Bonnie E. Paull is a professor emeritus in English from the College of Alameda in California. In addition to her 40 years as a classroom teacher, she has been a dean of students, consultant, writer, researcher, and public speaker.

During her years as a teacher, Ms. Paull wrote and published articles, poems, and books, reflecting her teaching experiences and her study of the history of education. Her concern for the declining quality of education, particularly in the basics, led her to establishing an award winning program for students called “The Little Red Schoolhouse for Adults.” Here her college students were able to study and learn their missing basics. Another product of her research was a PowerPoint presentation, “What Happened to American Reading?” She received the E. Harris Harbison Award for Gifted Teaching and the Teacher of the Year award from the Peralta Community College District and the Excellence Award from The National Institute for Staff and Organizational Development, University of Texas at Austin.

Now, in her retirement, Ms. Paull has more time to devote to research, writing, and to studying music, another passion. “As much as I love good fiction, my interest as a writer is in telling real stories of real people who by their courage and persistence overcame obstacles and achieved their goals in life. They inspire us to reach for the stars.” Her most recent book, Lincoln’s Springfield Neighborhood, published by The History Press, reflects this interest.

Ms. Paull grew up in northern Minnesota, the daughter of a writer and labor lawyer. Her father was known as “the attorney for the people” and his hero was Abraham Lincoln whose portrait hung in their Duluth home. Ms. Paull is a member of the Abraham Lincoln Association, the Elijah Lovejoy Association, and AARP.