Over 50 people flocked to the Mount Vernon Public Library on Thursday, January 12, to meet and listen to world famous historian and author, Kenneth C. Davis.

Davis is the author of Don’t Know Much About® History, which spent 35 consecutive weeks on The New York Times bestseller list, and gave rise to the Don’t Know Much About® series, which has a combined in-print total of some 4.7-million copies. In June 2011, Don’t Know Much About History: Anniversary Edition was released in hardcover by HarperCollins. A newly revised, updated and expanded edition of the book that started the series, it now presents a complete survey of American history, from before the arrival of Columbus in 1492 right through the events of the past decade –from 9/11 through the election of Barack Obama and the first years of his administration.

The many who attended the speaking engagement were awed by Davis’ presence amongst them. “You might not know this, but I was born and raised in Mount Vernon, and I attended Mount Vernon schools. And I am proud to say that I graduated from Mount Vernon High School a long time ago.”

Davis, who has been dubbed “The King of Knowing” by Amazon.com, aims to become a subject expert in all of the areas he writes about – the Bible, Mythology, the Universe, the Civil War, for example. Ken has also been a “Wise Man” on Who Wants to be a Super Millionaire and a “Life Line” on the regular edition of the show.

Ken Davis’s success aptly makes the case that Americans don’t hate history, just the dull version they slept through in class. But many of them want to know now because their kids are asking them questions they can’t answer. Davis’s approach is to refresh us on the subjects we should have learned in school. He does it by busting myths, setting the record straight and always remembering that fun is not a four-word letter word.

A somewhat well-kept secret – Ken Davis never graduated from college, but he was awarded an honorary doctorate from Concordia College in Bronxville, where he was also asked to give a commencement address.

He regularly makes visits to schools, and such venues as the American Museum of Natural History, the New-York Historical Society, and the Smithsonian Institution, where he has hosted “The Don’t Know Much About” game, played with student audiences.

Ken Davis is a frequent media guest. He has appeared on hundreds of television and radio shows, including NPR, The Today Show, Fox & Friends, CNN, and The Discovery Channel. He has been a commentator for “All Things Considered,” and has written for the New York Times, CNN.com, and Smithsonian Magazine.

Those fortunate to have attended the speaking engagement were able to ask Davis’ questions during a Q&A session, and were also treated to refreshments and baked delicacies at the end.

Many of Davis' books were available for purchase

A view of the many that attended the speaking engagement by Davis