Austin Mayor's Book Club:
The Path to the Presidency:
From Lincoln to the Present

Join us for a premiere event for the 2016 Austin Mayor's Book Club. This year's selection is A Friend of Mr. Lincoln by Austinite Stephen Harrigan. The evening's program will feature several noted presidential scholars discussing the evolution of the presidency since Abraham Lincoln, examining the rise of various American presidents and how they shaped the executive office.

A reception and book signing will follow the program which will also feature a special appearance by Mayor Steve Adler. The Museum is pleased to present this program in partnership with the the Austin Public Library Friends Foundation, Austin Public Library, and the City of Austin Mayor's Office.

     

 

Teachers, to receive CPE credit for public programs, please send an RSVP to Education@TheStoryofTexas.com.

Support for the Bullock Museum's exhibitions and education programs provided by the Texas State History Museum Foundation.

About the Panel

H.W. Brands is the Jack S. Blanton Sr. Chair in History at the University of Texas at Austin. He has written twenty-five books, most recently Reagan: The Life, coauthored or edited five others, and published dozens of articles and scores of reviews. Throughout his career, Brand's writings have received critical and popular acclaim. The First American and Traitor to His Class were finalists for the Pulitzer Prize and the Los Angeles Times Prize. Brands is a member of various honorary societies, including the Society of American Historians and the Philosophical Society of Texas. He is a regular guest on national radio and television programs, and is frequently interviewed by the American and foreign press.

Matthew Dowd is a well-known and respected cultural commentator and strategist. For the past 30 years, he has helped shape strategies and campaigns for CEOs, corporations, foundations, governments, candidates, and presidents including George W. Bush in 2004 and Arnold Schwarzenegger in 2006. He currently serves as a special correspondent and analyst for ABC News where he appears on This Week, Good Morning America, and Nightline, and he has written regular pieces for publications like National Journal, the New York Times, the Washington Post, Christian Science Monitor, and the Huffington Post.

Mark K. Updegrove has served as the fourth director of the LBJ Presidential Library since October of 2009. During his tenure, the Library has undergone an $11 million renovation of its core museum exhibits about President Johnson and his administration. Updegrove is also an author and historian. He has authored four books: Second Acts: Presidential Lives and Legacies After the White House; Baptism by Fire: Eight Presidents Who Took Office During Times of Crisis; Indomitable Will: LBJ in the Presidency; and Destiny of Democracy: The Civil Rights Summit at the LBJ Presidential Library. Updegrove has also written for a variety of news agencies including The Nation, Politico, Texas Monthly, The Daily Beast, and Time. He is an analyst for ABC News on matters relating to the presidency, including the 2013 presidential inauguration, and a contributor to CBS Sunday Morning.

Abby Livingston, the evening's moderator, has covered political campaigns, House leadership and Congress for Roll Call, the Capitol Hill newspaper. A seventh-generation Texan, Abby graduated from the University of Texas at Austin. Abby pitched and produced political segments for CNN’s John King, USA and worked as a TV editor for The Hotline, National Journal’s campaign tipsheet. Abby began her journalism career as a desk assistant at NBC News in Washington, working her way up to the political unit, where she researched stories for Nightly News, the Today Show and Meet the Press. 

About the Mayor's Book Club

The Mayor’s Book Club is an annual citywide reading campaign to develop a community experience through reading and discussion of shared books. The program’s goal is to broaden and deepen an appreciation of literature in the Austin community, to increase the visibility of the Austin Public Library, and to promote its value to the entire community.

In the midst of a unique and tumultuous presidential election year, it is only fitting to look back and examine the rise of one of America's most honored leaders. Whether a typical historical fiction reader or not, A Friend of Mr. Lincoln is compelling for its rich and well-drawn characters and its distinct depiction of Abraham Lincoln, one that's both convincing and surprising. 

Join us to be part of this citywide effort to read and discuss A Friend of Mr. Lincoln at an exciting series of educational events exploring the novel from various points of view--from that of the writer, the reader, the fictional characters, and from a broader historical perspective. Learn more.

About the Panel

H.W. Brands is the Jack S. Blanton Sr. Chair in History at the University of Texas at Austin. He has written twenty-five books, most recently Reagan: The Life, coauthored or edited five others, and published dozens of articles and scores of reviews. Throughout his career, Brand's writings have received critical and popular acclaim. The First American and Traitor to His Class were finalists for the Pulitzer Prize and the Los Angeles Times Prize. Brands is a member of various honorary societies, including the Society of American Historians and the Philosophical Society of Texas. He is a regular guest on national radio and television programs, and is frequently interviewed by the American and foreign press.

Matthew Dowd is a well-known and respected cultural commentator and strategist. For the past 30 years, he has helped shape strategies and campaigns for CEOs, corporations, foundations, governments, candidates, and presidents including George W. Bush in 2004 and Arnold Schwarzenegger in 2006. He currently serves as a special correspondent and analyst for ABC News where he appears on This Week, Good Morning America, and Nightline, and he has written regular pieces for publications like National Journal, the New York Times, the Washington Post, Christian Science Monitor, and the Huffington Post.

Mark K. Updegrove has served as the fourth director of the LBJ Presidential Library since October of 2009. During his tenure, the Library has undergone an $11 million renovation of its core museum exhibits about President Johnson and his administration. Updegrove is also an author and historian. He has authored four books: Second Acts: Presidential Lives and Legacies After the White House; Baptism by Fire: Eight Presidents Who Took Office During Times of Crisis; Indomitable Will: LBJ in the Presidency; and Destiny of Democracy: The Civil Rights Summit at the LBJ Presidential Library. Updegrove has also written for a variety of news agencies including The Nation, Politico, Texas Monthly, The Daily Beast, and Time. He is an analyst for ABC News on matters relating to the presidency, including the 2013 presidential inauguration, and a contributor to CBS Sunday Morning.

Abby Livingston, the evening's moderator, has covered political campaigns, House leadership and Congress for Roll Call, the Capitol Hill newspaper. A seventh-generation Texan, Abby graduated from the University of Texas at Austin. Abby pitched and produced political segments for CNN’s John King, USA and worked as a TV editor for The Hotline, National Journal’s campaign tipsheet. Abby began her journalism career as a desk assistant at NBC News in Washington, working her way up to the political unit, where she researched stories for Nightly News, the Today Show and Meet the Press.