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Up Close and Personal – The Lincolnian Interview, Part 3 (The Final Part)

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Lincoln: The Fire of GeniusI was interviewed for the summer 2022 issue of The Lincolnian, the newsletter of the Lincoln Group of DC. This is Part 3, the final part. Here is Part 1 and Part 2. The focus was on my new book, Lincoln: The Fire of Genius. The interviewer was Wendy Swanson, editor of The Lincolnian.

What’s next? Do you have plans/ideas for your next book?

I have several books in various stages of planning and writing. I’m currently scoping out a book version of my “Chasing Abraham Lincoln” blog series. The hope is to examine the soul of America through Lincoln.

And what’s next for the Lincoln Gp?  Any thoughts on future events?  What else do you want to accomplish during your presidency?

The Lincoln Group has a long history of promoting Lincoln scholarship and public education and modern communication options are helping us grow into a truly national organization. This coming year is the 160th anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation, so I expect us to address that in several ways. The Group will also build closer working relationships with other Lincoln organizations in the area plus the DC school system. The country needs to learn from Lincoln, and the Lincoln Group is best positioned to help guide that learning.

Anything else you wish to add on these topics?

I was thrilled that Sidney Blumenthal agreed to write the Foreword for my book. He wrote an article on Lincoln and technology while my book proposal was circulating publishers, and his foreword is perfect for introducing the book. I was equally excited that many of Lincoln scholarship’s most renowned experts wrote back cover blurbs for me, including Harold Holzer, Michael Burlingame, scientist-turned-historian Ed Steers, former National Academy of Sciences historian Marc Rothenberg, James Cornelius, and several others. That support and confidence is extremely encouraging as the book finally makes it into stores.

Release date for the book is September 1st, but it is already available for pre-order at Rowman & Littlefield’s website, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and all other book outlets. It’s available as hardcover and e-book (Kindle and Nook), with hopefully a paperback to come out next year. I’ve also seen it listed by booksellers based on Canada, the UK/Europe, and Australia, so you can probably find it on shelves or online if you live in any predominantly English-speaking country worldwide. My earlier books were translated into multiple languages (Tesla even got translated into Czech), so I’m hopeful Lincoln: The Fire of Genius will be as well.

Not part of the interview, but I often get asked: What’s next?

Right now, I’m preparing for quite a few upcoming presentations, as you can see from the list on my Media page. That includes keynote speeches in January, February, March, and April of 2023. I’ve also started traveling again. I went to Iceland in early July and am scheduled for a trip to Tanzania right after Thanksgiving. Meanwhile, my editor has expressed interest in getting to work on my next book. And, of course, there are plenty of Lincoln Group of DC events coming up (with more to be added soon).

Finally, a reminder: If you’ve read Lincoln: The Fire of Genius and liked it, please leave ratings and reviews on Goodreads, Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and elsewhere (you can copy and paste the same review if you want). It helps more people learn about the book and is very much appreciated by all authors.

Lincoln: The Fire of Genius

 

Lincoln: The Fire of Genius: How Abraham Lincoln’s Commitment to Science and Technology Helped Modernize America was released on September 1, 2022.

The book is available for purchase at all bookseller outlets. Limited signed copies are available via this website. The book also listed on Goodreads, the database where I keep track of my reading. Click on the “Want to Read” button to put it on your reading list. Please leave a review if you like the book.

You also follow my author page on Facebook.

David J. Kent is President of the Lincoln Group of DC and the author of Lincoln: The Fire of Genius: How Abraham Lincoln’s Commitment to Science and Technology Helped Modernize America and Lincoln: The Man Who Saved America.

His previous books include Tesla: The Wizard of Electricity and Edison: The Inventor of the Modern World and two specialty e-books: Nikola Tesla: Renewable Energy Ahead of Its Time and Abraham Lincoln and Nikola Tesla: Connected by Fate.

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Kindle Giveaway, Interview Schedule, and More for Lincoln: The Fire of Genius

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Lincoln: The Fire of GeniusTomorrow is the long-awaited release date for Lincoln: The Fire of Genius: How Abraham Lincoln’s Commitment to Science and Technology Helped Modernize America. There are some important events coming up you don’t want to miss, including a Kindle format giveaway on Goodreads, an interview on “A House Divided,” and a bunch of other interviews and presentations. Plus, here are three big ways you can support your favorite author.

Goodreads Giveaway: Let’s start with the free books. Earlier this month I announced the 10 winners of a print copy of Fire of Genius. Prefer e-books? Now is your chance to win one of 100 (yes, one hundred) Kindle format copies of the book. Click here to get to the Goodreads site and click on the Enter Giveaway. If you win, the e-book will be delivered right to your device immediately at the end of the contest. But enter now because the giveaway runs only through September 5th (and be sure to leave a rating and/or review after you’ve read it).

“A House Divided” Interview: Join me as I venture (virtually) to the Abraham Lincoln Book Shop in Chicago for a special release date interview by Dan Weinberg and Bjorn Skaptason. They will grill me about the book and Lincoln in general. There is still time to pre-order the book, or order it on the September 1st release day, and get a special “day of release” signed book plate affixed to your copy. [You can buy it after release date and get a regular signed book plate]. Check out the ALBS website for more info.

Events, Events, Events: I have a ton of events coming up, some virtual, some live, and some with special gifts, so please check out my Media page to see if there is one you would like to attend. I’ll have some Civil War Round Table presentations, a special “Arts & Sciences” talk, and even one in a cemetery. The main book launch event will happen September 13th in conjunction with the Lincoln Group of DC monthly meeting. There may even be some unscheduled surprises. Check out the media page for more details.

Buy the Books: Feel free to buy copies of Lincoln: The Fire of Genius at your favorite bookseller. They should be carried by the big retailers like Barnes and Noble and Amazon, the independent bookstores (see Abraham Lincoln Book Shop above), box stores like Walmart and Target, and if you’re in English speaking countries, places like Waterstones (UK) and Dymocks (Australia). While you can buy wherever you like, independent bookstores are best for your local community. I will also have a small number of books available through this website (Buy the Books). Cost will be $30, including shipping and packaging, for a signed and inscribed book.

Take a look at my list of upcoming events and join me if you can. I’ll have books at some of the live events, and I’m happy to sign copies you may have purchased elsewhere. I hope to see many of you soon.

 

Fire of Genius

Lincoln: The Fire of Genius: How Abraham Lincoln’s Commitment to Science and Technology Helped Modernize America was released on September 1, 2022.

The book is available for purchase at all bookseller outlets. Limited signed copies are available via this website. The book also listed on Goodreads, the database where I keep track of my reading. Click on the “Want to Read” button to put it on your reading list.

You also follow my author page on Facebook.

David J. Kent is President of the Lincoln Group of DC and the author of Lincoln: The Fire of Genius: How Abraham Lincoln’s Commitment to Science and Technology Helped Modernize America and Lincoln: The Man Who Saved America.

His previous books include Tesla: The Wizard of Electricity and Edison: The Inventor of the Modern World and two specialty e-books: Nikola Tesla: Renewable Energy Ahead of Its Time and Abraham Lincoln and Nikola Tesla: Connected by Fate.

 

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Lincoln in London – Wiegers Calendar December [Plus recap]

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Wiegers DecemberWell, we’ve made it through the year of the David Wiegers calendar and Lincoln has come full circle, arriving in London, UK. In January we started in Edinburgh, which as part of Scotland may or may not continue to be part of the United Kingdom post-Brexit.

I’ve been to London seven or eight times, but not since 2015, a week in which I spent most of my time Limping in London. It’s a very walkable city, at least in the touristy areas. And so much history. Outside the city I went out to Bath (where I drank 5,000-year-old water), saw Stonehenge (where I did not adjust the rocks for daylight savings time), and visited Windsor Castle (no, I did not meet the Queen). I have, however, met royalty in Serbia. I’m sure I’ll get back there some day so I can science travel the Royal Observatory.

For those who missed the series, I’ve been using the 2020 calendar by David Wiegers highlighting his photographs of Abraham Lincoln statues. This past year they are all statues placed overseas. It turns out Lincoln is very popular in foreign ports, even if I’ve sometimes missed seeing them even when I’ve been there. To recap, here are the links to the earlier posts. Click on the links to travel with me.

January – Edinburgh, Scotland

February – Quito, Ecuador

March – Asahikawa, Japan

April – Oslo, Norway

May – Manchester, England

June – Melbourne, Australia

July – Setubal, Portugal

August – Salzburg, Austria

September – Republic of San Marino

October – Paris, France

November – Republic of Singapore

December – London, England [<– You are here]

I had purchased the 2020 calendar from Dave at the Lincoln Forum in November 2019. The 2020 Forum was turned into a virtual event because of COVID so I ordered the 2021 calendar online sight unseen. According to Dave, the “calendar is in the mail,” so I should receive it soon. I’m looking forward to see where 2021 takes me.

David J. Kent is an avid traveler, scientist, and Abraham Lincoln historian. He is the author of Lincoln: The Man Who Saved America, Tesla: The Wizard of Electricity and Edison: The Inventor of the Modern World as well as two specialty e-books: Nikola Tesla: Renewable Energy Ahead of Its Time and Abraham Lincoln and Nikola Tesla: Connected by Fate.

Check out my Goodreads author page. While you’re at it, “Like” my Facebook author page for more updates!

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Revisiting Hanoi…and More

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Mary Malone, Dublin, IrelandTo say that my first real travel experience outside the United States (other than Bermuda as a college student) was a culture shock would be to make the understatement of the century. After growing up in a small New England town where “traveling vacations” meant loading up the station wagon and driving a few hours away, my first big travel trip was to Hanoi. As in Vietnam.

The flight from Washington DC to New York to Anchorage to Taipei to Hanoi took something like 36 hours. But it was worth it. I’ve written about the experience before when I first started this page in 2012.

Here’s Part 1 that I called “Hanoi on the Half Shell.”

And here’s Part 2, “A Cup of Tea and a Conversation I Didn’t Understand.”

Take a moment to read them as they are fascinating stuff (if I do say so myself).

Since that first trip about 19 years ago I’ve traveled to something over 60 foreign countries, depending on how you count. Just in the last year and a half I’ve been in several places around the United States, a half dozen countries in Europe, five or six Asian countries, Australia, New Zealand, and probably some more I’ve lost track of. I have upcoming trips to a foreign nation I’ll reveal later and a long road trip into the Land of Lincoln.

As Mark Twain has been credited as saying, “Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness.” I agree. As I experience new people in new places I find the differences between us exhilarating, and the similarities uncanny. I highly encourage all Americans to get overseas, even if it’s only to familiar places (London) or iconic places (Paris, Rome). If you can, go some place exotic, even if it’s only exotic to you. The key is to get out of your hometown, your home nation, your home mindset. As the commercial goes, Just Do It!

I’m diligently working through thousands of photos (digital is both a godsend and a curse), so look for some great scenery coming again shortly. For now, click on “Travel” above or type in your favorite location in the search box. And have fun exploring.

And if you haven’t already, take a close look at the photo. Not every day you see a donkey head reading the Racing Times.

David J. Kent is an avid science traveler and the author of Lincoln: The Man Who Saved America, in Barnes and Noble stores now. His previous books include Tesla: The Wizard of Electricity (2013) and Edison: The Inventor of the Modern World (2016) and two e-books: Nikola Tesla: Renewable Energy Ahead of Its Time and Abraham Lincoln and Nikola Tesla: Connected by Fate.

Check out my Goodreads author page. While you’re at it, “Like” my Facebook author page for more updates!

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Traveling Travails – It Isn’t All the Good Life

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Queenstown, New ZealandIn over five years of science traveling I’ve experienced some fantastic locations, but it isn’t all the good life. Sometimes there are traveling travails. I’ve been injured traveling more times than I care to admit, and getting lost is not an uncommon occurrence. The following gives a hint of how sometimes even getting from one place to another can be a bit of a trial.

The scene: We’re part of a small group of six new friends.

The place: Starting in Cairns, Australia, with an ultimate destination of Queenstown, New Zealand.

Okay, that sounds easy enough, right? Except there is no direct flight, which means a day of flying and multiple airports in two countries. I anticipated a long day, but reality turned out to be even more complicated than I imagined. The first leg took us from Cairns to Sydney, where we were to connect with a plane to Auckland. From Auckland (on the north island of New Zealand) we connected again to Queenstown (on the south island).

Pickup at the hotel in Cairns was on time – at 3:40 a.m. Luckily there was no traffic but we cut it close, as in arriving at the gate five minutes before boarding time. The attendant at the check-in counter was efficient enough, though one wouldn’t call her the warmest personality. On boarding, the six of us were spread out in different parts of the plane. Three of us were in the very back and, unlike U.S. planes, they opened up the rear doors for us to enter and depart. Only a few rows from the tail, the three of us disembarked and made our way into the terminal. Given the short connection time, Ru and I immediately headed for the assigned transfer gate to catch our other plane. Our companion told us not to wait for him; he would hit the loo and then wait for the other members of our group. That would be the last we saw of him, or them, until the next day.

Now just two, we found the gate specified by the instructions given to us on check-in, which to our surprise meant loading into a bus that brought us to another terminal for the international flight. This took longer than we expected and dumped us outside a packed security area, which meant long lines going through passport control and baggage checks again, then a long walk to get to our actual departure gate. The gate itself required getting through a rugby scrum of people going downstairs to a series of gates, which meant being careful not to get carried along with the crowd heading to Shanghai instead of Auckland. Another passport check and boarding pass scan got us onto yet another bus to take us out to the plane, which as far as I can tell was not far from where we originally got off our plane from Cairns. As Ru and I walked up the gangway steps into the plane we desperately texted our companions to tell them to hurry. I even begged the head flight attendant not to close the door because they hadn’t arrived yet, even after a second shuttle bus came and went. He shut the door anyway and we were left with three empty seats staring at us from across the aisle, and a fourth between us.

Empty seats

The second connecting flight wasn’t much easier. Despite what the check-in attendant told me in Cairns (that we didn’t have to pick up our bags until Queenstown, which she repeated three times at my doubtful questioning), the flight attendant informed us we did, in fact, have to reclaim our luggage again in Auckland. Here we go again. Passport control, luggage claim, wait in line. The first line looked like the exit after a drive-in movie finished. After an anxious hour and a half, we passed through the “biosecurity screening” checkpoint and were sent out to a counter to re-check our bags. But wait, the woman in the “Drop Bags” area tells us we are now less than 60 minutes before the flight and there is no guarantee that they will get the bags on the next plane. Instead, she tells us, we must go outside the terminal, hike 15-20 minutes with our luggage to the completely separate domestic terminal to check our bags again. But hey, we had a helpful green line to follow down the sidewalk, across the streets (twice), and around the airport to get to the other entrance. Not surprisingly, we had to wait there for the attendant to re-check our luggage before we could walk down an increasingly long terminal, through yet another security check-in and x-ray line, then more walking to finally reach the gate where our plane was revving its engines.

Keep in mind we thought we had something like 3 hours of transfer time. We made it to the gate with only minutes to spare before boarding. But the view was amazing.

New Zealand

The empty seats next to us was a reminder that our travel mates were still somewhere in Sydney. But after our successful arrival in Queenstown we found the Super Shuttle waiting to take six – now two – of us to the hotel. When we arrived he tried to scam $26 each from us before I reminded him it was prepaid. It seems taxi drivers scamming customers is a global thing.

Eventually we found out that our four companions had been able to get a later flight from Sydney to Auckland to Queenstown that night, which was good because we were all scheduled for a tour early the next morning. They were, however, sans luggage, which didn’t arrive until the following night. That didn’t stop all of us from enjoying the next two days trailing in the steps of hobbits and cruising in the fjords of Milford Sound.

These weren’t the only complications on this particular trip, or on other trips I’ve taken. In fact, I’ve come to expect the unexpected when I travel. Sometimes it’s a missed flight or train, sometimes a lack of coordination with local accommodations, sometimes a gravel road where the map says “highway.” I even had one travel agent book my flight to Rome for the night before a flight from the U.S. to Brussels she booked in the same session. That cost me several hundred Euros and a lot of grief. But I made it. And so far I’ve survived, and enjoyed all my travel, despite the travails.

So…Where to next?

David J. Kent is an avid science traveler and the author of Lincoln: The Man Who Saved America, in Barnes and Noble stores now. His previous books include Tesla: The Wizard of Electricity (2013) and Edison: The Inventor of the Modern World (2016) and two e-books: Nikola Tesla: Renewable Energy Ahead of Its Time and Abraham Lincoln and Nikola Tesla: Connected by Fate.

Check out my Goodreads author page. While you’re at it, “Like” my Facebook author page for more updates!

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Four Monkeys in Costa Rica

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There are four species of monkeys in Costa Rica. This contrasts with no monkeys in Australia, the subject of a previous post. I recently got to see all four species of Costa Rican monkeys.

They are, in no apparent order, the Central American squirrel monkey (Saimiri oerstedii), the Panamanian white-faced capuchin (Cebus imitator), the Mantled howler (Alouatta palliata), and Geoffroy’s spider monkey (Ateles geoffroyi).

The capuchins and howlers have fairly stable populations while the squirrel and spider monkeys are listed as vulnerable and endangered, respectively. Getting photos of the spider monkey turned out to be impossible even though they are the biggest of the four species. We saw (and heard!) plenty of howler monkeys, but they were generally fairly elusive and stayed up in the high trees. The capuchins, in contrast, seemed to welcome human contact, coming right up to the edge of the river we were on to feast on the fruits at the end of branches. We only saw squirrel monkeys once, a dozen or so filling a tree not far from the ground we were hiking.

The trip to Costa Rica was one of the most biodiverse travel experiences I’ve ever had. Starting in San Jose and environs, we went all the way north to the Nicaragua border (even passing slightly over the border on the Rio Frio). Then it was the hanging bridges near the Arenal Volcano and out to the west for the Pacific coast. Eventually we went down to the south for bird and crocodile watching on the Tarcoles River. Our last day was in the famous Manuel Antonio National Park. Around the country we saw an amazing number of bird species, plus agouti, coatimundi, igaunas, sloths (both two-toed and three-toed) and much, much more.

Rarely do we take packaged tours, but this one with Caravan Tours was outstanding. Many thanks to our Tour Dictator (um, Director) Cinthia and bus driver Jaime for a fantastic week taking us around Costa Rica. Pura Vida!

I’ll have plenty more about Costa Rica coming up so stay tuned!

David J. Kent is an avid science traveler and the author of Lincoln: The Man Who Saved America, in Barnes and Noble stores now. His previous books include Tesla: The Wizard of Electricity and Edison: The Inventor of the Modern World and two e-books: Nikola Tesla: Renewable Energy Ahead of Its Time and Abraham Lincoln and Nikola Tesla: Connected by Fate.

Check out my Goodreads author page. While you’re at it, “Like” my Facebook author page for more updates!

 

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Staring Down Monitor Lizards at Coron, Philippines

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The monitor lizard was six feet long from nose to tail, maybe even longer. We were in the Philippines, and we were all staring at it.

Monitor lizard, Coron, PhilippinesA close relative of the somewhat larger and more famous Komodo Dragon, all monitor lizards belong to the genus Varanus, a word derived from the Arabic meaning “dragon” or my favorite, “lizard beast.” And what a beast he was (but in a good way).

On our recent tour through several Philippine islands we made a stop at Coron, which consists of a couple of big islands and around 50 other islets. The day was spent snorkeling both in Kayangan Lake, a mixed fresh and salt water body of water, and a tropical reef filled with fishes and corals. For lunch we took the outrigger to another part of the island for a nice beach picnic.

Perhaps that is what attracted the monitor.

After eating we noticed some rasping sounds behind us and suddenly there was this lizard, its tongue flicking out repeatedly in search for food. Virtually all monitor lizards are primarily carnivorous, although there are three arboreal (tree climbing) species in the Philippines that are fruit eaters. This one was not arboreal but strutting along the rocky gravel and sand looking for food. It may have smelled the crabs and fish and other delicacies we had just barbecued up, or maybe it was looking for other reptiles or amphibians…or even birds and small mammals. I’m suddenly reminded that humans are mammals and wondering what monitor lizards consider “small.”

This particular one graced our presence for about 20 minutes or so. At one point a stray cat – feral cats are everywhere in the Philippines – engaged in its own stare down with the monitor from a relatively safe rocky perch. We could tell the monitor was thinking about it, but then suddenly, a semi-feral dog raced into the scene and leaped onto the back of the monitor, which quickly shed its unwanted rider and sped into the crevices of the nearby rocks. The cat also jumped a mile in the air from the sudden intrusion and took off into the forest. Whether the dog was rescuing the cat or simply felt ignored by all the people gazing at the monitor is unclear, but after about 10 minutes searching fruitlessly for the lizard among the rocks, it slowly made its way back to the beach.

And so ended our monitor moment. This was the first monitor lizard seen on the trip, but not the last. A day later another was wondering near our stop off for the underground river on the Philippine island of Palawan. Then we spotted another in the mangrove forest of Brunei (where we also saw a proboscis monkey, but more on the monkeys later). Monitor lizards are oviparous, meaning they lay eggs, as few as seven and as many as three dozen at a time. We didn’t see any nests, but there is plenty more to talk about so look for future posts on monitors and other Philippine flora and fauna.

 

Fire of Genius

Lincoln: The Fire of Genius: How Abraham Lincoln’s Commitment to Science and Technology Helped Modernize America is available at booksellers nationwide.

Limited signed copies are available via this website. The book also listed on Goodreads, the database where I keep track of my reading. Click on the “Want to Read” button to put it on your reading list. Please leave a review on Goodreads and Amazon if you like the book.

You also follow my author page on Facebook.

David J. Kent is President of the Lincoln Group of DC and the author of Lincoln: The Fire of Genius: How Abraham Lincoln’s Commitment to Science and Technology Helped Modernize America and Lincoln: The Man Who Saved America.

His previous books include Tesla: The Wizard of Electricity and Edison: The Inventor of the Modern World and two specialty e-books: Nikola Tesla: Renewable Energy Ahead of Its Time and Abraham Lincoln and Nikola Tesla: Connected by Fate.

 

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Dinner with the Captain

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Windstar Star Legend Captain's dinnerOne of the many thrills from my most recent Windstar cruise was dinner with the Captain. Given that the Captain’s table – a large oval in the center of the dining room – seemed to sit empty throughout the cruise, the event was very special indeed.

By this time Ru and I had been on the Star Legend, one of Windstar’s three powered yachts and sister to the Star Breeze we took in the summer, for most of the two week cruise through the Philippines, Malaysia, and Brunei. It had been a busy day. An “at sea” day, I spent several hours in the bow Yacht Club writing about 2400 words of my new “historical science fiction” novel, which I had started earlier on the trip since I couldn’t lug all the research materials for my non-fiction Lincoln book. I also caught up on some long behind reading, which helped me reach my reading challenge goal for the year.

At lunchtime the ship offered Asian-style poke bowls on deck. Later we attended a cocktail party for yacht club members, who are people that have taken more than one Windstar cruise. This was our third cruise, and second one in 5 months, so we enjoyed complimentary wine and gourmet canapes while chatting with the other guests and crew. As we entered, the captain held the door for us. We would see him again shortly.

Captain Remi Eriksen met us outside the dining room and escorted us to the center table. Besides Ru and I, we were joined by a quartet from Melbourne, Australia and a couple from Ontario, Canada. We had been in Melbourne a year before so much of the discussion leaned in that direction for a while, then into Canada and general travel. And of course, Captain Eriksen regaled us with stories from the ship. A native of Norway but now living in Spain, Eriksen had only been captain of the Star Legend for two and half months. Prior to our boarding in Honk Kong, the Star Legend had encountered a typhoon off the coast of Vietnam. After we got off in Singapore there was a tsunami along the coast of Indonesia, where the Star Legend was headed. He certainly earned his captain’s bars.

Normally we would have a single glass of wine with dinner each night, but the waiters repeatedly swooped in to refill our glasses before they were empty. One of the benefits of dining with the captain, I thought, as I walked gingerly from the room.

It was a delightful evening and I gained an even greater appreciation for the great work the crew and staff of the ship do to keep the 200 passengers happy. So thank you Captain Eriksen and Windstar for a wonderful trip.

After we landed in Singapore, Ru and I realized that this was our third Windstar cruise, and all three had been on different ships. Our first was on the flagship, Wind Surf, a five-mast sailing ship for which the nightly “Sail Away” is especially heartwarming as the sails are raised to the sounds of Vangelis playing on the upper deck. We also realized that the three ships had gone to three different parts of the world – Caribbean (Wind Surf), Baltic Sea in northern Europe/Russia (Star Breeze), and Hong Kong/Philippines/Malaysia/Brunei/Singapore in the South China Sea (Star Legend). Windstar has a total of six ships, the three remaining include one more sister yacht to the Star Legend/Breeze, plus a pair of slightly smaller sailing ships. We’ve informally decided to plan our travel so we can cruise on all six of the Windstar fleet, and to six different parts of the world. Hey, you have to set goals.

We haven’t booked our next Windstar cruise yet but we have a few places in mind. Until then, bon voyage!

David J. Kent is an avid science traveler and the author of Lincoln: The Man Who Saved America, in Barnes and Noble stores now. His previous books include Tesla: The Wizard of Electricity and Edison: The Inventor of the Modern World and two e-books: Nikola Tesla: Renewable Energy Ahead of Its Time and Abraham Lincoln and Nikola Tesla: Connected by Fate.

Check out my Goodreads author page. While you’re at it, “Like” my Facebook author page for more updates!

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Science Traveling Through Time and Space

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Hong Kong Philippines Malaysia BruneiTraveling can take you back in time (as in, history)…or it can take you away in space (as in, geography; so far no actual space travel for me). I’m about to do both.

After close to two months without any substantive travel, I’m eager to get on the road again. And the air. And the sea. Upcoming trips will cover all of those.

First there is the annual Lincoln Forum in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, where I get to travel back in time. After a three day battle the previous July, Abraham Lincoln took a train to Gettysburg to deliver “a few appropriate remarks.” He was a bit of an afterthought for the event; the keynote speaker, noted orator Edward Everett, regaled the crowd with a two hour speech before Lincoln stood up to present his two minute address. Besides the usual cast of Lincoln scholars, the Forum will feature George Saunders, author of the unique and critically acclaimed bestseller, Lincoln in the Bardo. David Blight will also speak on his new book about African-American abolitionist Frederick Douglass.

Returning from Gettysburg only long enough to gas up the car, I’ll hit the road to visit the family in New England. I’ll cover some geographic distance, but this is only a prelude.

A few days after that I’ll be on a plane to Asia, where I’ll set to sea for two weeks. Starting in Honk Kong, the Star Legend (sister yacht to the Star Breeze we took around the Baltic Sea this summer) will zigzag among the islands of the Philippines, with stops in Hundred Islands, Manila, Boracay, Coron, and Palawan. Then on to Kota Kinabalu and Kuching, Malaysia on the island of Borneo, with a hop to the “Nation of Brunei, the Abode of Peace” (or simply, Brunei). The yacht finishes in Singapore, where we’ll stay a few days and probably take a side trip up to Kuala Lumpur.

So I’ll get to experience American history, international history, new and interesting cultures, and a whole lot of new geography. Oh, and hopefully monkeys since last year at this time I found out there are no monkeys in Australia.

More previews and recaps to come!

David J. Kent is an avid science traveler and the author of Lincoln: The Man Who Saved America, in Barnes and Noble stores now. His previous books include Tesla: The Wizard of Electricity and Edison: The Inventor of the Modern World and two e-books: Nikola Tesla: Renewable Energy Ahead of Its Time and Abraham Lincoln and Nikola Tesla: Connected by Fate.

Check out my Goodreads author page. While you’re at it, “Like” my Facebook author page for more updates!

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Reflections of a Science Traveler Five Years On

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Glacier National ParkIn the last quarter of my most recent 2000 mile road trip we met a lovely couple at a Montana rest stop. Gene and Jacque were sitting in foldable chairs next to their large RV camper when we pulled in to stretch our legs. As we talked about life I realized that very day – September 12th – was the 5-year anniversary of my science traveling life.

Five years ago I resigned from my well-paid environmental consulting position in Washington, D.C. My new life as a science traveler, writer, and Abraham Lincoln historian has been jam-packed with excitement, interesting locations, and mind-stimulating enrichment. I said then, and reiterate now, that it was the best decision I ever made.

Back when I was contemplating making the jump, I couldn’t help but worry about where and how much I might travel, whether anyone would read what I was writing, and how I would make ends meet financially. After all, I was giving up a good salary, adventuring into new intellectual territory, and traveling to places I never expected to travel. In some ways it was a big risk. And yet, as I wrote in my first anniversary reflections, “the stars aligned, angels’ voices rang down from the heavens,” so the risk wasn’t all that risky. I remind myself of this as my bank account and royalty check balances dwindle. 

There are times I think I’m not taking big enough, or fast enough, advantage of this post-salary time of my life. I could travel more, but that would mean less writing (I still haven’t mastered the art of writing while traveling). I could write more, but that would mean more obligation and less fun as I take on freelance jobs more for the money than the topic interest. I could do more with the Lincoln Group, but that greater responsibility comes with lessened flexibility. Overall, I think I’ve found a good balance.

So what have I been doing these five years? As the name of this website suggests, I’ve been science traveling. What does science traveling mean, you ask? Simple. I try to find the science in everywhere I travel, with science defined in the broadest sense. I don’t spend time in laboratories pouring chemicals (although I have been known to do that). And I don’t spend a week sitting on the same beach contemplating the same sand particles and clouds (some call this relaxing, to me it is stressful not to be moving). Instead, and with a career background ranging from marine biology to aquatic toxicology to environmental science to regulatory science I’m bound to find myself exploring the environmental aspects of my target location. For example, I was just along the Oregon coast where I noticed the similarities – and differences – between the rocky stacks there and the 12 Apostles off the southern coast of Australia. While in Crater Lake I marveled at the geology of the inside of a volcano. While in Pisa my mind wandered to the physics of Galileo dropping unequal weights off the Leaning Tower (not to mention the physics of what keeps the tower leaning and not toppling). Usually I try to read up on locations before visiting them, but I also do research on the locations once I return. I include these scientific aspects in my travel writing.

But my definition of science is broader than that. As a Lincoln historian I include getting to understand the local cultures (e.g., Serbian vs Croatian, Aborigine vs Maori vs Native American). As a science communicator – yet another interest in my diverse repertoire – I look for ways to best communicate the science to the public. Glacier National Park, for example, will soon have to be labeled “Historical Glacier National Park” as most of its glaciers have disappeared or shrunken to minimal levels. In contrast, the Perito Moreno glacier in Argentina is one of only a few glaciers that is actually growing. Throw in a little Darwin and Patagonia becomes a much more interesting place than simply hundreds of kilometers of gravel roads. Mark Twain once said that “travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness.” I aim to prove that is true.

My travels have taken me to over 50 countries, so far. This past 12 months alone I have been to nine or ten countries and several areas of the United States. There was Australia, New Zealand, Denmark, Poland, Lithuania, Estonia, Russia, Finland, the Aland Islands, and Sweden on the international front, with Hong Kong, Philippines, Brunei, and Singapore coming up soon. Domestically, I’ve been to New England several times in the last year, including Maine, plus Sanibel Island in Florida and my most recent road trip through Oregon, Washington, Idaho, and Montana. With three corners of the country covered I’m looking to make a road trip in the southwest U.S. soon.

This has been a busy year for my Abraham Lincoln side as well. In May, I finished up my term as Vice President of Programs of the Lincoln Group of DC, responsible for booking speakers for our monthly dinner meetings. I considered taking on ultimate leadership responsibility but opted to make a lateral move instead because of my travel and writing schedule. I’ve driven three increasingly intensive road trips as research for my book in progress. First a long weekend in Newport News for a “Battle of Hampton Roads” conference. Then a week-long drive through Lincoln’s early life in Tennessee/Kentucky/Indiana, with a stop in Michigan to see the rocking chair Lincoln was sitting in when assassinated. Finally, a 9-day Chasing Lincoln zigzag around Illinois to visit the seven Lincoln-Douglas debate sites, the I&M Canal, Rock Island, and two dozen or more Lincoln statues. I even got to see Lincoln and Douglas debate in person thanks to George Buss and Tim Connors. In the coming months I’ll make a few short day trips related to Lincoln, plus a few days in Chicago to check out more Lincoln sites (plus the famed Art Institute of Chicago).

The year wasn’t always great; there were some downer times too. My trips to New England were in part because my father has repeatedly made hospital and rehab stays as his body slowly gets weaker in his 92nd year. Then my Lincoln mentor and friend John Elliff passed away suddenly and unexpectedly. Other drags on life also creaked into existence during the year, but overall, it was a very good year.

My writing has been both a highlight and a lowlight this year. My first book on Tesla is into its 8th printing and several foreign translations. Edison is essentially sold out and has been translated as well. My Lincoln book released last summer is into a 2nd edition and is likely to get a 3rd plus translations. I’m also working on three books, two on Lincoln and one a travel memoir. The lowlights? I’ve spread myself a bit thin so none of the books is progressing as fast as I intended. I also planned to submit more freelance article work this year but haven’t put much effort into following through on it. I specifically dropped my reading goal from 100 books to 75 this year, intending to spend the freed time writing. I’m now 3 books behind even the lower goal and haven’t shifted the time into writing as much as I planned. Some of this is because of traveling, and with a heavy travel schedule continuing through at least next summer, I’m not sure whether I’ll improve my reading or writing pace much in the near future. Still, I am writing. I just need to write more and faster.

As I reflect on five years of post-salary life it strikes me that I get two kinds of reactions. One is envy, as people who want to quit/retire/travel/write think the grass is greener on my side of the fence. The other is inspiration, as they see promise of greater fulfillment even while they are working. It simply takes making the time to do what you want. After five years I can still say I have no regrets about my decision.

No regrets whatsoever.

See my previous “Reflections” for 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017. This will be the last of these annual “Reflections” pieces unless something marvelous happens to warrant a special one. Of course, if one of my books becomes a million seller I won’t need to write these updates as you’ll be seeing me all over television and the internet. 🙂

David J. Kent is an avid science traveler and the author of Lincoln: The Man Who Saved America, in Barnes and Noble stores now. His previous books include Tesla: The Wizard of Electricity (2013) and Edison: The Inventor of the Modern World (2016) and two e-books: Nikola Tesla: Renewable Energy Ahead of Its Time and Abraham Lincoln and Nikola Tesla: Connected by Fate.

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