November 6, 2001 (REVISED Yes) Rescheduled Event

Joanne B. Freeman to Discuss her New Books about Early American Politics December 12 at the Library of Congress

Press Contact: Craig D'Ooge (202) 707-9189
Public Contact: Center for the Book (202) 707-5221

Joanne B. Freeman, assistant professor of history at Yale University and author of the widely acclaimed book Affairs of Honor: National Politics in the New Republic (Yale University Press, 2001), will speak at the Library of Congress at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 12, in the Montpelier Room, sixth floor, James Madison Memorial Building, 101 Independence Ave. S.E. She will discuss both Affairs of Honor and Alexander Hamilton, Writings (Library of America, 2001), which she edited. Part of the Center for the Book's "Books & Beyond" author series, the program is free and open to the public. No tickets are required.

This lecture was originally scheduled to be held October 24.

"A relative newcomer to the scholarly scene, Joanne is off to a strong start," said John Y. Cole, Director of the Center for the Book. "In addition to excellent reviews for Affairs of Honor, her lifetime interest in Alexander Hamilton is the subject of a feature article in the September 14 issue of the Chronicle of Higher Education."

Affairs of Honor, a major reassessment of political culture in the early years of the American Republic, explores both the public actions and private papers of figures such as Thomas Jefferson, Aaron Burr, and Alexander Hamilton. The book has received strong endorsements from many prominent historians. Jack Rakove of Stanford University noted that this "vividly written and analytically incisive" work heralded "the debut of an imaginative and perceptive scholar." Rutgers University's Jan Lewis, praising Ms. Freeman's work as "enormously original," called the book "a real breakthrough -- we'll never look at politics in the same way."

Affairs of Honor and Alexander Hamilton, Writings, are Ms. Freeman's first published books. The author of many scholarly articles, she has served as a history consultant for the History Channel, the Public Broadcasting Service, and the Discovery Channel. She has been an exhibition coordinator for the Library of Congress and a staff member of the National Digital Library's American Memory project. Most recently, she was the 2000-2001 recipient of the J. Franklin Jameson Fellowship Award, sponsored by the American Historical Association and the Library of Congress.

The Center for the Book in the Library of Congress was established in 1977 to stimulate public interest in books, reading, and libraries. Its program is supported by tax-deductible contributions from individuals, corporations, and foundations. For information about its projects and publications and the activities of its affiliates in 42 states and the District of Columbia, consult its Web site at www.loc.gov/cfbook.

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PR 01-135
2001-11-06
ISSN 0731-3527