The Mosby Heritage Area Association, in partnership with the Loudoun Museum, is pleased to announce a book talk by author Steven Budiansky, to be held November 21st, at the Loudoun Museum, located at 14 Loudoun Street SW, Leesburg, Virginia. Mr. Budiansky will discuss his recently published biography of Supreme Court Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes.
Holmes was appointed to the Supreme Court in 1902 by President Theodore Roosevelt, and for the next thirty years his opinions helped to shape many of the most important cases of the twentieth century. Holmes has gone on to become one of the most often cited Justices in the history of the court, and a champion of common law precedent. Long before his legal career, however, Holmes served as an officer in the American Civil War. His experiences on the battlefield helped to shape his understanding of law and society. Mr. Budiansky will explore those connections between the battlefield and the courthouse, with a particular focus on Holmes’s connection to the Battle of Ball’s Bluff. To provide context, William E. Wilkin, history teacher at Stone Ridge High School and member of the Friends of Balls Bluff, will speak to the Oct. 21, 1861 Battle of Balls Bluff.
Stephen Budiansky is the author of 18 books on topics ranging from military history to the natural world. He is a former editor at Nature magazine and a frequent contributor to the Wall Street Journal.
The talk will take place at the Loudoun Museum, beginning at 7:00 PM. Books will be available for purchase and following the talks there will be a short reception. Tickets are $20 for adults and $10 for students.