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Feisty National Book Award winner Timothy Egan writes about some of the most pressing issues of American life. He speaks at the Lincoln Theatre March 2 to raise funds for the new Mount Vernon library.

Egan, a Pacific Northwest native, New York Times correspondent and best-selling author, will share his views on the importance of libraries.

In an email last week, Egan responded, "Importance of libraries? Where do I start? They're gateways to citizenship for thousands of people learning about our laws, our customs, our governing documents, our culture, what makes us tick. They're fire starters f...