Press contact: Erin Allen (202) 707-7302

October 11, 2006

Historical Biography of Woodrow Wilson's Chief Diplomat to Be Discussed on Oct. 31

Godfrey Hodgson to Present His New Interpretation of Col. Edward F. House

British journalist and historian Godfrey Hodgson will discuss his new book, “Woodrow Wilson’s Right Hand: The Life of Colonel Edward M. House,” at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 31, in the Montpelier Room, sixth floor of the James Madison Building, 101 Independence Ave. S.E., Washington, D.C.

A book signing will follow the presentation, which is part of the Books & Beyond author series sponsored by the Center for the Book in the Library of Congress. Cosponsored with the Library’s Manuscript Division, home of Woodrow Wilson’s presidential papers, the program is free and open to the public. No tickets or reservations are required.

The importance of Colonel Edward M. House in 20th century American foreign policy is enormous. From 1913 to 1919, he served not only as intimate friend and chief political advisor to President Wilson but also as a national security advisor and senior diplomat. Yet the relationship between House and the president ended in a quarrel at the Paris Peace Conference of 1919, and, since then, House has received little sympathetic attention. In this new book published by Yale University Press, Hodgson argues that House was one of the most talented and far-seeing diplomats the United States has ever produced.

Hodgson is an associate fellow at Rothermere American Institute at Oxford University. He is the author of 11 books on American politics and history, including “America in Our Time,” a history of America in the 1960s, and biographies of Henry L. Stimson and Daniel Patrick Moynihan. As a journalist, Hodgson worked for The Times of London, the London Observer and the London Sunday Times. He was one of the original anchors of Channel Four News in London and has been a commentator for BBC Radio 4, BBC World, NPR and CNN.

Established in 1977 as a public-private partnership, the Center for the Book uses the resources and prestige of the Library of Congress to stimulate public interest in books, reading and libraries. For information about its activities, national reading promotion networks and publications, and to view more than 60 of the public programs it has presented at the Library since 2000, visit www.loc.gov/cfbook.

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PR 06-190
10/11/06
ISSN 0731-3527

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