Walkng Lecture at the National Portrait Gallery

Fiona and Abe

 In June, Fiona came for a visit and to give a lecture at the National Portrait Gallery about her book, focusing on the relationship between Thomas Nast and Presidents Lincoln, Grant, and Hay.  We all thought that it was going to be bit more like a formal lecture and not what it was, which was weird. One of the museum's "Three-Point Author Talks", Fiona stood before there presidential portraits.  The crowd that was there (about 20) were gathered together about 10 minutes before her talk began.  A relaxed setting, Fiona did her thing entertaining the masses with educational and interesting stories about Thomas Nast, his life, his work, and his influence on American history by using Nast's relationships to and with Lincoln, Grant, and Hay. 

standing crowd listening to the description of Nast's relationship with Lincoln

 At one point, signals got crossed and both she and I thought that she was running over time, so she moved onto the next painting.  Only, it wasn't time.  The museum program director just wanted her to stand closer to the painting.  Gotta come up with a better signal than touching your wrist and a directional head nod-- to me, all signs to move on, not to move closer. 

Fiona and President Grant

 Regardless, Fiona was awesome and it made me (and Will!) once again be in her history class.  After the walking talk, we went to the gift shop to sign books.  (Here is where the program breaks down: no sign saying to meet the author; no sign saying that there was a walking tour at 2 with the author; really just poor in-shop advertizing.). 

F with President Hay, as she describes the sad ending of Nast's list

the group

Ulysses, Tom, and Faynaynay

Fiona's book at the gift shop

Where is the sign to meet the author?

The Author ready to sign

After signing books, we were taken on a private tour of the museum, where Fiona, idiot savant, was able to name the people in the portraits as we walked by without reading the exhibit label.  She made sure to stop by a crazy dude and her historical boyfriend, General Sherman. 

Crazy dude!

Her heart is going pitter-patter!