Hello. My name is kai bird. And executive director of the leon leavy center for biography at City University of new york, and we are sponsored by the Leavy Foundation when we do events like this to promote the arts and crafts a biography among other things. We had been a sponsor of the National Book festival for some years, and were here on a session with of the 20th anniversary i chose of the National Book festival and the theme this year is american ingenuity. We are going to be talking tonight with two notable intellectuals, Harold Holzer is one of the countries leading lincoln scholars big is currently the director of the Roosevelt House Public Policy Institute at hunter college. Ted widmer is himself the author of eight books. Professor is now on the faculty of holy Honors College for today will be discussing his latest book, lincoln on the verge, story about a 13 day train journey that lincoln took from illinois to washington, d. C. , to be inaugurated as president. These are two
Perspective, i want to thank all of you out there for all of the incredible support that you show the writers everywhere in the very, very difficult time that we are all facing. All of us at the Miami Book Fair are thinking of you and really helping that you and your families are safe and healthy. We are presenting the series, not only with the Miami Book Fair because they like family to us and we have always wanted to think them and we do think them for all that they do and a lot of people have been asking about the book fair and we will be mounting a book for this year whether its virtual, physical or combination of both, its a little too early to tell. We also want to think to sponsors, one is a literary hub. Com and also my very own culture crusaders. This evening, we are thrilled to welcome our good friend brad meltzer, to celebrate the publication of his new book the lincoln conspiracy. This is a phenomenal book and we have been with brad just about for every one of his books, we
Im very happy about that. So where are we going to go . Lets talk quickly about the lincoln conspiracy. We all know john wilkes booths store, how he ended abraham agains life and his presidency and this is the first secret plot to kill Abraham Lincoln is at the start of the presidency, before it begins. Why does it happen . When abraham i can is going to raise his right hand and become the sixteenth president of the United States the only way he can do that is take a train from his home in springfield and go to washington dc. He goes to washington dc and the only way to get from illinois to dc is on any train, you have to go through baltimore and baltimore was a slave state. The plot of the book is very simple. A secret society is planning to kill Abraham Lincoln, and ambition when he comes to baltimore in and his friend is presidency before it begins. That is the setup but what i think is interesting is the action, just where it begins. We open on this train and it is speeding through
In the Miami Book Fairs virtual author series. We have become virtual of sellers and doing virtual author events. Its great to see all here tonight. And also from a personal perspective i just want to thank all of you out there for all of the incredible support that you shown, books and books and writers everywhere in this very, very difficult time that we are all facing. All of us at books and books in Miami Book Fair i thinking of you and really helping hoping that you and your family are safe and healthy. We presenting this series that only with the Miami Book Fair because they are like family to us, and weve always we do thank them for all that they do. A lot of people been asked me about the book fair, and will be mounting a book fair this year, whether its virtual, physical or accommodation of both. Its a little too early to tell. We also want to thank two sponsors who will promote this, the literary hub and also miamis very own culture crusaders. This evening we are thrilled bra
Why it hasnt put all rumors to rest. Driven away. With less people driving, fatalities have plummeted on our nations roads. But not everywhere. Find out which states are seeing an increase and why in some places it may be more dangerous than ever to hit the road. Shots on campus. 50 years after the National Guard opened fire at kent state, well go back to talk to two students who were shot and hear from the man who took the iconic photo from that historic day. And one fresh idea in the age of contactless dining and prepackaged meals. We go inside the company thats found an innovative way to do it all while still serving real healthy food, even out of vending machines. We begin with a look at todays eye opener, your world in 90 seconds. Gilead now has an eua from the fda for remdesivir. And you know what that is because thats been the hot thing. Reporter regulators allowing emergency use of an experimental drug that could help coronavirus patients recover faster. [ cheers ] reporter pro