Lincoln, Lincoln Everywhere...

It's 2009, and that means that in just one month, we'll be celebrating the 200th birthday of Abraham Lincoln, the 16th President of the United States. February 12th, to be exact, and they're sure to have a great celebration in Hardin County, Kentucky, where Lincoln was born.

In the world of book publishing, it's been impossible to miss this anniversary. Over the past year, there have been over 50 new books written about Abraham Lincoln and the times in which he lived. Topics have ranged from tall tales of his early life (Abe Lincoln Crosses a Creek), to his love for nature (Abe Lincoln Loved Animals), to the escapades of his kids (Mr. Lincoln's Boys), to his leadership in the Civil War (Mr. Lincoln's High-Tech War), to his marriage with Mary Todd Lincoln (The Lincolns), to his assassination (Lincoln Shot).

Lincoln's life is well documented, and the above books can be found at the CHMS Library, as well as many others on his life and times. For those who want to find out more online, check out the Library of Congress' Abraham Lincoln: A Resource Guide, which is a great look at many parts of his life. Included are such tidbits as this:

These (minus the newspaper) are the contents of Lincoln's pockets at the time of his assassination. The $5 bill is actually a Confederate bill! Was he keeping it in his wallet as a souvenir? No one knows...