I attended the 2018 Distinguished Carlson Lecture tonight which was given by Pulitzer Prize-winning presidential historian Jon Meacham. It was held at Northrop Auditorium and the place was packed. So packed that I was forced to sit in the nosebleed section on the balcony. There was a big screen, so it was easy to see Meacham, but the closed caption they were displaying was horrible and made too many mistakes. I have no idea if it was human or computer writing those words.
Here is the blurb on the lecture: “Pulitzer Prize-winning presidential historian Jon Meacham will discuss previous moments of crisis and partisan deadlock in American history and suggest how previous generations — and we, in our own time — transcended hours of fear by heeding what Lincoln called “the better angels of our nature.”
Presidential historian, Pulitzer Prize winner, and contributor to TIME and The New York Times Book Review, Jon Meacham is one of America’s most prominent public intellectuals. A regular guest on Morning Joe, he is known as a skilled raconteur with a depth of knowledge about politics, religion, and current affairs. Meacham brings historical context to the issues and events impacting our daily lives.
Debuting at No. 1 on The New York Times bestsellers list, his new book, The Soul of America: The Battle for Our Better Angels, examines the present moment in American politics and life by looking back at critical times in U.S. history when hope overcame division and fear” (http://www.northrop.umn.edu/events/distinguished-carlson-lecture-featuring-jon-meacham).
Meacham is incredible smart, very funny, and knows how to work an audience. I had heard some of his stories before at Barbara Bush’s funeral and on a C-Span Book TV talk, but they were still fresh and funny. Wendy Nelson, Chair of the Carlson Family Foundation, moderated a talk after the lecture, but I only heard part of it as I went to stand in the book signing line. As I was there 15 minutes early I figured I would be the first person in line, but no. Sadly I was the second person in line. I already have an autographed copy of Meacham’s new book The Soul of America, so I brought two of his older books to be signed: Thomas Jefferson: The Art of Power and Franklin and Winston. Strangely I was questioned by a Northrop employee while waiting my turn to have both of my books signed. Apparently this person was anti two books and wanted me to make the choice of only one book. Really? I asked if she was making me make a Sophie’s choice decision. She didn’t respond, so perhaps she did not understand the reference or had no sense of humor. I would have picked the Jefferson book. What’s even more strange was that earlier in line another Northrop employee looked at both my books and put my name on little post-it notes in both books so my name would be spelled correctly and had no issues with two books. Was this woman anti-book or maybe she did not like how I had old books and I was not buying a book there at the signing. Whatever. She put my two books down on the table and I walked around her. So long story short, I prevailed and had both books signed. I don’t know if Meacham heard any of this, but when I was waiting for him to finish autographing my books he said “That’s a lot of dead trees”(referring to his two books) and I said “I’m a librarian so I’m use to dead trees.” Like I said, he is very funny.
