Friday, February 27, 2009

She loves A. Lincoln

Maira Kalman looks kind of like a librarian and writes wonderful illustrated stories about quintessentially American themes. Her latest tiny book appears in today's Times. It is about her great love for Abraham Lincoln who signed his name A. Lincoln. In her piece, you will find her drawings of the pistol that killed him, the red rocking chair he sat on in Ford Theater, and a lone unmarked grave at Gettysburg.

Did you know Lincoln loved the music of Mozart, esp. The Magic Flute, and also the work of Shakespeare, esp. Macbeth? He also loved eating apples, all kinds of apples.

You will be surprised to hear he was only 56 when he was shot dead in the head.

I didn't know these tiny tidbits. But now I do, thanks to Maira Kalman.