Henry and Clara

by Thomas Mallon

On the evening of Good Friday, 1865, Henry Rathbone and Clara Harris joined the Lincolns in the Presidential box at Ford’s Theater, becoming eyewitnesses to one of the great tragedies of American history. In this riveting novel, Thomas Mallon re-creates the unusual love story of this young engaged couple whose fateful encounter with history profoundly affects the remainder of their lives. Lincoln’s assassination is only one part of the remarkable life they share, a dramatic tale of passion, scandal, heroism, murder, and madness, all based on Mallon’s deep research into the fascinating history of the Rathbone and Harris families. Henry and Clara not only tells the astonishing story of its title figures; it also illuminates the culture of nineteenth-century Victorian a rigid society barely concealing the suppressed impulses and undercurrents that only grew stronger as the century progressed.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Civil War, Historical, Book Club, American History, Politics

370 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 1994

About the author

Thomas Mallon is an American novelist, essayist, and critic. His novels are renowned for their attention to historical detail and context and for the author's crisp wit and interest in the "bystanders" to larger historical events. He is the author of ten books of fiction, including Henry and Clara, Two Moons, Dewey Defeats Truman, Aurora 7, Bandbox, Fellow Travelers (recently adapted into a miniseries by the same name), Watergate, Finale, Landfall, and most recently Up With the Sun. He has also published nonfiction on plagiarism (Stolen Words), diaries (A Book of One's Own), letters (Yours Ever) and the John F. Kennedy assassination (Mrs. Paine's Garage), as well as two volumes of essays (Rockets and Rodeos and In Fact).
He is a former literary editor of Gentleman's Quarterly, where he wrote the "Doubting Thomas" column in the 1990s, and has contributed frequently to The New Yorker, The New York Times Book Review, The Atlantic Monthly, The American Scholar, and other periodicals. He was appointed a member of the National Council on the Humanities in 2002 and served as Deputy Chairman of the National Endowment for the Humanities from 2005 to 2006.
His honors include Guggenheim and Rockefeller fellowships, the National Book Critics Circle citation for reviewing, and the Vursell prize of the American Academy of Arts and Letters for distinguished prose style. He was elected as a new member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 2012.

Reviews

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

On April 14, 1865, an engaged couple, Henry Rathbone and Clara Harris, accepted the Lincolns' last-minute invitation to join them in their box at Ford's Theatre. For the nation, the impact of that night's tragedy would be felt at once; for Henry and Clara, the denouement of their own private tragedy occurred years later.

"Henry and Clara" follows the titular couple from their childhood in Albany, New York, where Henry's widowed, ambitious mother sets her cap at Clara's widowed father, Ira Harris, whom Pauline Rathbone sees as a promising politician. A marriage soon follows, and young Henry and Clara find themselves stepbrother and stepsister. Though neither child cares much for the other's parent, Henry and Clara soon gravitate toward each other, and as they mature their feelings grow into romantic love. Before they can marry, though, they must overcome the opposition of their parents, and the outbreak of the Civil War throws yet another obstacle into their path.

There is another difficulty, one the determined and devoted Clara doesn't much want to acknowledge: Henry. For Clara, the mercurial Henry is Byronic, but the horrors of war soon disclose how fragile Henry's psyche truly is. Nonetheless, Clara, deeply in love and not willing to give up easily, presses on with her marriage plans, even after the Lincoln assassination strips yet another layer of sanity from Henry.

Though the story "Henry and Clara" tells is a tragic one, Mallon's wry narrative voice and his sharp eye prevent it from being a gloomy one. His characterizations are superb, with Clara, the main viewpoint character, being a particular success. Even as Clara becomes more isolated and her situation more grim, she never turns into the pathetic victim she might have become with a less skilled author.

If there's a rough patch in the novel, it's at the beginning, where the immersion into Albany politics may be too much for some readers. Persevere, though, and you'll be well rewarded. This was one of the best historical novels I've read.

[Tiffany · Rating 3 out of 5]

I finished this book last night at 10:45. On Friday. Good Friday. April 14th, 2017. Which happens to be exactly 152 years almost to the HOUR of Lincoln's assassination! Totally didn't even plan it. Thumbs up for timing.

I find Henry Rathbone and Clara Harris' story fascinatingly tragic. To be in the very box, sitting beside Lincoln, as he was assassinated. For Henry to have grappled with Boothe as he attempted to flee and having been slashed in the arm by Boothe's knife. To be next to Mary as she screamed over her husband. For Clara to be cover in blood amidst the chaos and confusion. How awful. And to have to carry that burden for the rest of their lives and the tragic end for both of them. Heartbreaking.

So with interest born out of fascination for their story, I plunged into this book. Then ended up slogging through it. It was bogged down with lots of political talk and politician name dropping, especially right at first. And I found myself not really caring for Henry or Clara, at least his portrayal of them. They weren't very likable. But it's the end of their story that kept me going, and even though I knew beforehand what befell them in real life, when I shut the book after turning the final page, I just laid there feeling overwhelmingly disturbed. Wow. So tragic.

[Becky Loader · Rating 3 out of 5]

Do you ever wonder what would have happened on April 15, 1865, if General Grant and his wife Julia had been in the box at Ford's Theatre with President and Mrs. Lincoln instead of Henry Rathbone and Clara Harris? Mallon has written a very feasible fictional account of Rathbone and Harris, who were last-minute stand-ins because Mrs. Grant was pretty strongly opposed to spending any time near Mrs. Lincoln. Interesting read.

[Sue · Rating 2 out of 5]

I like historical fiction, especially when it is done well. Sadly, this historical fiction wasn't done well at all. It could have been a really fascinating story about the couple who was with the Lincolns at Ford's Theater, but I never felt like I knew who the characters were. The author didn't go too deeply into them. It was a classic case of telling, not showing. The beginning of the book was interesting; the end was shocking; the middle was boring.

[Jana · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm reading this because I just finished Assassination Vacation by Sarah Vowell and she recommended it. It's about Henry Rathbone, who was sitting next to Lincoln when he was shot. It didn't bode well for the rest of his life....

Finished the book. Learned a lot (fiction, but the historical is there).

[Barb · Rating 3 out of 5]

Slow start, but got so much better in the end and was hard to put down. Writing style was average that's why the 3 stars. It changes my perception of history and the lives that are affected from important events. I never thought about the others in the box at Ford Theater that night and how there lives would change. Good read.

[Graceann · Rating 5 out of 5]

Henry Rathbone and Clara Harris were the ill-fated couple sharing the Lincolns' box at Ford Theatre on April 14, 1865. This awful event foreshadowed many terrible things in their lives, and haunted them forever after. Difficult but compelling reading.

[Tim Armstrong · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was only okay, not the greatest example of historical fiction I have read. Many times the first half of the novel read more like a non-fiction biography of the characters than like a novel. Though the story of Major Henry Rathbone and Clara Harris is one of ultimate tragedy and if you are not familiar with how their story ends you will be in for quite the twist.

[Sandra Mather · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved the delicate interweaving of historical facts with thoughtful fictive conjecture. This was a slow read. The prose was more in keeping with the late-1800s than with modern times.

[Janet Lowe · Rating 2 out of 5]

Skip to the end, and by that I mean the last two pages and the epilogue.

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

Henry Rathbone and Clara Harris were recently engaged to be married, when they were invited to share the Presidential box with the Lincolns at Ford's Theater on the evening of Good Friday, 1865. Henry Rathbone - the son of the mayor of Albany, Jared L. Rathbone - had joined the Union Army in 1861 and fought in the Civil War, attaining the rank of Major very quickly.

Clara Harris - a wealthy socialite from Albany, New York - was a personal friend of Mary Todd Lincoln and the daughter of Senator Ira Harris of New York. By an unusual familial inter-connection, Clara was actually Henry's stepsister - as her father had married Henry's widowed mother, Pauline.

Henry Rathbone was sitting with Clara, next to the President and Mrs. Lincoln, when John Wilkes Booth entered the box and fatally shot the President. Henry immediately attempted to stop the assassin, but was stabbed in the arm during John Wilkes Booth's escape. Although he eventually recovered from his wound, Henry was mentally never the same.

He and Clara married on July 11, 1867 and had three children together. Their life together started out rather well and when Grover Cleveland became president, Henry was appointed the consul to Germany. His mental state had been precarious ever since he had returned from the Civil War; however, perhaps magnified by being present at the President's assassination, he was prone to fits of profound melancholia, hallucinations and delusions that people were trying to kill him.

Clara was beside herself. As her husband's mental health continued to deteriorate, she attempted to cover for his frequent mental lapses. She totally adored Henry and nourished her dream that with the proper help, he would eventually recover and they could resume their happy lives.

I really did enjoy this book, but I have to say that if I had one problem with the story, it would be that it covered the politics of the times. I found that I couldn't really keep all the characters straight in my mind. I truly felt sorry for Clara, Henry and their children because their lives were so horribly impacted by mental illness. I give this book an A+!

[Richard Jespers · Rating 4 out of 5]

At times, reading historical fiction seems much like painting by numbers. The skeletal outline is there; you merely select the correct colors and recreate a picture as it should be. With regard to the novel, the historical outline is there; you can’t deviate much from the actual timeline. But you can focus on characters who perhaps have been lost to history, in this case, Henry Rathbone and Clara Harris, who are in the box with Abraham Lincoln when he is assassinated by John Wilkes Booth, in 1865. The novel focuses on these step-siblings who grow up in the same house when one’s widowed father marries the other’s widowed mother. They fall in love, and in due time, get married, when both are in their thirties. Mallon bases his novel on a myriad of research about these two historical figures—turning Lincoln’s life and death into a mere backdrop for this story.

The only aspect of the novel I don’t care for is Mallon’s occasional peek at the future, when the characters of 1875 would have no such knowledge:

“If only men might devise some way of preserving sound, so their voices might be kept with photographs and engravings, not just sent out from the body to die upon the air” (261)

Yes, yes, I know. Mallon makes a good case by comparing such a desire to the already invented photograph, but still, it seems unnecessary to include such an idea in the character’s inner thoughts. Why can’t Clara lament the loss of her father’s speech without this glance to the future?

Otherwise, the novel is impeccably written, and, though the pace may seem slow, one’s reward for finishing it is to experience a climax that is both shocking and yet a surprise for which one has been well prepared.

[James Cooper · Rating 1 out of 5]

I did not cre for this book. At times it was a little difficult to get through and at others it was almost impossible. When I finished this afternoon, I was relieved to be done with it. The chapters that contain letters back and forth are all to common and nothing about them separate's them from other books with the same type of letters in them. A lesson learned: Poor Clara waited for her love, her step-brother who came home from the war, mentally damaged. The revelation that Henry made to Clara that he aided Booth's attack on Lincoln only furthered my dislike for the book. At the end of the story, saying that she was merely his sister, Henry "locked" away in an asylum merely goes about day-to-day as though nothing happened, that he did not kill his wife, his step-sister, the mother of his three children.

[Paula Weisberger · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars
Who knew there was such an intriguing story about the couple who shared the theater box on the night of Lincoln's assassination? Forbidden romance, mental illness, intrigue and murder are just a few parts of Henry and Clara's story.
I enjoyed the descriptions of the day to day things - fashion, pastimes, letters, social mores, etc.

[Straw · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is good historical fiction. It is very well-researched.

[Diane · Rating 3 out of 5]

Although I enjoy historical novel ad, and this one was well written, it suffered from that one thing that can kill a story for me... too much information.

[Clare Anderson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Glad I learned about this bit of history

It is a fascinating bit of history to learn so much about a couple who were at the Ford Theater with the Lincoln’s when Booth assassinated the president. What is interest me is the connections between the families, the war, the assassination and the life of Clara and Henry after the assassination. In all history there are interwoven threads that connect us but the fiction comes in interpreting how the threads are interwoven. In this case, I wonder if Henry didn’t have mental problems that were from birth. We understand so little about brain chemistry and then when face with a parents death, and a remarriage that alone can have a big effect on one’s mental health. Add on top of that the families involvement in politics and the effects Civil War, especially for the soldiers in it and I believe there is room for multiple psychological diagnoses. The fictional parts of the correspondences giving a glimpse into the psychological aspects of this story are interesting, but I can’t help but wonder if the idea of breaking up a family much less the idea of divorce kept Clara in the relationship more than an overwhelming love for Henry.
Well enough of my thoughts on the subject. Pick up the book and see how it effects you based on your life experience.

[Bonnie Gross · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Henry and Clara" is a fascinating fiction based on real characters and tragic events. It revolves around the story of an engaged couple who were in the box at Ford's Theater with President and Mrs. Lincoln on the night of the assassination. The book begins with their complicated family backgrounds, Hi mother marries her father after both are widowed; the couple are raised as siblings but eventually fall in love and marry. They must wait several to do so because of family opposition and the Civil War.

The War changes things, though. Henry experiences the horror of several years of Civil War battles, and he might have already been suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder when he witnesses up close the brutal assassination, during which he is also severely injured.

The assassination haunts him the rest of his life and his attitude about Lincoln and his murder remains a mystery until the last chapter of the book.

I loved the descriptions and details that captured the period before, during and after the Civil War. The author also developed rich, complex and believable characters. Both Henry and Clara are at times charming and likable and at other times annoying and selfish.

[Tim · Rating 2 out of 5]

"Henry and Clara" starts with a bang, following a fleeing John Wilkes Booth after his assassination of Abraham Lincoln and stabbing of the male title character of this novel. From there, this extremely well researched, very fact-based novel steps back to future married couple Henry Rathbone and Clara Harris as children, then takes long, sometimes choppy steps toward that April 1865 horror and the couple's life after.

Thomas Mallon's generally well-written novel presents a real and fill-in-the-blanks-imaginary story of a tragic couple. But for me it was more to be admired than enjoyed. Something about Mallon's pacing and time jumps didn't set right with me, and I think he may have so studiously tried to replicate the couple's real history that the novel was at times found wanting as entertainment.

A bit slow but intriguing as historical biography, "Henry and Clara" falls short of the mark ultimately, a surprising result considering how interested I am in the people and happenings of this time period.

[John · Rating 5 out of 5]

Whatever you do, don't google the story of Henry Rathbone and Clara Harris, the two main characters in "Henry and Clara." Part of the attraction of this novel is Thomas Mallon's creation of the world in which Henry and Clara lives and how they become inadvertent players in one of the most famous historical events in American history.

While it is obvious that Mallon has done his research to contextualize the two main characters' lives, the letters Clara writes to friends and family on various trips she and her husband Henry take to Europe are invented by Mallon. He has a such sure hand that literary scholars would find it difficult to distinguish between real letters of the time and those which Mallon invents.

Clara is an empathetic character because of her love for Henry and her acknowledgement of her flaws over the course of the narrative. As the novel barrels it way to its shocking ending, you will probably want to help Clara before she reaches her inevitable end.

I have read most of Mallon's novels, and this one of his best.

[Annmbray · Rating 3 out of 5]

An extremely well-researched and well-written book about a pair of innocent lovers who witnessed --in person-- one of the nation's most tragic moments; were blamed in part by much of the public for not stopping it; and whose memory of it led to tragic isolation from family, friend sand country and even sanity. A gripping story that unfolded at a perfect pace and just left me with both admiration and sadness for this ill-fated couple.

One piece of information surprised me though. While I knew that Abraham Lincoln certainly had his impassioned enemies, I never realized how much they hated him personally. It hurts my heart to think that this brave man who eventually did save the United States, was so personally reviled by his enemies. Only in death and with time were his great achievements widely appreciated. What a man!!! Such a strong character!!!! Still my favorite President for all he sacrificed!!!

[Harry Trumfio · Rating 5 out of 5]

The writer shares fascinating historical information about the life of upper class families before and after the Civil War times. The reader learns how the assassination of President Lincoln affects both Henry and Clara, the couple who accompanied Mr.and Mrs Lincoln to Ford's Theater. The reader learns how traumatic experiences can change the lives of not only the one experiencing the events, but also how such trauma affects the lives of family and friends. The author traces Henry's personality transformed as a result of his experience at Ford's Theater, which results in PTSD and clinical depression. Clara is also impacted by Henry's behavior and must alter her life-style to help the husband she loves. The characters Henry and Clara are richly developed and evoke strong emotions. Despite being slow at times, this book is worth reading.

[Tom · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had wanted to read this well-thought-of novel for a long time, but ended up being somewhat disappointed with the book when I finally picked up a copy. The first sections, laying out the numerous family connections and intersections, and the historical background, are quite tedious. It took longer than it should have for the story of this tragic couple to grab and hold my interest. As might be expected, the story picks up in pace and interest after the Lincoln assassination. In particular the final scenes, in which we witness Clara being held hostage by Henry's increasing madness, are deftly and affectingly handled. Having said that, I still wish Mallon, after undertaking such a prodigious amount of research, would have written a non-fiction book about Henry and Clara instead of a historical novel.

[Lisahansen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I recently read "Henry and Clara" by Thomas Mallon. I found it to be a beautiful work of historical fiction. However, it is very heavy on the historical. These are not fictional characters set in real history. These are actual people set in actual history.

Much of the story takes place prior to and during the civil war. This is behind the scenes in Washington DC. The stories of slavery and plantations aren't found in the telling but those of politics, elections, power and Washington DC society. I found the writing clear and intriguing. I couldn't wait to find out what would happen to Clara (Note: if you don't know, read this book first before you search). Afterward I did a deep dive to see if it could have been true - spoiler: it was!

I highly recommend this book for lovers of American History with a side of true love.

[Crysta · Rating 4 out of 5]

This fictionalized tale was surprisingly engrossing, tracing Henry Rathbone and Clara Harris, who were in President Lincoln's box the night of his assassination. But their story starts years earlier, in upstate New York, and traces their families' rise to national politics that lead them to befriend the Lincolns. It's a rare novel about the Civil War, including its origins and aftermath, that follows how a family experienced it both on the battlefields and on the homefront. What was Washington like during the war? How about the American experience in Europe in the 1860s and 70s? Lots of interesting perspectives, plus a love story and a lot of PTSD.

[Bill · Rating 3 out of 5]

It took a while for this book to grab my interest. The first half is challenging, with the many poliatical discussions dragging down the "action". The Lincoln Assassination, comes and goes rather quickly - with very little fanfare. This is a surprise, because it is the turning point of the whole story. I expected a bit more detail, particularly since Henry Rathbone is seemingly vilified for his inaction that night. The general period detail and character development are outstanding. I just thought such a potentially compelling series of historical events would have produced a bit more of a compelling fiction. All in all, however, worth the time.

[Doug · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book just fits my interest in a favorite period; between 1860 & 1912. The lest studied and one of the most important and with interesting people

This historical fiction was Vidal like, without the sarcasm or humor. But many of the same historical characters show up. John Hay, Lizzie Cameron and more

I knew nothing of this couple and their tragedy. Slow in spots because of Clara’s willingness tolerate everything (what could a woman really do?), some passages of Clara’s misgivings and fears felt trite, but were probably accurate for the time.

Not for everyone but I sure enjoyed

[Susan Liston · Rating 1 out of 5]

1.5 This was an ambitious book and I'm sorry I didn't like it any better than I did, which was not much. For all the research and the detail that went into it, I didn't feel like I knew the characters well at all. I never figured out what Clara saw in Henry; from the beginning, I found him very unappealing and a bit creepy. If you didn't know what the final outcome of the story is, this would be a terrific shocker. and what about that weird "reveal" where Henry says he saw Booth first but let him shoot? Huh? But I did know, so I now don't understand why I even finished this book since I wasn't enjoying the reading process. I'll have to ask me.

[Kathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is one of those amazing historical novels that takes as its characters real people about whom not a lot is known. Henry Rathbone and Clara Harris, raised in the same Republican household as step siblings in upstate New York, were engaged to be married when they were invited to accompany President and Mrs. Lincoln to Ford's Theater. From there, we learn how their life together ended with Henry in an asylum and Clara dead at his hand. Compelling, sad, and complicated.

[John · Rating 2 out of 5]

There just want enough there to make it compelling. An interesting thing happens at the middle of their lives, and one at the end, but the middle bits were dry. Lots of history told through side conversations: "hey, did you see that about the Mary Celeste? Wasn't that crazy"..."hey, how that impeachment of Johnson, that's something else!"... "Have you read that brand new book by that man named Twain? I think he'll be famous!"