One of the most fascinating books (and maybe longest) I've ever read was Foucault's Pendulum by Eco.  Hard to imagine investing that amount of time in reading a book these days, but if you are so inclined, Pendulum should not disappoint.  Interesting fellow.

Funniest scumbag on TV, hands down.  Thank you, God, for MSNBC.  Things are revealed there that we might otherwise never know.

The opening was a bit off-putting, a saccharine, contrived scene to simply enable recitation of the Gettysburg Address in a very sappy way, but once that was behind us, the rest of the movie was superb.  Day-Lewis was near-perfect as Lincoln (at least to my mind's eye & ear). Tommy Lee Jones steals the film as Thaddeus Stephens. The opening aside, a great film with marvelous acting.  Even James Spader.  Very worthy of your time.