This week’s historical highlights begin with an interview with Harper Lee (who passed away on February 19 at age 89) and end with a tough quiz on accents of the British Isles. In between I’ve compiled links about new databases, postage stamp art, a library scavenger hunt, and more. Take your time!

In 1964 Harper Lee was interviewed on the radio. Read about it on the Smithsonian website or go straight to the recording. (The 11-minute clip starts off shaky, but the sound quality improves after about a minute.) It was fun to hear her reaction to To Kill a Mockingbird‘s success, her thoughts on the film, and her description of the South as a society of storytellers and writers. She also mentioned that she was working on another novel — I wonder what became of it…

If you’re interested in African-American history, you shouldn’t miss this article , which highlights new databases offering insight into the lives of escaped slaves.

A new exhibition celebrates the history of New York City through art commissioned for postal stamps. Read all about it here.

The complicated and mysterious tale of The Maltese Falcon movie prop(s).

Are you a fan of Edward Gorey’s macabre mid-century illustrations? If so, you’ll want to check out his never-before-seen letters and illustrated envelopes, such as the one below.

A new database project will put archival material from Quebec’s Eastern Townships online. Be sure to read this article for a description of the project.

Need something new to read? A public library volunteer has created this scavenger hunt to get you exploring the overlooked corners of your hometown library.

Expedia has put together a quiz to test your knowledge of British and Irish accents. (I got 5 out of 10.) You can also explore the map and listen to samples without taking the quiz.

Have a lovely weekend, everyone!