David J. Kent's Blog, page 13

Tanzania and Fire of Genius for the Holidays

The end of November and beginning of December has been a whirlwind of traveling and Fire of Genius activities. I went to Tanzania, and now suddenly it’s time to order your signed copy of Lincoln: The Fire of Genius for the holidays. One word I heard a lot in Tanzania... Continue reading

Lincoln: The Fire of Genius on C-SPAN

C-SPAN was present at my official book launch held on September 13, 2022, in conjunction with the Lincoln Group of DC dinner meeting. C-SPAN finally premiered the program on November 19, 2022, the anniversary of Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address. Appropriately enough, I was in Gettysburg all week attending the Lincoln... Continue reading

An Award, A Breakout, and A Feature at the Lincoln Forum in Gettysburg

November 19, 2022 marked the 159th anniversary of Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address. As is traditional, a commemoration is held on that date, along with a remembrance of “these honored dead.” The three days leading up to the event is also the annual Lincoln Forum, one of the premier Abraham Lincoln... Continue reading

Lincoln and the Leonid Meteor Shower

On November 13, 1833, Abraham Lincoln was awoken to the Leonid meteor shower, which is again happening now in 2022. Preachers thought it was the end of the world, but Lincoln knew better. I briefly mentioned this incident in my earlier post, Abraham Lincoln’s Interests in Astronomy, but since this... Continue reading

Interviews on The Civil War Center Podcast (etc)

My interview on The Civil War Center Podcast is now available online. I’ve been doing a lot of presentations and appearances related to my book, Lincoln: The Fire of Genius: How Abraham Lincoln’s Commitment to Science and Technology Helped Modernize America. You can check out upcoming appearances and selected recent... Continue reading

Abraham Lincoln’s Interests in Astronomy

Abraham Lincoln was fascinated by science. One particular fascination was astronomy. Lincoln had attained some knowledge of basic astronomy in Indiana. By his seventeenth year, he had reached his adult six-foot-four-inch height, his 160 pounds glued to a taut muscular frame. Awkward in movement and dress, the uniqueness of his... Continue reading

The Art and Science of Abraham Lincoln

Abraham Lincoln is well known as having interests in science, but he also had an interest in the arts. Join me at the Arts Club of Washington on October 26th to explore the arts and sciences of Abraham Lincoln. The event is open to the public. RSVP Here! This is... Continue reading

Abraham Lincoln’s Scientific Approach to the Civil War

Lincoln took a scientific approach to military strategy. The Anaconda plan’s focus was on securing the coastlines and the Mississippi River. Recognizing New Orleans as the hub of the cotton trade and commerce, Lincoln saw it as the first port to be targeted for blockade. He also hoped to block... Continue reading

Up Close and Personal – The Lincolnian Interview, Part 3 (The Final Part)

I was interviewed for the summer 2022 issue of The Lincolnian, the newsletter of the Lincoln Group of DC. This is Part 3, the final part. Here is Part 1 and Part 2. The focus was on my new book, Lincoln: The Fire of Genius. The interviewer was Wendy Swanson,... Continue reading

Up Close and Personal – The Lincolnian Interview, Part 2

In Part 1, I noted that I was interviewed for the summer 2022 issue of The Lincolnian, the newsletter of the Lincoln Group of DC. This is Part 2. The focus was on my new book, Lincoln: The Fire of Genius. The interviewer was Wendy Swanson, editor of The Lincolnian. If you... Continue reading