What will you read in 2013?

[Sally]

In response to Thomas Thorne:

What existing book on John Hay would you suggest I read?

I've read "The Life of John Hay" by William Roscoe Thayer. But that was published in like 1906 or 1910 or somewhere around then, so the style is a little dry and what one would expect from that era. Also, it is dedicated to Hay's three children, who evidently helped the author quite a bit. So as I recall, it's not an especially impartial account of his life.

Then there's "Lincoln's Men: The President and His Private Secretaries" by Daniel Mark Epstein (who also wrote "The Lincolns: Portrait of a Marriage") It's is about both Hay and John Nicolay. This one was okay. It's not a very weighty tome, but it covers the basics. However, there's something about Epstein's style I don't care for. I can never put my finger on exactly why I'm not crazy about his work, but I'm not. Still, I would recommend his book as a start on Hay.

These are the best suggestions I can make. Neither of them are stellar. That's why I have high hopes for the new bio that's due in May.