Fairfax Civil War Book Talk

On Wednesday, September 30, Fairfax author Mark Tooley will speak at 7pm at City of Fairfax Regional Library, Fairfax, on his his new book, “The Peace that Almost Was: The Forgotten Story of the 1861 Washington Peace Conference and the Final Attempt to Avert the Civil War.”

His history is the first in over 50 years on the tense days in D.C. in early 1861 when some of the America’s most important statesmen, led by former President John Tyler, gathered at the Willard Hotel to try and prevent national disaster. The book recounts not only the attempts at political compromise over slavery but also the colorful interplay of personalities involved, social and religious life in D.C. on the eve of Civil War, and the drama over Abraham Lincoln’s arrival for his inauguration.

Tooley will be speaking as part of the annual “Fall for the Book” literary festival sponsored by, among others, Fairfax Public Library and George Mason University. He is a native of Arlington, a 28 year resident of Fairfax County, a frequent commentator on politics, religion and history, and a lifelong Civil War buff.

For more info on Tooley’s September 30 talk and “Fall for the Book:”
http://fallforthebook.org/2015/07/21/festival-spotlight-the-civil-war/#