BOOKS & AUTHORS | Your Friend Forever, A. Lincoln

On Thursday, May 26, join historian and psychoanalyst Charles B. Strozier to celebrate the release of his new book, Your Friend Forever, A. Lincoln: The Enduring Friendship of Abraham Lincoln and Joshua Speed. The book examines the friendship between young Abraham Lincoln, who was 28 when he moved to Springfield to pursue a career in law, and 22-year old Joshua Speed, a local general store partner and shopkeeper. The two men became roommates and close friends during Lincoln’s burgeoning political career, and Speed is often credited as an important part of Lincoln’s life in Springfield.

According to Cullom Davis, the former head of the Lincoln Legal Papers project, Strozier’s book is hailed as “the definitive account of this critical period in Lincoln’s life.” The evening’s festivities include a book signing at 6 p.m. followed by a talk at 6:30 p.m. Seating is limited and available on a first-come, first-served basis; free reservations can be made online at http://presidentlincoln.illinois.gov.