"The things I want to know are in books; my best friend is the man who'll get me a book I ain't read"

~ Abraham Lincoln ~

Yesterday we heard a collective groan from thousands of parents who learned that New York City public schools would close today, in anticipation of the snowstorm. Mayor Bloomberg's announcement sent parents into overdrive -- scurrying to make arrangements for child care or taking a day off from work. The powerful storm has pounded the East Coast, and we're urged to stay home. The Mayor made the right decision -- it's a blizzard out there.

Snowy days make me want to read for hours on end. Later today, after I make another trip outside, earn a living and tackle the third to-do list of the day . . . I plan to do just that.  I'll read a bit of David Herbert Donald's biography on Lincoln (Lincoln). And later, it's The Friday Night Knitting Club by Kate Jacobs. This seems like an appropriate literary one-two punch on a snowy night.

If you're planning to visit NYC anytime soon, please check out the excellent "Lincoln and New York" exhibit at The New York Historical Society. It runs through March 25. My favorite part of the exhibit was the studio set-up that featured the camera Mathew Brady used to photograph Lincoln in his (Brady's) New York studio. We were bowled over by the  life-sized hologram of Lincoln's photographed image. After the exhibit, you can take a walk in Central Park (it's right across the street) and then repair for dinner . . . what a nice way to spend a winter's day.

Thomas Fleming is one of the finest writers of books on early American history. He's a rarity among authors; his historical novels are as entertaining as his non-fiction work. Fleming's new book sounds delicious: The Intimate Lives of the Founding Fathers is about as good a title as they come.  I'd love to know what the wives of the Founding Fathers thought of their husbands.

Falling snow. A comfortable chair. Hot chocolate. A good book.   Ah . . . 

Stay warm!