photos from the Lincoln Memorial Centennial up on this website and on Facebook soon, as well as on the Lincoln Group of DC website: Lincolnian.org. The photo of me at the Lincoln Memorial above is courtesy of Bruce Guthrie.

Fire of GeniusThe book is available for pre-order on the Rowman & Littlefield website (Lyons Press is a trade imprint of Rowman). You can also pre-order it on Amazon and Barnes and Noble (click on the respective links to pre-order). Release date is scheduled for September 1, 2022.

The book is also listed on Goodreads, the database where I keep track of my reading. Click on the “Want to Read” button to put it on your reading list. That will also ensure you get informed of the release date AND will let you try for one of ten free hardcover copies of the book that I’ll be giving away this summer. I’ll also be giving away as many as a hundred e-books. [The book will also be put out on audio]

You also follow my author page on Facebook.

I’ll have much more about the book over the next few months, so join my mailing list here to keep informed.

David J. Kent is President of the Lincoln Group of DC and the author of Lincoln: The Man Who Saved America. His previous books include Tesla: The Wizard of Electricity and Edison: The Inventor of the Modern World and two specialty e-books: Nikola Tesla: Renewable Energy Ahead of Its Time and Abraham Lincoln and Nikola Tesla: Connected by Fate.

Check out my Goodreads author page. While you’re at it, “Like” my Facebook author page for more updates!

 

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Those Who Choose to Vote Constitute the Political Power – Abraham Lincoln

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Lincoln voteAbraham Lincoln once stated:

“Hence it is not the qualified voters, but the qualified voters, who choose to vote, that constitute the political power of the state.”

He was writing in 1862 about the imminent admission of West Virginia into the Union, a kind of secession from secession by Virginia’s western counties. But his point has wider meaning.

Only those who vote exercise their power to affect the political decision-making of the state and the nation.

We are now faced with a constitutional crisis as serious as that faced by Lincoln. While the possibility of an armed conflict such as the Civil War is remote, we find ourselves in an inflection point. Do we live in a nation where the concept “all men are created equal” and our rights to “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness” applies to ALL Americans? Or do we fall into an authoritarian state were these rights apply to only some Americans? This isn’t a rhetorical question, nor is it hyperbole. American historians – those people who have studied and best understand our history – see our democracy on the cusp of destruction. We must take action to restore the constitutional rights for ALL Americans or sorely lose it for EACH American.

The way we do that is vote.

Abraham Lincoln understood the importance of voting. He encouraged soldiers to vote in the 1864 election despite the United States being in the midst of a desperate civil war. He ensured that the polls remained open so that all eligible voters could vote. He made sure that Nevada became a state in time for the election and prompted the residents to cast their first votes in the presidential election.

This year is especially important for naturalized Americans to vote. Immigrants now have great power to transform our national priorities – but only if they vote. There are now enough Asian Americans to swing the election in key states. The same is true for Latinx heritage Americans.

This year is also critical for African Americans, Native Americans, Women, and the LGBTQ community, whose votes will help determine if the nation will finally address the issues that affect their lives. Racism, bigotry, and misogyny have been driving much of the inequity of our society. This election will determine whether we can build on our gains, or lose more ground in the fight for equality.

Abraham Lincoln fought for progress. He knew he couldn’t end racism, but he took the steps to end the institution that promoted racism. Today we still have work to do. And today we’ve seen how easy it is to lose what progress has been made. The forces of racism, bigotry, and misogyny don’t go away on their own. We must vote them out and then continue to put our efforts into creating the legislative and institutional change that will lead us to the ideal of a more perfect union, an ideal that we’ve moved closer to despite pushback by reactionary forces.

It is the qualified votes who choose to vote who control the power.

Vote. It’s how we change for the better.

When we all vote, we move mountains. If we don’t vote, we let the status quo survive and strengthen.

VOTE!

See here for last minute voting information. If you haven’t voted already, you MUST vote IN PERSON on Tuesday, November 3, 2020.

David J. Kent is an avid traveler, scientist, and Abraham Lincoln historian. He is the author of Lincoln: The Man Who Saved America, Tesla: The Wizard of Electricity and Edison: The Inventor of the Modern World as well as two specialty e-books: Nikola Tesla: Renewable Energy Ahead of Its Time and Abraham Lincoln and Nikola Tesla: Connected by Fate.

Check out my Goodreads author page. While you’re at it, “Like” my Facebook author page for more updates!

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The Year in a Writer’s Life – 2018

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David J Kent, WriterThe year 2018 in a writer’s life was good. Well, kind of up and down, really. Okay, let’s just call it a year of transition. And that is actually a good thing.

This year was the first in which I published exactly zero new books since I started my writing career. My Tesla book came out in 2013; two e-books on Tesla and Tesla/Lincoln were released in 2014 and 2015, respectively; 2016 saw Edison; and 2017 was the year of Lincoln: The Man Who Saved America. No new books doesn’t mean inactivity. New printings for Tesla and Lincoln were put into Barnes and Noble stores in 2018, and the rights for foreign editions padded my semiannual royalty checks.

I had planned for 2018 to be the year I started writing more for magazines and other freelance outlets, but my busy travel schedule and other distractions kept me from making much effort in that regard. I also didn’t follow through on my goal to enter writing competitions. For the same reasons, fewer blog posts here on Science Traveler and Hot White Snow passed through my typing fingers, and The Dake Page has been grossly neglected. I’ll spend more time on them in 2019.

But the really good news is that my work was wonderfully recognized on several fronts. In addition to the 8th printing of Tesla and 2nd printing of Lincoln, my Lincoln book received quite a few accolades. In 2018 it received its second nomination for book awards, was overwhelmingly selected as the very first book for the new Railsplitter podcast book club (3 podcasts and on-air interview), was chosen as a resource for the Illinois LEAD: Spirit of Lincoln Youth Academy Program, and received a published review in Civil War Times magazine. The book even got mentioned in a Chicago Tribune article on Lincoln scholarship.

The Railsplitter podcast wasn’t my only interview. I had the privilege of being interviewed on Facebook Live by Coffee Party founder and influential filmmaker Annabel Park. The interview, co-hosted with fellow scientist Bob Scheuplein, garnered over 11,000 views. Annabel recently suggested another interview on the topic of leadership, which will likely happen early in the new year. Also coming up in January will be an on-air interview about Nikola Tesla with the Voice of America. I also did a Reddit “Ask Me Anything” program this past January that was highly successful, plus was featured on C-SPAN for a presentation I gave at the Lincoln Group of DC.

While no new books came out in 2018, I do have several books in the works. I made progress on my new Lincoln book and hope to get it to a publisher this year. I also began the process for a book that I will edit, with chapters by various Lincoln scholars. I’m about halfway through a draft of a travel memoir. If that wasn’t enough to keep me busy, in December I wrote the first draft of a short story I’ll enter into a writing competition in January, as well as started writing a historical science fiction novel, my first real long-form fiction attempt.

So 2018 was a very good year even though I didn’t have any new books come out. The ones I’m working on now will be different from my earlier books, which were heavy on graphics and targeted a general reading public. My next Lincoln book(s) is more deeply scholarly on a specific subject, and the other books take inspiration from Bill Bryson and Gabriel Garcia Marquez.

My goals for 2019 include following through on more magazine and competition writing. I’m off to a good start as I’ve already submitted a short piece that should be published in Civil War Times soon and the first contest submission date I’m shooting for is mid-January. I’ll focus on getting the Lincoln book out the door, with the others being squeezed into “free” time for future release. Meanwhile, I’ll continue traveling (I already have trips booked to Costa Rica and Cuba) and make more of an effort to write travel-related magazine articles. I’ll also continue to be highly active in the Lincoln Group of DC. More on those topics in later posts.

Several unexpected deaths of colleagues, relatives, and friends this year reinforced the idea that our lives are fleeting and we must make every effort to enjoy the time we have on this earth. So from me to you, set your goals high, live life, and love all.

Happy New Year! May 2019 exceed your greatest imagination!

David J. Kent is an avid science traveler and the author of Lincoln: The Man Who Saved America, in Barnes and Noble stores now. His previous books include Tesla: The Wizard of Electricity and Edison: The Inventor of the Modern World and two e-books: Nikola Tesla: Renewable Energy Ahead of Its Time and Abraham Lincoln and Nikola Tesla: Connected by Fate.

Check out my Goodreads author page. While you’re at it, “Like” my Facebook author page for more updates!

 

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Vote for Allison Gustavson

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Allison GustavsonChange is hard, but there are times when change is necessary. This is one of those times. Following words from Abraham Lincoln, that is how I began my endorsement of Allison Gustavson. Now I am asking my family, friends, and everyone else in the Fourth Essex District to vote for Allison Gustavson for Massachusetts State Representative.

Allison brings a much needed new voice and energy to the district. She is motivated by a strong desire to represent all citizens in the district, not just those of the party. She is driven by her love for all of the towns in the district, not just the one. Ipswich, Hamilton, Manchester, Rowley, Topsfield, and Wenham will all benefit with Allison as their representative.

Yes, change is hard. Many of you have voted for the incumbent Brad Hill every election for the last 20 years. We all have fond memories of Brad’s father, uncle, and the family name. But it’s time to move beyond that family name and get a representative who speaks for all of us.

The recent League of Women Voters Candidate Forum provided ample evidence of the need for change. Whereas Brad Hill prevaricated or offered up boilerplate policies that have failed citizens repeatedly in the past, Allison Gustavson demonstrated that she will take steps to preserve the rights of all citizens in the Fourth Essex district, both now and the future. Allison will protect 2nd amendment rights while keeping our children safe from gun violence. Allison will support economic growth while addressing the real issue of climate change. Allison will ensure the rights of all citizens, not promote bigotry and anti-women policies. Whereas Brad’s incumbent position was gained by adherence to party dogma, Allison is driven by positive movement, service to all the public, and a willingness to listen to people’s views no matter what party.

Allison Gustavson is by far the best choice for all the citizens in all the towns of the Fourth Essex District. So I’m asking you to vote for her.

I’m asking my family and friends who live in Ipswich, Hamilton, Manchester, Rowley, Topsfield, and Wenham to vote for Allison Gustavson on Tuesday, November 6, 2019. Please also ask your friends and neighbors to vote for her. The future of the community depends on making Allison your next state representative.

Thank you.

[This will be the final “political” post on my website as I’ll return to my normal topics of Abraham Lincoln, Science Travel, Nikola Tesla, and Thomas Edison. But as Lincoln said, we must “be active, when action is needed.” I believe action is needed.]

David J. Kent is an avid science traveler and the author of Lincoln: The Man Who Saved America, in Barnes and Noble stores now. His previous books include Tesla: The Wizard of Electricity and Edison: The Inventor of the Modern World and two e-books: Nikola Tesla: Renewable Energy Ahead of Its Time and Abraham Lincoln and Nikola Tesla: Connected by Fate.

Check out my Goodreads author page. While you’re at it, “Like” my Facebook author page for more updates!

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2018-2019 Travel Preview (and Mini-Recap)

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David J. KentUsually I do a Travel Preview post in early January. I skipped the preview in January 2018 because I suspected my “travel year” would shift…and it did. Thus, this travel preview covers 2018-2019, roughly mid-year to mid-year.

That’s not to say that I’ve been homebound. In January we flew down to Ft. Myers, FL for a long weekend touring Sanibel Island, checking out Thomas Edison’s winter retreat, and notching my 49th aquarium at the Mote Marine Lab in Sarasota (my 50th came last month in Copenhagen). February was spent doing local trips, mostly Abraham Lincoln oriented. March I drove down to Newport News for the annual “Battle of Hampton Roads” weekend. April I made an unplanned trip to Massachusetts when my Dad went into the hospital, as well as a quick drive to Fredericksburg for a CPRC conference. In May I did Part 1 of my “Chasing Abraham Lincoln” tour through Tennessee, Kentucky, Indiana, and Michigan. And then there were scads of local Lincoln Group of DC-related events, including a Lincoln-Douglas-Douglass debate at the National Archives (check the link for this once-in-a-lifetime event).

But now the fun begins. In early July Ru took a year off from her job with the goal of exploring more of the world. We began by flying to Copenhagen in late June and spent two weeks cruising around the Baltic Sea on a relatively intimate yacht of only 200 passengers, many of whom we came to know quite well. Stops included the Danish island of Bornholm, the Polish city of Gdansk (where the end of communist USSR began), the Curonian peninsula of Lithuania, the gorgeous old Estonian city of Tallinn, and then spent two days (ironically, the 4th of July) in St. Petersburg, Russia. From there we stopped in Finland’s capital Helsinki (where I had been several times when I lived in Brussels) and the oddly confusing but beautiful Finnish/Swedish Mariehamn in the Aland Islands (technically they belong to Finland, but speak Swedish, and have an autonomous government; you figure it out). The end in Stockholm was bitter-sweet.

Two days back from that trip, Ru flew to Beijing for a month, with side trips to Shanghai and Hong Kong. Meanwhile, I did Part 2 of my Chasing Abraham Lincoln tour, this time a 2905+ mile drive to, from, and around Illinois. My three main goals were to see: 1) the seven Lincoln-Douglas debate sites (plus a live debate between Lincoln [George Buss] and Douglas [Tim Connors]); 2) Rock Island, where a famous Lincoln court case involving a steamboat and a railroad bridge took place; and 3) the Illinois and Michigan Canal area, a key internal improvement project promoted by Lincoln. All these are research for my forthcoming book. Along the way I stopped in tons of tiny towns boasting some connection to Lincoln, all with the requisite Lincoln statue.

Next up is a road trip to Massachusetts and Maine to visit family in August, a September road trip from Crater Lake in Oregon to Glacier National Park in Montana, a trip to Gettysburg for the annual Lincoln Forum meeting followed by another road trip to Massachusetts for Thanksgiving. We’ll likely squeeze in some shorter trips to New York City, Chicago, Charleston (SC), Richmond, and other locations that don’t take too much planning.

Immediately after Thanksgiving we’ll fly to Hong Kong to board the sister of our Baltic yacht, which will take us around several Philippine islands, then to the two parts of Malaysia on Borneo, a day in Brunei, then end in Singapore. Since we’ve now both been to Hong Kong (separately), we’ll focus a few days of extra time on Singapore and probably a trip up to Kuala Lumpur. Who knows, maybe we’ll get to Indonesia while we’re there.

Into 2019 the plans are still fuzzy, but in the works are possible trips to Antarctica, Galapagos Islands, Rio, Machu Picchu, Costa Rica, and more. One relatively sure thing is a month in Paris – the plan is to rent an apartment in the spring so I can do research on a yet another book in the works, with side trips to Brussels, Lyon, Lille, and perhaps other European locales. A friend just mentioned that her family is going to Iceland next month, and since Iceland is on my “must-see” list, it’s a good bet we’ll try to get there in 2019. We also had to pass on a September trip to Petra, so I’m hopeful we can squeeze that visit in within the next year or two along with Egypt, Israel, and environs. And then there is the long-awaited African safari we’ll try to coordinate with my brother and his wife.

I’ve been to over 50 countries (depending on how you count), but there are still so many places I want to see. So many cultures, so little time (and money).

Of course, I’m also working on several books and I’ve yet to figure out how to write productively while traveling. I did have a productive writing and editing day on the Baltic trip during our one day at sea (i.e., not in a port). The December trip is longer and includes four individual days at sea, so there is some hope. But I’m going to have to be more efficient with my writing time (including the time used to write this preview).

Which is what I’ll do right now, as soon as the washer repairman finishes diagnosing my temperamental machine. At least I got this post written while he worked.

Go to the main blog and scroll up and down to see posts on the Baltic, Chasing Abraham Lincoln, and other trips as they happen (or happened). Or keyword search at the top of the page for specific locations and evens. You should also go to Ru’s blog to see how she is documenting her year of discovery.

David J. Kent is an avid science traveler and the author of Lincoln: The Man Who Saved America, in Barnes and Noble stores now. His previous books include Tesla: The Wizard of Electricity (2013) and Edison: The Inventor of the Modern World (2016) and two e-books: Nikola Tesla: Renewable Energy Ahead of Its Time and Abraham Lincoln and Nikola Tesla: Connected by Fate.

Check out my Goodreads author page. While you’re at it, “Like” my Facebook author page for more updates!

 

 

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Happy Birthday Abraham Lincoln (and Charles Darwin)

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February 12th is always a good day because it blends my two careers – Abraham Lincoln and Charles Darwin were born on the same day in 1809. Both changed the world in remarkable ways. So Happy Birthday to Abraham Lincoln and Charles Darwin.

Lincoln Memorial Wreath Laying

It will be a busy week.  For the third year in a row I’ll be laying the wreath at the foot of the statue in the Lincoln Memorial for the Lincoln Group of DC, joined by Wendy Swanson. If you’re in Washington DC Monday at noon, stop by the Lincoln Memorial. Here is video from last year’s wreath laying.

On Tuesday night I’ll be attending a joint meeting of the Lincoln Group of DC and the Civil War Round Table of DC. Our speaker, which I’m happy to say I arranged, is Sidney Blumenthal, famous politico and author of two great books on Abraham Lincoln (with two more volumes in the works).

Saturday will take me to Ford’s Theatre for the monthly Lincoln Group of DC Book Discussion Group. We’ll finish up our current book (James McPherson’s Lincoln and the Second American Revolution) and choose the next book to read. This is a great time to join us so check out the web page link. From that group I’ll join others in an intensive meeting in which we’ll inventory Lincoln-related items we’ll auction off in April.

George Buss Abraham LincolnIt doesn’t stop there. Next week (February 22nd, 7 pm) I’ll be at the National Archives for the Lincoln-Douglas-Douglass Debates. In this very special presentation we’ll have Lincoln interpreter George Buss recreating his famous debates with Stephen A. Douglas (portrayed by Tim Connors). After a short break, Lincoln will return to have a discussion with Frederick Douglass (portrayed by Phil Darius Wallace) using a script written by world famous Lincoln scholar Harold Holzer. Harold will moderate the debates. This is a once in a lifetime event that cannot be missed. [And it’s free] Check out more info at the National Archives.

And that’s just the next two weeks following on recent events that included Part 1 of 3 as the featured book discussion on the Railsplitter podcast, a successful Ask Me Anything online Q&A, and C-SPAN coverage of my presentation on Lincoln: The Man Who Saved America.

It doesn’t stop there. I’m planning several Lincoln events for March, including joining the Board of the Abraham Lincoln Institute, attending the annual ALI Symposium, taking a trip to Newport News to view the ironclad Monitor, starting the new book in our monthly book discussion group, touring the Gettysburg Battlefield, and then the beginning of the first segment of my “Chasing Abraham Lincoln” road trip. Stay tuned.

Happy Birthday, Abraham Lincoln! And Happy Birthday, Charles Darwin!

David J. Kent is an avid science traveler and the author of Lincoln: The Man Who Saved America, now available. His previous books include Tesla: The Wizard of Electricity and Edison: The Inventor of the Modern World (both Fall River Press). He has also written two e-books: Nikola Tesla: Renewable Energy Ahead of Its Time and Abraham Lincoln and Nikola Tesla: Connected by Fate.

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January 16th – Join Lincoln Group of DC for Historian’s Panel

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LGDC banner

The Lincoln Group of DC is sponsoring a historian’s panel and dinner on Tuesday, January 16th. Join us for a great meal and presentation of ongoing research.

To register: http://www.lincolngroup.org/jan2018.html

The Lincoln Group of DC has been a venue for the study and engagement of Abraham Lincoln since 1935. Join us on January 16th at Maggiano’s-Chevy Chase Restaurant from 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm. I’ve been privileged to be a member of the Lincoln Group for many years and these events are not to be missed.

Historian’s Panel: Researching Lincoln—Mind, Body, and Soul

Panelists include John O’Brien, Dr. Jon Willen, Richard Margolies, and Karen Needles.

John O’Brien’s research has made him the leading expert on the life of Rev. Phineas Gurley, pastor of the New York Avenue Presbyterian Church (“Lincoln’s church”), and Rev. Gurley’s relationship with President Lincoln and his family.

Dr. Jon Willen is bringing his medical experience and expertise on Civil War medicine to his research on Dr. Charles Leale, the first physician to treat President Lincoln after he was shot in Ford’s Theatre.

Richard Margolies brings his expertise and experience as a clinical psychologist to the study of Lincoln’s personality and character.

Former LGDC president Karen Needles, is Director and founder of the Lincoln Archives Digital project, which was endorsed by the Lincoln Bicentennial Commission, in 2007. The goal is to digitize all federal records(executive, legislative, judicial, and military) created during Lincoln’s Presidential administration, making them available online, fully searchable.

Register on the LGDC website: http://www.lincolngroup.org/jan2018.html

David J. Kent is an avid science traveler and the author of Lincoln: The Man Who Saved America, now available. His previous books include Tesla: The Wizard of Electricity and Edison: The Inventor of the Modern World (both Fall River Press). He has also written two e-books: Nikola Tesla: Renewable Energy Ahead of Its Time and Abraham Lincoln and Nikola Tesla: Connected by Fate.

Check out my Goodreads author page. While you’re at it, “Like” my Facebook author page for more updates!

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Join Me for My Ask Me Anything #AuthorsAMA

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Ask Me Anything!Ask Me Anything at #AuthorsAMA!

Anything about Lincoln, Tesla, or Edison, that is, the topics of my three biographies.

On January 23rd at 8 pm I’ll be participating in an Ask Me Anything Q&A. At that time you can ask questions and get answers on any of my three books. Need question ideas?

Nikola Tesla was a brilliant but eccentric scientist. Thomas Edison was a chief rival and talented inventor in his own right. Abraham Lincoln saved America. Each is fascinating in their own way, and I’ve written highly illustrated biographies on all of them.Ask Me Anything about all three. Was Tesla really a genius? Did Edison steal all the inventions he got credit for? How on Earth did an poorly educated country lawyer save America?

But you don’t have to wait until the 23rd – you can ask your questions now! Just sign up on the AMA site and jot down your questions. I’ll be able to see them and respond in depth. Then on January 23rd the answers will go live and I’ll respond to additional questions as they come up. You can also “up vote” questions from others to give them higher priority in the Q&A period. [Better yet – get your friends to join in and convince them to “up vote” your question.

So join the page now and leave a question. Then come back on Tuesday, January 23rd at 8 pm for a rapid pace Q&A. Remember, you can ask me anything about Abraham Lincoln, Nikola Tesla, or Thomas Edison.

Join the site here.

David J. Kent is an avid science traveler and the author of Lincoln: The Man Who Saved America, now available. His previous books include Tesla: The Wizard of Electricity and Edison: The Inventor of the Modern World (both Fall River Press). He has also written two e-books: Nikola Tesla: Renewable Energy Ahead of Its Time and Abraham Lincoln and Nikola Tesla: Connected by Fate.

Check out my Goodreads author page. While you’re at it, “Like” my Facebook author page for more updates!

Follow me by subscribing by email on the home page. Share with your friends using the buttons below.

#AMA #AuthorsAMA

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Moving to Belgium – The Process

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A while ago I had the opportunity to move to Belgium for three years, specifically, to Brussels. I wrote an introduction to the topic and called it “If it’s Tuesday, This Must be Belgium,” based on an old movie by that name (see the link for more). My intent was to write a series of posts, and then, not ironically, traveling got in the way and I never really got the series started. Until now.

The Atomium, Brussels, Belgium

The Atomium

 

The process of getting ready to move and work overseas for an extended time was an adventure in itself. So if you’re planning on working in Europe (and other places), the following is what you’ll have to go through. Oh, and while doing all of this I had to continue working on my projects, including many very early morning conference calls with European colleagues and clients.

Luckily, my company at the time sent me a checklist of things to do for the work component. This list doesn’t count all the things I need to do to offload a lot of my home stuff or arrange to rent my house.

  1. Obtain moving quote and submit to Administrator: It was good to know my [now former] firm was paying to ship my stuff to Brussels. Unfortunately, since most of it wouldn’t fit into a European-sized apartment, I had to get rid of half my belongings.
  2. Make flight arrangements for arrival in Brussels: Prior to actually moving there I had to make a trip over to find an apartment.
  3. Set up European bank account: So I can do direct deposit and automatic bank transfers. Interestingly, my rent and utilities were included in those automatic payments. I rarely saw actual cash. Money went in and out of my accounts for major recurring income and bills, and my debit card was used for nearly everything else. I also had to keep my US account open and work out logistics of accepting rent/paying mortgage, etc. (I rented my house out to tenants while I was away).
  4. Provide information for my work permit, including:
    a) Medical certificate (filled out by a doctor and officially notarized by the Belgian Embassy):  I’m not sure why the Belgian Embassy had to stamp my form since they didn’t actually check to make sure the doctor wasn’t lying.
    b) Copy of all pages of passport: Not just the name and address page, but every page. Is someone really going to look at all of the stamps from places I’ve been? Not that it mattered because many of the visa stamps are already unreadable on the page, so photocopy just made everything completely illegible.
    c) Copy of diploma(s): Which degrees wasn’t specified, so I assumed it meant high school, BA, MS, and PhD to date. I guess this was to verify that I was qualified to work for the company that I’m already working for. [As it turned out, it also was to get some sort of special tax status for highly skilled workers, much like the H-1B visas in the US.]
    d) Copy of resume: Ditto verification…come on people, my firm was already paying me to work for them and all I’m doing is transferring between offices. I was pretty sure they checked my credentials. In any case, my then-26 page CV went on record.
    e) Nationwide criminal history record (FBI Identification Record): This was the real kicker. I can understand (sort of) that the Belgians don’t want some criminal moving there, though it seems to me that since the law firm I worked for didn’t have any concerns than it should be good enough for them. The real problem here is that it supposedly takes 16-18 WEEKS for the FBI to run a background check on me, and only after I provide them with my original fingerprints. Well, first off, where do I get my fingerprints taken? Can I walk into a police station, say something like “Book ‘im Dano” and they take a full set for me? Second, if it takes 16-18 weeks for them to do a background check on me (who was born and raised and lived all but 3 months of my life here in the US), what does this say about the FBI’s ability to do background checks for potential terrorists or even for people buying handguns? In any case, they got it done in exactly 17 weeks.

So if you’re planning to work overseas, plan well ahead of time. Other countries and continents may be different, but I doubt you’ll get into China, for example, faster than into Belgium, home of the EU and friend to the USA (well, at that time, at least; no guarantees about the current “friendship” situation).

I’ll have more on the “If it’s Tuesday, This Must be Belgium” series, including tons of traveling to other European countries during my stay.

David J. Kent is the author of Tesla: The Wizard of Electricity (2013) and Edison: The Inventor of the Modern World (2016) (both Fall River Press). He has also written two e-books: Nikola Tesla: Renewable Energy Ahead of Its Time and Abraham Lincoln and Nikola Tesla: Connected by Fate. His next book, Lincoln: The Man Who Saved America, is scheduled for release in summer 2017.

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