Abraham Lincoln and William Shakespeare rose to prominence centuries and continents apart. But one of America’s greatest presidents felt a real connection to one of mankind’s greatest writers, beginning with their shared belief in the power of language. Lincoln read Shakespeare and quoted him often in conversation, finding particular resonance in Hamlet, Macbeth, and their reflections on the dangers of excessive ambition, the horrors of civil war, and the corruptions of illegitimate rule.

The University of North Dakota’s Michael Anderegg examines Lincoln’s fascination with the Bard – and what it reveals about our 16th president – in a discussion of his new book. The event is part of an extended celebration of Shakespeare revolving around a June exhibit at the Library that will feature a rare, nearly four-centuries-old copy of the First Folio, the first collection of his plays.