May 21, 1998

Contact:
Press Contact: Craig D¹Ooge (202) 707-9189

---

Book on 1814 Burning of Washington To Be Discussed

Writer and historian Anthony S. Pitch will discuss his latest book, The Burning of Washington: The British Invasion of 1814 (Naval Institute Press, 1998), at the Library of Congress on Tuesday, July 28, at 6 p.m. in the Mumford Room, sixth floor, Madison Building, 101 Independence Ave. S.E. The event is free and open to the public.

Co-sponsored by the U.S. Capitol Historical Society and the Center for the Book, the presentation is part of the center's "Books & Beyond" author series.

Drawing on primary resource material in the Library of Congress and other research institutions on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean, the book describes the invasion, its causes and its aftermath in vivid detail. During the invasion the U.S. Capitol and the Library of Congress within its walls were destroyed. The Burning of Washington is a selection of the History Book Club.

Anthony Pitch is a former broadcast editor for the Associated Press and senior writer in the books division of U.S. News and World Report. His book Chained Eagle, co- authored with Everett Alvarez, was a Military Book Club main selection.

The U.S. Capitol Historical Society is a private, nonpartisan, nonprofit educational organization founded in 1962 and chartered by Congress to preserve and communicate the history of the U.S. Capitol and those who have served in its halls for more than two centuries. For information about the society's public and member programs, publications, and bicentennial projects, call (202) 543- 8919, ext. 20.

The Center for the Book in the Library of Congress was established in 1977 to stimulate public interest in books, reading, literacy, and libraries. For information about its program and the activities of its 35 affiliated state centers, visit the center's site on the World Wide Web at: http://www.loc.gov/loc/cfbook/.

 

# # #

PR 98-078
5/21/98
ISSN 0731-3527