Author Event: Nancy Horan, "The House of Lincoln"

Darien Library and Barrett Bookstore welcome best selling author Nancy Horan to discuss her new book, The House of Lincoln.

In 1853, thirteen-year-old Portuguese immigrant Ana Ferreira lands a job as a house girl in the home of attorney Abraham Lincoln in Springfield, Illinois. While assisting Mrs. Lincoln with her sons and the duties borne by the wife of a rising political star, Ana bears witness to Mr. Lincoln’s evolving views on slavery and the Union, and observes the complexity of the couple’s marriage.

Along with her African American friend Cal, Ana encounters the presence of the Underground Railroad in town and experiences personally how slavery is tearing apart her adopted country. The House of Lincoln takes readers on a journey through the buildup to Lincoln’s presidency, the duration of the Civil War and its aftermath through the eyes of three characters: Ana, Mary Lincoln, and a Black minister and brother of a man who conducts escaped slaves through town.  The events that unfold in Springfield chronicle the making of a president during deeply divisive times, events that ultimately reshaped America and continue to reverberate today. 

Come join us for this immersive and memorable author talk!