For our June meeting, Author Tom Clavin will discuss his book To the Uttermost Ends of the Earth: The Epic Hunt for the South's Most Feared Ship―and the Greatest Sea Battle of the Civil War. On June 19, 1864, just off the coast of France, one of the most dramatic naval battles in history took place. On a clear day with windswept skies, the dreaded Confederate raider Alabama faced the Union warship Kearsarge in an all-or-nothing fight to the finish, the outcome of which would effectively end the threat of the Confederacy on the high seas.

Mr. Clavin is a bestselling author of 18 nonfiction books on American and military history, sports, and entertainment. He previously worked as a newspaper editor and writer, including for the New York Times for 15 years, and as a writer for such magazines as Smithsonian and Men’s Journal. He has received awards from the Society of Professional Journalists, Marine Corps Heritage Foundation, and National Newspaper Association. Six of his books have been New York Times best sellers: Dodge City, The Heart of Everything That Is, Halsey’s Typhoon, The Last Stand of Fox Company, Blood and Treasure, and, most recently, Follow Me to Hell. Other recent titles that have received popular and critical acclaim include Tombstone, Valley Forge, Wild Bill, All Blood Runs Red, and Lucky 666.