Good evening everyone and welcome to books and books with the virtual author series we are virtual booksellers and author events its great to see you all here tonight. Thank you to all of you out there and all the support that you have shown books of books and writers everywhere at this time we are facing. Hoping that you and your families are safe and healthy. Natalie with the Miami Book Fair that we do think them people are asking about the book fair weather virtual or physical or a combination its too early to tell and also the culture crusaders were thrilled to welcome our good friend to celebrate the publication of his new book the lincoln conspiracy we have been with brad not let any virus get in the way. Everyone knows the story that with the original conspiracy in 1861 and for that first inauguration to say this is a story that few people know with deep Political Division and what they do in times of strife and on the New York Times bestseller and the escape artist and thrillers in those books to change the world. Not only operates in the world of books well read and bestselling maybe we will talk about that tonight. And much of world history. And also appeared on pbs and that is a wonderful show for kids. So its a thrilled to have him with us and with the chamber of commerce over the past 14 years. And to the businesses in coral gables and with the day to day success of 1600 members and then to engage in the chambers and with that initiative. The second Largest Chamber so after all of this to make sure his chamber makes. So on behalf of books the books i want to welcome mark to this very special event. Its an honor to be with you at books and books. You are truly want the iconic businesses familyowned and thriving even in this moment of coronavirus. And thats an opportunity to talk with brad meltzer and i will introduce them in just a moment. But first the line and on the crowd cast the 52nd birthday i am honored to spend a little time with many of you friends celebrating my 52nd. Link and traveling to washington to be inaugurated was also 52 i feel that cosmic connection. And with that family vacation. And then consumed Everything Possible and tonight is no different i want to thank brad personally for bringing us the conspiracy. And those that books and books and the Miami Book Fair. I have been part of this community for the last 95 years and right now we are very much engaged with the imagination and those that actively engage in business recovery. And that thoughtful and careful and healthy way even remotely we help to support Small Businesses in your local restaurants, retailers and take a vacation this summer to support local counterparts. And then a few comments of the lincoln and conspiracy that ill be back to ask a question and at the bottom lefthand of the crowd cast its my pleasure on behalf of the books of books with the chamber of commerce to welcome brad meltzer. Notes are you have done it again. Let me show you the funniest part of all of this 69 it looks the same both ways dont think of it dirty. There is no nerdier place to be on a friday night and where we are right now. Is not much of anything and this is a bookstore as far as im concerned personally i would not be anywhere but here thank you for showing me you are as dirty as myself and there is proof that we are not alone it always feels like it but the fact you are out there means a lot to me and he is here celebrating the 52nd birthday. And Abraham Lincoln was the same age. Thank you for joining us here tonight especially but let me tell you why. Were doing one like this next week and then atlanta and dallas so the books they get are the bookplate stuck into the thing. The only people in the whole country who have an actual signed copy of this because it will come to my house on sunday and i will write in it to whoever you want me to write to. You will have the only one. Because our favorite bookstore is books and books baby. This is it. And thats my way to say christina and mitchell i thank you everyone at books and books i have been here every single book i have done of every single one and this is no exception even the virus cannot keep us away. Thank you to books and books. And then this person met him all those years ago and to be the standard event he wanted to be a special event i dont care what event dad is i promise you that as i had no money when i was growing up and not getting what you are getting right now. Very happy about that. So where we going to go . With the lincoln conspiracy because at this point we all know the John Wilkes Booth a story with his wife in the presidency of course the first was the start of the presidency truly before it begins because Abraham Lincoln will raise his right hand and become the 16th president of the United States he must take a train and then to go to washington dc and the only way to get from illinois to dc is any train you have to go through baltimore and at the time it was a slave state. So the plot is very simple the secret society is planning to kill Abraham Lincoln and ambush when he comes to baltimore and in the presidency before it ever begins. That is the set up. What i think is interesting is the action just where it begins and on this train to be more focused and then there is a woman none of them are who they say they are because Allan Pinkerton of the Detective Agency and the woman is kate warren the first female pie that i but her socalled brother not the invalid because that is Abraham Lincoln. That is the codename. And with that secret society you dont have to read chapter one the prologue is done i just gave it to you and that is how the book opens and my brother whose name is on the cover of this book when you meet someone named josh you have to work with him those of you that are getting that joke works as well in alabama as a data south florida. But joshs makeover either and i met him now weve done two books together the first conspiracy and now the lincoln conspiracy. Josh and i have to find the best parts. And the Supreme Court definition of pornography you know it when you see it. My favorite part is when Abraham Lincoln said what happens hes in a hotel room shaking hands all day and say they are coming for you we know you have this big event tomorrow skip the event and get you out of here early. Lincoln says im not missing my event in philadelphia. Abraham lincoln is and philadelphia and then to honor his hero a man named George Washington and sure enough the next day risking his own life to be there and then Independence Hall where the declaration was signed and how everyone in america deserves an equal chance and he says god bless josh mention this is the actual quote he says it is speech that day if we cannot feed the country without the principle then he pauses and says i was about to say i would rather be assassinated on the spot and surrender. He says those words id rather be assassinated. That there is a plot at that moment he means and he pauses and what is fantastic about that moment is when they whisk him out of there. I will not spoil the ending thats not really a spoiler but then you see the codename and its one of my favorite parts of the book but it was very important to us for me to hear we will tell you about it but its far more interesting with all these different thats we were looking at but its the context of what was happening. And to see this unfolding in front of us. So whatever side you are on you think they are horrible and awful people does that sound familiar to you . And every single page for anybody who reads this and in the plot to kill him and what they do in a situation. And then to come in and yell at everyone. And is so hated at the time. And then on the ballot because they hate him so much and it even vote for him i dont care. And even after his Election North Carolina cast a resolution to secede from the union they hate him so much. But Abraham Lincoln oh and by the way why did you kill him and murder him . And he arrives we can have after the plot is spoiled. That we should not be enemies but friends. And the better of our nature. I this week with my friends at npr. But the one thing the way that we talk to each other right now is disgusting. Its disgusting. We are doing it wrong. And we need to defer to the better angels of our nature. And with any questions that you had we will talk about that as well that one of the things thats important as he put together this book we are not Abraham Lincoln at the end of the story after the emancipation proclamation and in the civil war and of course it becomes even more so. That he doubts himself and when he gets the nomination to be president is just a guy it one of the last things he does and wants to see his stepmother and then walks into her house and is so big puts is arms around the rocking chair and hugs them both and i love that image and she starts crying and he supposedly starts crying and she says i am worried he will be assassinated and i will never see him again and she is right if you see Abraham Lincoln as a human being and always said its a core belief of mine we build these great statues of our heroes and then worship at her feet and then do them a disservice because they are remember that they were kate warren or George Washington they were scared and then they were terrified. And they continue to march forward and hope that this book provides you proof Abraham Lincoln is not the perfect person. The but its proof that Abraham Lincoln we are all terrified we are scared and amazing and look around at the apartments and houses and i think thats a bad thing its a beautiful thing. That is the quick overarching idea of the book. Smith thank you for the invitation. Opening your book two chapter 69. Every book comes with 69. Thats a promise. And to do something a little bit better. And to have your thoughts enjoy this friday night. Have a drink. And then what we do day today. And then to celebrate all of those heroes who said they give very much and that began the friendship but also commend you on your covid19 debut. Douglas is a good to programs like this. They are essential because your sports but youre also very flexible so we really appreciate the opportunity to be together tonight. On asking a couple of questions. And the first one and sing a couple of the chat as well. So for those of you interested in asking questions. We will get to them. But Abraham Lincoln, and written about almost as much in history is jesus christ. Tell me about the desire to write about him. Douglas first of all, and who came up with that. So why lincoln. So we had done the Washington Book. And i think if im being honest, will probably play game as all writers do in the second book, and harry taught him. Any top George Washington. Of course with Abraham Lincoln. But i think for us, ill never forget the conversation that josh and i were just talking about it recently. And had less to do with lincoln and more to do with the civil war. Because for us, i just felt like the ground. Look who we are. And we felt like was really fed spot right now in our culture. The event space. I think it would be silly to just think like you can do things in a vacuum right now. I think that the best books that you read are not books that you love because they tell you about another character, even if you love that character, which are really looking for is a story about yourself read the stories you love the most to you something about yourself. Great stories are mirrors. In great heroes are mirrors and Abraham Lincoln is certainly merit for all of us. This who we aspire to be. He is the best of us. One of the best of us. I think for us, big picture in the mirror wasnt awfully Abraham Lincoln. Because we knew, the speech but this was sort of in another story later, the idea of the civil war is coming. What do you do with it. That was the real core. Mark its 1861, the book opens. It was a very disturbing story about a beating by member of congress. He alluded to this in some of your earlier remarks about this moment in time. People coming together being more partisan. Can you imagine, this gentleman literally gets beaten to death. And there are no consequences for its. In some ways we do that with her words these days and our accusations let me tell you, this country we were were at the boiling point. Douglas we, that story for those, so one of the things youll see in the book is prior to lincoln being elected, a few years before. It is the story of charles sumner. Hes on the senate floor in washington dc and is given this great speech about why we should into slavery. In the next day or a few days later, a sitting congressman walked into the senate floor and is that a walking stick, would stick with metal tip on it. He walks over to sumner pretty to the senator and says senator, you have reputation you ruined it. And he picks up his cane and it starts hitting sumner with it. Again and again and again and again and again. And he keeps going. Anybody. And no one can save them. And they go again and again and again. Like a baseball bat. This is a sitting congressman. Physically meeting the United States senator on the floor of the senate. You think we hit each other now. It almost sounds naive but i will say it we were caught off guard and we know its brother against brother. I dont think any of us appreciate the level. Its one thing to hate someone. In another to want them dead. I think it was pretty staggering sing those early parts of the book. We really wanted to paint that picture get your perspective. Mark you talk a little bit about josh and the researcher done. But npr describes that the book is kind of relentless. And i like the idea of being on a locomotive, that train is taking you to dc and everything is frantic. More interestingly enough, is to really running multiple storylines and their conversions. Using this all come together but you dont necessarily know what is going to happen. I thought i knew everything about Abraham Lincoln. The things you discovered uncovered things that i did not know about. Douglas you are totally, we fully you on all levels. Listen, is hitchcock quote phillies to keep on my computer when i started writing thrillers. Gun pointes anticipation of the scariness. Its not scaring. Hunting maintain the suspense. And he will say, when josh and i had to do, he was executive producer on cost history. In the 911 like with him and worked with him. He was the best writer and researcher we had on tape separated he was no Award Winning documentarian. I had the idea for the Washington Book. I want him in the publisher was sending me all of these writers are kind of, regular normal history writers. Would be the box i would say, the research is good but is so boring. I am bored. I dont care. It is not alive. I wanted josh and he said he wanted josh and he defended me. He said i seen your writing and you will be able to write about. We will do it together. The first time of Work Together on the Washington Book he wrote everything chronologically in the first draft and then into the second draft. Then i did them one after that then we alternate. I sent him, this is all out of order. I took the entire book and took it apart and report back together this is the cliffhanger and he goes here. Now it is foreshadowing. And literally just moved all of the pieces and then he was like, not scary. I said no. And so i added and rewrote all the cliffhangers. Obviously, were both doing research and writing. But we figured out the kind of way that we move together. So by the time get to this book, we had done it once before. And now we know what to look for. So when you find those moments, like them on the train or summer, on the senate floor. We were like well this is coy to be beautiful. Because it really sets up the tension that is coming. Mark solicit question that was put in the chat. Its hard to little better about talking or writing with a partner. Maybe a little deeper dive and then what role did the library of Congress Play in the rules of research. Douglas everybody is like where did you do your research. I said theres this thing is place call a library. Does anybody know what a library is good for. What can you get in the library and the kids will say books. And i was a way as our library. Finally like one can will be like, they are free there. And kids dont even know. So from the library congress, from the National Archives, and all of these different places. And yes online. It was resource to find some of the most amazing things. When we do this book, is easy to to probably find some of the things we can go and read a just kind of like to concede some things there. The fund to me, is of course always making sure that youre bringing the primary sources in. What was vital to us as were always getting the primary sources. And for us, was vital. The pinkertons for amazing. We had to have them in there. I want to make sure they were on there. Mark i can hear you youre having a little bit back and forth. Douglas in case it was lost, the vital thing for us is the primary sources. In one of the best primary sources in the book when the pinkerton diary. Allan pinkerton, lets talk about him for a moment Pretty Amazing guy who wanted to make his way to chicago. He wants to fight crime. One of the things he wants to do is things that people in chicagos dirty so i hangs out a big shingle that has a big giant eyeball this is whenever slick. This will be the more private i from. This giant eyeball. From Allen Pinkerton. In the morning love. Allen pinkerton, one day, and 26 yearold woman walks into his office. In her name is kate moran. Twentysix yearold widower. No kids because to support a family. She puts and the paper. She said i want to be the prime night. No one at the time would hire somebody or a woman to Law Enforcement or private i pretty and she said men talk to me and say things but they dont say to you pretty the rightwing they should say things to me that they shouldnt and they want to impress me as woman. And to his credit in the moment, he said you know what, men are going to say thanks to her that they will never say to me. Because Allen Pinkerton greatest asset is power that he has as an investigator as he infiltrates. Thats what he does for life. He will infiltrate. So he puts her with all of the women in all of the wives and the knights of the Golden Circle. The secret society is trying to kill lincoln. And he says to the other one who like to drink a lot, you in the bar. Then just say oh, i hate Abraham Lincoln. Which slavery lasted forever. Youll make friends. You say that, they will say come hang out in our secret society. Its a trap. We didnt watch 50 episodes of law and order at the time. Join the club. So Allen Pinkerton is like a termite. And they come in they eat the foundation. Those big giant support columns in the whole building crumbles. That is his power. So love the fact that we get to see when we look at the primary sources, Allen Pinkerton was meticulous keeper of the diary. Make sure all of his and contemporaneous accounts and everything they do in every day. One of these people of our work. Their writing to anyone said and did. Theyou need to know who your sources are and where was everybody. It became the treasure trove of trying to put this giant puzzle together. Mark you seem to have an expectation that his team would do the same type of fieldwork. But his relationship with kate by the time 1861 rolls around, and tremendous faith and trust in her. And really shes a key player including being on train that night as she talked about to bring president lincoln to through baltimore and into washington dc. The sun only dangerous but again never would typically see a woman in that role. Douglas he trusted abraham leg into her. She becomes the cliff note in history. Not to me. Shes a hero. Im thoroughly convinced that theres a magic also. Shes wonder woman. Especially the scene where she walks into pinkertons office. Shes perfect. Its incredible. Mark you talk about pinkerton at the end of the book, i think you do a task in trying to rehabilitate a little bit of his reputation. Obviously lanterns life, they seem to seems to live about a hundred and 50 because he married and remarried and kids and so many tragedies. There were some writings at time and accusations that he was not on the up and up. But i think he did job of telling everything. Listen, we have looked at all of these primary sources. This is what we fallout. Douglas youll see there is one account of the secret society. I love the scene you see the secure society, they meet in this dark candlelit room they slowly try to figure out who is going to shoot Abraham Lincoln. Who is going to be the one to pull the trigger. And they are drawing straws. Brad draws one more cause one chris gino rose wanted. Never has a short straw kill abraham we can. I just say i dont want to run it but you will see that. Lets just say there is not just one short straw. In one like i backup plan. It is fun to watch a plywood but when we look at the account of it, theres only one person who actually can verify that this happened. We cant verify this one taken from what it is. We dont know the answer. If we dont, thats we say this or we look into this or we doubt this. I hate when historians win review last time. One historian said i told this is the exact way it happened. And i said, something in the book, little tiny detail because were basically said he could the smoothest blade can be verified. And he said i know it was. Emily, thats just reckless. In wrong. Nobody knows it was. No one was there except this 1 percent. For me, i think historians for centuries want to tell you, here is the way it was. I will now present the truth to you. And to me, as we all know, truth can be many things to many people. We state especially in the end, we saw this and we saw this, we dont know how to square the circle but were going to give you a call of this evidence. We think it is this way but we wanted to know that its opinion. All the rest are facts. I hope really appreciate that. Mark another character in this book, i learned an awful lot about the secret society and those groups and all types of other actions, militias. It seemed like the wild west and yet this thing never ended up, the governor stay true. But then an important backup. Everything in outflow from baltimore. So i wonder how baltimore ends know this history are learning this history. Because of you josh. Douglas i did an interview in baltimore. When baltimore was, either yesterday on tuesday. This was the most famous story in the world that the point. In america certainly. Using newspapers. You can see the writings about that. As we are talking, you gotta ask why cannot not know the story. I didnt know the story. This was the most famous story. But guess what happens basically week later. The civil war explodes. The four years later, Abraham Lincoln his bulletin his head. This becomes another note that gives false prettiness in baltimore, they are not proud of the story. This a black eye on them. If you go kill Abraham Lincoln, youve really a bad press for the love the fact that baltimore is kind of, we were supposed to do an event there. I thought my safe there. Luckily, i am safe here with you. Mark but please come by train. Mark thats the weirdest thing they literally have horses draw the train across trent town. If so now we have amtrak make can go to boston. Brad john amtrak. The way it worked back then, different wealthy companies, when on a section of the country. You owned the part of the northeast you have the philadelphia area. The state in the book, he owns a section right in baltimore. An whatever way you come in you gotta get off the train in baltimore and you have to walk a mile take a horse drawn carriage are the forces will pull your car. But you must, the train tracks and a new move over here than the changes this vegas washington dc and south. By the way i said softly did this. And that was the plan. Abraham lincoln will get off at this trade. And when he does, and it walks or takes a horse or anything, he strapped. What in the donatists. Because it was secret service back to doing security. They were publishing his train schedule and was meeting and when he was meeting in the newspaper everyday. Everybody thought this was great we should go meet him. I thought well we should not tell of his enemies exactly where he was. Mark you couldnt get to dc without going through baltimore. I think about president lincoln. He probably was in terms of president s, pre secret service, so many thoughts. Yet he was a guy who would arrive at the white house at the soldiers home, every weekend by himself. The sitting duck is few wilfrid be detailed that, you actually feel the tension. No mr. President , you have to know thats not a good idea. Yet he was very much proud. Brad i havent told the story anywhere. A story of grace. He got out the letters, 11 yearold girl embrace. And she before lincoln while he was running for president write them a letter insensible my brothers going to vote for you. Lincoln is cleanshaven at the time. She said i think people would like you more if you grow a beard. He writes back to her, and he said im taking on this and im think about it. That he grew a beard. And you see when his train is going from illinois coming to baltimore and coming to dc. Race actually, she comes to see him. As excited because i know this is crazy but he remembers her. And she comes with flowers and meet him at the train station. In the first thing he said to her was look grace, this is the beard i grew because of you. And 1111 yearold girl is responsible for the most famous beard in history. I flew in this. But as at the National Archives maybe a year and half ago. They knew i was working on a look the brunt of this grace fidel letter. Actually have the realtor. It is not open to the public pretty cannot see it. But they know my obsession in the should be the letter. The one wrote to him i forget which one they have. I can give them the copier they have her response back pretty but in the National Archives. So many other, dont try tos deal the declaration of independence like nicolas cage. Get grace letter. Mark were here for the bear letter. Im with you. Well get to the questions and chat in a few minutes. One of the things that lincoln dealt with was law. Tell the story about him going to see his mother and some of the ready losses mode before he was ten pretty he lost a sister in childbirth. In 18 the horses father had passed. Any loss, two sons. A lot of people putting since melancholy as we refer to it. Many believe that he was suffering from depression. But the treatment at the time wasnt known. I had a lot of loss around him. Some would say led to his openheart in his ability to listen to people the way he wrote, the way he connected. Thoughts on that. Brad s interesting. Obviously like you, anything that gives me insight. To be a better person. I would get to be someone that we hold a high regard for. I think for me, i think thats a causation of his kindness. Maybe. But people have really crappy things happen to them over and over again. The become really bitter about the world. So i certainly believe in us since of depression. Even a guy who dreamed about his own death pretty division. As a vision in america were half of his face is messed up. And lincoln himself said, it means that im going to be assassinated and die my first term. He was wrong about the date but dead right about the story. As a pretty dark thought that youre taking with you as you enter the presidency. Youll see a lot of stories in the book about lincolns childhood. Because i want to pay play arm chair freud, see the stories of him or maybe bird falls from a e and he is writing with his friends on horseback and then a stop like why are you stopping. Devoted baby per documentary. And he said if i dont have the baby bird, going to not to be able to stop thinking about it. That is a sign of a nice person. Character is what you do when no one is watching. And what you think is important when it doesnt matter. Hes not doing that because these running for office. Bernice from something for anyone. If anything hes making a with late. Basic i have to do the right thing. And i dont your ten years older 52 years old. Like sometimes it is hard to delight thing. But somebody has to. I dont think the horse in his life made him a nicer person. I do think they have to give him a level of empathy. He single letters that he writes to the fallen troops. In the families. See letters in the book that is writing, were just like oh my god. He writes to one of a family whose loses multiple family part children. He tested the family, varied a lot of family members two. I want to share this with you. The solar president writing, is just someone who is a good human being. Causation is a hard question. Again something within him that gives him the empathy. Maybe its your nature. Hes doing misdeeds long before everyone dies. He still being that person who he was. As you get older, you become a more accented version of who you are. If youre a and more mature, if youre impatient, more impatient. The become caring teachers of ourselves. I watch it when i buried my own parents. At the end of the rights of my mother was never had a bad word pretty she was on her deathbed and is among are you doing. It just instinctively came out a dumb question. She said fantastic on her deathbed. And i thought wow, that was about my answer there. But that is who she was pretty so she was becomes even more extreme freedom of father as well. And thats my lincoln arm chair for you. Mark while thing is pretty darn good. So im going to give you three questions on what three rapidfire responses. William stewart. Brad super awesome senator secretary of state, surprised is not bitter that he lost. Mark tina rebels concept that has been so flushed out. About my favorite name in the entire book. How about president hamilton. Brad okay, you cannot pick your Vice President. It was picked for you at the convention bring Abraham Lincolns Vice President in his first term was hamilton hammond. Its who the inventors fight in the next avengers movie. , and tried if have present and listen, you cant help but to ask. Does he take over. Are they better than rise better to the occasion. To give us something more inspiring. Maybe or maybe not. Anyone who tells you that they know, is a big fat liar. But heres what i do know. That the story of Abraham Lincoln, is this kid who comes from nothing who teaches himself to read and write. Sticks in the dirt and rises to the highest office in the latest not just the story of her 16th president. That was the story of the market dream itself. I think beyond the message of proclamation. In what happens in the decisions and fermentations. Beyond all of that, i think the difference on the american psyche would be profound. Thats what i believe. Mark captain. Brad the greatest mustache and a whole book. And this is a book with great mustaches. We promise you that pretty can a great mustache. I nearly my character. He is the leader of the knights of the Golden Circle. In the offshoot of it is a secret society. Oh yeah short answer. Great possession and he just might kill you. Mark an essential figure in in terms of the entire plot. Brad he is the bad guy. The cats and laser shark. If he has that, we know everything we know today. Mark i have a couple of questions for you. This the second president ial conspiracy that you done. Are there other present youre looking at writing about i. E. Candidate. Brad . Mark is a mesquite. In canada pretty. Brad . Brad okay keith, good question pretty yes we have done, can just a mile away. It wanted it to be big in the center of the site so it would be the opposite of this. I said what would you do that. When a switch it for yourself my Graphic Design obsession was kind of doing the same. Did washington we done lincoln. Yes we are doing someone else. I cant say who. But i will tell you that in terms of new books men the people have seen this. We do these casebooks. I started writing kids books to give my own kids better euros to look up to. Heroes of kindness and compassion especially now predict his next one. Benjamin franklin prayed im going to show you the one after that. It may be our most important book ever done. I am man break. And what i want to show you, we have not shown this anywhere but the one show you the art the first time. It is a publisher that you did not say this if your publisher. The code of silence is on. Im going to read this to you. Some big part of the middle of the book. Ive not read to no one. Honoring this to you. This is the first ever reading the Benjamin Franklin when, in my life, i worked hard to improve things. Including improving myself. That does not come easy. When youre trying to improve things there will always be a risk of failure. Dont let it stop you. And learning from failures, youll make progress. New ideas are like lightning. And if youre instantly pretty striking from nowhere with staggering power. That is power is yours and use it while it wisely and go change the world. Check it out, is the end. Mark the word power. Brad new ideas are like lightening. And let me show you also, dont tell anyone i showed you this. So in the back of the book, but always hide like he strikes prayed so you can see like little tesla there and all of these amazing Little Heroes in here. Lets go also put in there. As of oclock lightning. Thats doc and marty mcfly. Thats right. Historically accurate thats in the Benjamin Franklin i believe all of history of the thanks to us to finally getting it right. So dont tell anyone. Dont tell anybody you saw that. I want you to have it. Thats a good one. Mark i think when we are doing this number of years ago. It was super generous. I think their name was in one of your books, is a character. Thats an opportunity for your character chair. Brad bad pager in has a winner in there. On that page. Theres whole family and their. We just did this. We always hide in every single book the next hero. If you want to know who the next hero is. So we hide in every single book. Mesonumber 27. Every book. Superman is hidden in arabic. Clark kent. We really do a lot of charities and auctions in early hard. At first they ignored us. Mark a couple of comics in question. Some people claim that you do not worry about. Brad we wait wait. Mark standby ladies and gentlemen. Feel free to ask more questions. Oh here we go. Brad you didnt think i had when did you. Mark we had a few people concerned that you were not in costume. Brad i almost did it in the start that i thought no, i will just stay here for the end. Mark but the actual style of heads when lincoln more when he was portraying the invalided brother. Brad everybody wants to know what his customers pretty because people started reporting on it loosely. Using the book we say, we believe its us. I firmly believe that what we say words exactly what he wore predict you will see all of the evidence pretty. Mark that i couldnt get that image out of my head. A couple of question and tried quick questions here. Will there be a sequel. Brad yes is the answer. Thats actually what i am working on right now. Benjamin franklin and anne frank, and i have been working at light for so long. And i am hoping, maybe next year. But obviously because of the virus, the goal is to probably get it out to you next year pretty but yes they are coming. Those characters are two of my favorite i have ever ever worked on. Thank you for asking. Every day there living in my brain. Mark what about the biggest aha moment or surprised your research. Brad i think my favorites was still of that one for he goes on to George Washington. A lot of the grace story. Theres a lot of good ones. You know what i love. On of his buddy, Abraham Lincoln. So the time, theres no secret service during security. Until 1865 when we can stand. But one of the things he does do is they have cops in place. But he basically brings his body is like this bag giant burly man who carries a knife and guns. These basically saying, to your toughest friend from high school. Dude, come with me just to get in the fight. Even abraham think it is that. And i story of a republican son. Moving the inaugural address. Robert todd is like come on. I am there to meet girls break. Everyone is like hes a playboy. Hes taking a little late from harvard. He just wants me girls and drink. He wants to have a good time. What is the guy do. Dad, i lost the inaugural address. And he said you had one job. Mark job. [laughter]. I love that. Give it to a bellman or something. Can you give you an idea of what he sees another portrayals and he was lincolns only child. Who lived to maturity. Brad and he is there. When he watched another president go down pretty to is an incredible story. Mark i did not know that pretty Abraham Lincoln belong to many secret societies they pan out pretty. Brad good question pretty we did not get there. Basically see bookend as he sorted. Hes not in the list, i dont think he it is a freemason. This 14 u. S. President s who are freemasons. I dont think he is on the list. You just described the rest of my nights now. So thank you. Mark significance of the number 27 pretty. Brad i will never say. On make sure it right pretty damn thing, with anne frank is have you write a book about the holocaust. You see this kind of beautiful light glowing light like you want to be popup. But when she goes into the end, what we should of the book, the couldnt be like a normal book. So told chris chris that we are going to shrink every page to a horizontal panel. So that as she goes to the attic of the space around her shrinks. And as you get to the end of the book, it gets smaller and smaller and smaller around her. Youll see when you actually get to see the finished book. No one knows that either. So please dont tell anyone. Its a beautiful rendition of it did. Mark keeping a lot of secrets for you brad. Brad if youre watching now, you are family. I trust you. Dont put it on twitter. Mark my ultimately do you think the conspiracy in the pot killed the president in 1861. But there is one ingredient. What is it that you think ultimately boil down to pretty. Brad a lot of good fortune comes his way. Things work out for him in ways that you needed to work out. Especially the hiring of pinkerton. If at the end of the day, and the good guy that guy stories, the listener life, the bad guys just have big mouth. And swipe conspiracies fall apart. No one can keep their mouth shut about something thats really big. These guys at the end of the day, they cannot stop bragging about it. Theyre so lost their venomous hatred for this man, who they think was to get rid of slavery. To be clear, the step how lincoln was elected. He does want to abolish slavery. You keep it if you have it. And any estate will have no new slavery. We will contain it. But frederick douglass, and great thinkers like that, help lincoln evolve on the idea. But to anyone who is just a racist like the lines of the Golden Circle are policing lincoln is a public enemy number one. And they cannot keep their mouth shut. If they could just really keep it quiet, they didnt speak to alan pinkertons people. Maybe he would never find out what happened. Maybe it would but is Pretty Amazing to watch it mess its way up. Mark what world leader would you like to meet. Wont you like to ask him or her. Brad im going to assume that you can go to to the dead. I would probably pick mr. Rogers. I was thinking a celebrity jim henson. World leader. Photo essays Abraham Lincoln. There is no question. When you do these kinds of books, and research your bureau. As a huge risk involved with it personally. Because when you tighten the microscope on anybody, famous people your friends, when you look real close, you start seeing the cracks. In the person and you start saying the scars. And lincoln has them. Even when slavery ends, is not perfect in every way. He makes a couple of really bad decisions. They could use maybe classroom laws. What necessarily the best choice and you really look back at it. If you really try to give people freedom. But my god, everyones falls apart some way. But lincoln is one who lives up to it. Even when you tighten the microscope. You find a couple of bad political decisions pretty i dont care about those pretty and look at him as a person. Like my gosh, over and over he does the right thing pretty makes right call. I know its hard especially today to find justice in the have us agree on it. Or what the right thing is pretty became a debate to truth. Become the sink it doesnt exist anymore. But Abraham Lincoln makes me believe in people again pretty really does. Thats why we study him. Not find out about him, but to find out how we can be that way too. Mark i think that is a perfect spot for us to bend. I think our comments about the hero living up to the highs. A couple of thank yous from folks. Thanks for coming in speaking to the leadership florida summer. Brad yep. Mark and then a great idea that in honor of nurses week this week and what we are going through the front lines with the coronavirus, maybe 9 00 a. M. Florence nightingale book in your im series. Brad so shes on our short list. So dont tell my told you. Not supposed to say anything that you may see florence nightingale. Cartoon show on pbs. Some really good ones. Another secret. Do not tell them. Abraham lincoln is coming out and i give you a riddle. His awesome hes coming. Mark i think is funny when you say pbs people get past. Brad yep and there like a shark. Mark there like no, we are very upset with you. Mark they are the nicest people in the whole world. They really are. Mark im going to invite another person back. Great questions from our audience. Thank you for spinning our friday night a little bit of my birthday together. All my wonderful friends. My Virtual Birthday party. Brad, we need to do this again pretty. Brad one less thing i need to say thank you to marco has been hero. He spends his 52nd birthday. For those who dont know, a masterful leader in our community. On thank you not just for being here with the service that you give to our community. It means more than you know. And to everyone watching tonight thank you for sticking around the small. We wanted to do Something Special for you. Really had some depth to it. Most important, theres a man, i dont know if hes here there. The Mitchell Kaplan red. Mark theyre not hearing the sounds of hundreds of people clapping right now. Brad when you buy a book, you vote. Then tonight you bought the book because thats how you are here. But to see you voting there pretty continue to do that. Click on their site. There are local institution here in miami but all of the country to write it thank you thank you thank you. If you want to buy more books. Any book you buy from me, by sunday, i will personalize it. I wanted fathers day gifts, the mail. The last time we did this, i signed in my house for seven hours. They brought 800 books to my house. Or as many books as you want. I will personalize your book. So send me love pretty thank you for joining us on the friday night. Thank you much we love you. You guys are the best friend and thank you all for watching. This is a remarkable evening. And come back tomorrow. Thank you guys, love you brad. Love you mark. See you soon. Having lived through a loss of confidence. Unable to trust what we are told by anyone who calls themselves an expert. It becomes very difficult for us to arrive to a challenge like this. Our first reaction is to say no, they are lying to us. Theyre only in it for themselves. A lot of our National Institutions have got to take on the challenge of persuading people again. That they exist for us in their care for the country. Sunday june 7th on noon eastern an in depth. Life conversation with author and American Enterprise institute scholar. His most recent book is a time to build. Other titles included the great debate and fracture of the republic. During the conversation with your phone calls between syntax and Facebook Messages predict cspan2. Hello everybody. Welcome. Thank you so much for joining us. We continue to bring you authors you love