Looking for Lincoln: Doc Wilkerson's novel

It's been 25 years since I was his student, but it only took me a second to recognize the friendly face of Roland H. "Doc" Wilkerson Jr. as I entered the tent for BookFestPA at Schlow Centre Region Library in State College on July 14.

Doc, whose challenging World Cultures class I took and much enjoyed while a sophomore at State College Area High School, recently published a novel, "Looking for Lincoln: Today's Crisis in America" (Eifrig Publishing, April 2012, 352 pp., $16.99)

Doc, who I suspect is long-retired from teaching, was one of those gifted teachers who could not only get a bunch of motley 15-year-olds to listen, but also to share his passion for history. He's a great storyteller. 

Doc and his wife, Doyle, led European tours for students some summers. My sister Jennifer was his student a few years before I was, and went on one of Doc's famous summer trips with students to Europe. While it was my goal to do, say and wear absolutely everything my sister did growing up, I never made it on the Europe trip. So many years later, I can't remember why not ... Ski camp? Too busy lifeguarding? What a waste! And I still haven't made it to Europe. But I digress...

State College authors Mark Ross and Roland H. "Doc" Wilkerson
under the tent at BookFestPA

In my brief exchange with Doc last week, during which I felt a little starstruck (here was one of the most inspiring teachers of my high school career ... it was a bit like running into a rockstar), he explained that his novel is about how America needs another Abraham Lincoln. 

We could use more heroes, that's for sure. 

Thanks for being one of mine, Doc!

Here's the book summary from the publisher's website:

For young Tommy Wall from the shady little town of Mill Gate, Pa., America is baseball. Pinch hits and outs, best friends, an honest game, and the grass around the diamond make his world. But when Thomas Wall is forced to confront the reality in America around him as an adult, it is not so simple.

This is a controversial novel about the politics and culture reigning in the USA today. It will initiate discussions and debates on the historical decline of empires and the malady the USA currently finds itself in.

About the author (from his bio on the publisher's site):

"DOC"

Roland H. Wilkerson, Jr., known as Ron to his friends and “Doc” to his students, has been a lifelong student and teacher of the meanings of history. He has lived in State College, Pa. with is wife Doyle since 1969, and using the world as a tool of learning they have traveled hand in hand for nearly 50 summers. He was educated at the University of Dayton and Miami University, and earned a doctorate from the Pennsylvania State University. He is currently working on a review of contemporary American culture.

Here's a link to Doc's Facebook page.

For more information about "Looking for Lincoln," or to purchase it online, click here.

About my visit to BookFest PA ...

Per the advice of Penn State Press Publicity Manager Danny Bellet (thanks Danny!), I took some time last Saturday, July 14, during my yearly trek to the Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts in my native State College, to visit BookFestPA. I left the crowded, heated downtown streets filled with thousands of Arts Fest visitors to duck into a cool church pew at State College Presbyterian Church and listen, along with several dozen attendees, to presentations by two best-selling authors with ties to Happy Valley.

Old postcard of State College Presbyterian

While BookFestPA is anchored at downtown State College's Schlow Centre Region Library, the speakers were scheduled at the lovely stone church about a block away.

State College Presbyterian Church was, incidentally, the site of a youth group I attended - and loved - during high school, called Fellowship In Senior High (FISH). Though they happened years and years ago, I still vividly recall the Wednesday night spaghetti dinners and meetings my FISH friends and I shared in the hall below the church. And of course the annual camping trip to Assateague Island. But I digress ...

My next few posts will describe BookFestPA speakers Sara Shepard, author of the "Pretty Little Liars" YA series, and Tawni O'Dell, author of (Oprah's Book Club pick) "Backroads" and "Coal Run," among other novels.

Schlow Centre Region Library

I also visited the 3rd Annual BookFestPA tent behind Schlow after O'Dell's presentation, and was floored to see some local State College authors set up, promoting and selling their own works. These included, to my surprise and delight, my 10th grade Advanced World History teacher Doc Wilkerson, talented musician and family friend Mark Ross, and Boalsburg historian Janice McElhoe. I will also be talking about their new books.

That's a lot to digest so I'm breaking this up into several posts ... please read on!