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October 8, 2004

Authors to Discuss First Daughters and Their President Fathers on Oct. 27 at Library of Congress

A "Books & Beyond" Series Presentation

Gerard W. Gawalt of the Library's Manuscript Division and his daughter Ann G. Gawalt will discuss and sign their new book, "First Daughters: Letters Between U.S. Presidents and Their Daughters" (Library of Congress in association with Black Dog & Leventhal Publishers, 2004), at noon on Wednesday, Oct. 27, in the sixth floor Dining Room A of the Library's Madison Building, 101 Independence Ave. S.E., Washington, D.C.

The presentation is part of the Center for the Book's "Books & Beyond" author series, which highlights new books of particular relevance to the collections and programs of the Library of Congress. Co-sponsored with the Library's Manuscript Division and Publishing Office, this event is free and open to the public. The book signing will follow the program.

"This compelling anthology draws on the Library's vast collections of presidential papers, as well as those of other presidential libraries and private libraries, to open a unique window into the special familiar relationships of our first families," said Librarian of Congress James H. Billington. The latest in a long list of Library of Congress publications from the personal papers of America's presidents (the Library of Congress holds the papers of 23 American presidents from George Washington to Calvin Coolidge), "First Daughters" includes many letters being published for the first time as well as photographs and original artwork.

"Thirty-one U.S. presidents have been the father of girls, and most of them took time from their public lives to write private letters to their daughters on a wide range of subjects" said Gawalt, historian and curator of presidential papers in the Library's Manuscript Division, who compiled the anthology with his daughter Anne G. Gawalt, an attorney with a special interest in history, politics and women's rights.

The Center for the Book was established in 1977 to use the Library's resources to stimulate public interest in books and reading. For information about the center and the activities of its affiliates in 50 states and Washington, D.C., visit the center's Web site at www.loc.gov/cfbook/.

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PR 04-182
10/08/04
ISSN 0731-3527

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