December 4, 2012 New Novel Posits “Lost Diary” of Abraham Lincoln

What if Abraham Lincoln recorded his innermost thoughts as he moved toward the realization that he must end slavery? What if he lost that diary, but a recently discovered letter suggests that the diary is still out there?

Such is the premise of “The Lincoln Letter” (Tor/Forge, 2012) by William Martin, his latest mystery novel featuring treasure-hunter Peter Fallon. Martin will discuss and sign his book, which he researched at the Library of Congress, on Monday, Dec. 10, at noon in the Mumford Room, located on the sixth floor of the James Madison Building, 101 Independence Ave. S.E., Washington, D.C. This Books & Beyond program, sponsored by the Center for the Book, is free and open to the public; no tickets are required.

In “The Lincoln Letter,” author Martin brings the Civil War era to life not only with the figure of Lincoln but also with Oliver Wendell Holmes, John Wilkes Booth and others. Readers see Washington not just as the bustling modern city it is today; they also see the Washington of 1862 – a muddy city of Confederate spies, gambling dens, overcrowded military hospitals and a partially constructed Washington Monument and U.S. Capitol.

William Martin has written 10 novels, including his first, “Back Bay,” which spent 14 weeks on the New York Times best-seller list. His books have sold more than 3 million copies.

Since its creation by Congress in 1977 to “stimulate public interest in books and reading,” the Center for the Book in the Library of Congress (www.Read.gov/cfb/) has become a national force for reading and literacy promotion. A public-private partnership, it sponsors educational programs that reach readers of all ages, nationally and internationally. The center provides leadership for affiliated state centers for the book (including the District of Columbia and the U.S. Virgin Islands) and nonprofit reading- promotion partners and plays a key role in the Library’s annual National Book Festival. It also oversees the Library’s Read.gov website and administers the Library’s Young Readers Center.

Founded in 1800, the Library of Congress is the nation’s oldest federal cultural institution. The Library seeks to spark imagination and creativity and to further human understanding and wisdom by providing access to knowledge through its magnificent collections, programs and exhibitions. Many of the Library’s rich resources can be accessed through its website at www.loc.gov.