Ghosts of Lincoln: Discovering His Paranormal Legacy

by Adam Selzer

Abraham Lincoln may have never set out to be the Great Emancipator, and he certainly never set out to become the Johnny Appleseed of ghosts. But he turned out to be both. He and John Wilkes Booth, his assassin, sure seem to be haunting a lot of places these days. Indeed, perhaps no event in American history brought death - and the paranormal - to the forefront of people's minds quite like the Civil War. Somewhere between half a million and a million people died in the war. A single battle claimed more American soldiers than all previous American wars combined. All over the country, men left home to fight for their country and never returned. And Lincoln and Booth were, in their ways, among those men. Lincoln left Illinois to save the Union and never returned. Booth confidently expected to be considered a hero throughout the South when he came back from killing Lincoln. With the rise of spiritualism and interest in the paranormal neatly coinciding with it, there came to be rumors that Lincoln was consulting with spiritualists at the White House. Whether Lincoln himself took seances seriously or not is a subject of debate today, but stories that he did made for considerable press at the time. And Lincoln does seem to have spoken about having dreams of his own assassination. And then there are the ghosts. Lincoln is reported in locations all over. Booth is, as well. And with the rise of spiritualism after the Civil War, Booth and Lincoln both become popular spirits to "contact."

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Ghosts

336 pages, Paperback

First published August 1, 2015

About the author

Adam Selzer blocked Goodreads on his computer for years but now he's on here, so let him have it. His first book was HOW TO GET SUSPENDED AND INFLUENCE PEOPLE (now available in a "Now With More Swearing") edition, his next one is PLAY ME BACKWARDS (for satanic young adults), and his best known is probably I KISSED A ZOMBIE AND I LIKED IT, a Twilight satire that was not marketed as a satire.

He also writes the SMART ALECK'S GUIDE series and has published a bunch of Chicago history/ghostlore books.

You can also find him under the name SJ Adams, the name he used for SPARKS: THE EPIC, COMPLETELY TRUE BLUE (ALMOST) HOLY QUEST OF DEBBIE, which won a Stonewall honor and made the YALSA popular paperback list.

Reviews

[Therese Thompson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I became aware of Adam Selzer during the quarantine. His fascinating online virtual tours of Chicago area cemeteries and well-informed presentations on subjects as diverse as mobsters, madames, grave robbing, and the World’s Fair were an incredibly welcome presence in my home via laptop on Thursday nights, in particular. As were the unpredictable appearances by his fiesty cat, Miles. (Thank you for helping me keep my pandemic sanity, Adam, and enriching my life with a treasure trove of of insanely interesting and well-researched facts about The Windy City and the surrounding environs.)

So, when a good friend lent me her copy of one of his books, Ghosts of Lincoln, I was very excited to learn more. The lurid announcement, “bone chilling truths about one of history’s most important ghosts” on the back cover was certainly designed to suck me right in. Like the fictional Fox Mulder, I want to believe. And if there was something to be truly believed regarding paranormal events surrounding our 16th President, my knowledge of Adam Selzer’s dedication to research certainly lead me to believe the truth would be laid out, no matter the outcome.

So, is there proof of Lincoln’s ghostly appearance(s) and other supernatural events surrounding the man and his family? No spoilers here. But I will attest that you will be intrigued, surprised, enlightened, and come away all the more educated on the legends and history surrounding one of the most important figures in American history. Adam Selzer is a relentless historical detective and you will thoroughly absorbed by his findings.

[Kusaimamekirai · Rating 4 out of 5]

I went into this book with an itchy trigger finger, ready to discard it at the first mention of paranormal silliness. Thing is, Lincoln is my man, and there’s very few angles that haven’t been explored about him. So when I saw this book I thought I’d give it a shot. Good for a laugh right?
Well, I have to tip my hat to the author in that this was a really well researched and well written book. Rather than try to convince me that Lincoln’s ghost has appeared in various and obscure places for the last 150 years, the author injects his own healthy dose of scepticism. I mean, we all would like to believe in a world where our beloved come back to watch over us but that rattling sound you hear and think is them is far more likely to be a draughty window. Selzer does an admirable job tracking down Lincoln sightings post 1865 and often finds reasonable explanations for them. More often than not, phenomenons such as “spirit photography” or seances were the works of out and out hucksters who fooled lonely people who desperately wanted to believe.
What I enjoyed most about this book, outside of the wonderful anecdotes from people who claimed to have seen Lincoln posthumously, is the author’s ultimate assertion that we don’t have to prove or disprove the existence of ghosts. Rather than an otherworldly spirit, what most people feel is the history and collective memory a loved one leaves behind. In many respects, the warmth of this experience is far more authentic and sustaining than any apparition could ever be.

[Majanka · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book Review originally published here: http://www.iheartreading.net/reviews/...


Ghosts of Lincoln mixes the historical with the paranormal. After Abraham Lincoln’s dead, there have been many sightings of his ghosts. The book describes some of those sightings, but also dives deep into the life of Lincoln, from his birth to his childhood years to early adulthood, adulthood and eventually his death. It focuses on his visions of his premature death, how the paranormal influenced his life, his proclaimed presence at various séances, as well as the sightings of his spirit after his passing.

I previously read The Ghosts of Chicago by Adam Selzer, and so I looked forward to reading more by this author. Well, first off, the mix of a historical biography of one of the United States’ greatest presidents and the paranormal worked well. I was a bit surprised at how well it worked, to be honest. Adam Selzer has an interesting writing voice and although the book contains a lot of information, it’s never presented in a dull way.

The author obviously did a lot of research into Lincoln’s life prior to writing this book, and it shows. I already knew some things about Abraham Lincoln but not being an American myself, I probably didn’t know as much as the average American. Either way , I learned a lot through reading this book. When some sources are not exactly reputable, Selzer is not afraid to mention that, leaving it up to the reader to decide whether they believe the account or not.

An interesting, witty read, and highly recommended if you want to learn more about Lincoln, especially the paranormal aspects of his life.

[Sarah - All The Book Blog Names Are Taken · Rating 4 out of 5]

Impressed by the research, one doesn't always find that a lot with paranormal books. Full review to come.

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I received this as an ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

When I first began this one, I was wholly unimpressed. While I am firm believer in the paranormal, I find the idea of mediums and seances to be nonsense. I know the experiences I have had for myself, and given how people love to make money, anyone really can tell you they are talking to your dead relative or friend or pet and just be looking to make a buck. So, when the author was writing specifically about this aspect of the paranormal and how it fit into the lives of President Lincoln and his wife, I was ready to toss it aside. I am glad that I didn't, because what I was really looking for was soon to come - the history an ghost stories of Lincoln himself, The unfortunate part in all that of course was that he first had to be assassinated to get to those stories.

The book covers many aspects of the paranormal and how it was part of the lives of both Abe and Mary. It seems that although this was something that Mary was heavily involved in, particularly after their son's death, it does not seem like it was something that Abe was opposed to. Though, I have to be very honest, the seances and such were very boring to me. I stopped counting how many times the author mentioned this weird flying piano story that I had never even heard until this book, and it was highly annoying for lack of a better word. It is all just so preposterous to me - and so many of these sessions were proven to be fraudulent. It would be easy to rig up the piano to make it move. And an we really imagine Lincoln ever riding a flying piano? I highly doubt it. I skimmed a lot of this section because it was not what I was reading the book for. I understand the reason for its inclusion, as the author was addressing all paranormal aspects relating to Lincoln (just wait until the time traveler nonsense comes up toward the end!) but it was still not interesting to me. The spiritualist movement just doesn't hold much weight with me, though others might find it more interesting.

The book picked up with an interesting chapter about Lincoln's funeral train and the places you can supposedly observe it still rolling down the tracks. But just as suddenly as the train appeared, it was gone again and we are brought back to more seance stuff again, this time with people who are claiming to have contacted Lincoln and Booth after their deaths. However, this time the section devoted to seances was much shorter and we are soon introduced to those who made their livings as spirit photographers. I had never heard of this until reading this book so I Googled it of course and found some interesting information, especially about William Mumler, the spirit photographer who took the famous photo of Mary that supposedly shows Abe standing behind her with his hands on her shoulders. It is an intriguing idea.

I know what you might be thinking at this point: "Sarah, how can you say seances and mediums are nonsense, yet give any credence then to these spirit photographers who could easily manipulate film by double-exposing it, even in its primitive stages in the late 1800s?!" That's what I thought at first too, until the author brought up this interesting point:

"Photographs that appear to show a spirit are not difficult to fake, but photographs that appear to show a very specific one, who many never have been photographed in life, and who Mumler had never seen, and had no photos of himself, are another matter altogether" ( at 73%).

The story given here is that Mary traveled incognito to see Mumler and kept her face covered = even giving an assumed name. it was supposedly not until the moment before the photo was taken that she removed the veil she had been wearing. Again, it is at least intriguing to think about.

From here we are back to the ghost story aspect of the book, beyond just the ghost train. The author gives us a slew of places Lincoln has been sighted in, including the random little town in Iowa of Mount Pleasant. At this point I also found out that Robert Lincoln had his mother committed to an asylum for a year. Those surrounding Lincoln immediately after he had been shot (Mary, Rathbone, Clara) all had sad endings to their lives. The final section of ghost sightings speaks directly about those at the White House. I only wish there were more documented sightings from earlier.

I don't want to give much attention to the crazy man who thinks he is a time traveler and appears as a child in the foreground of the only known photos of Lincoln at Gettysburg, because it is such a joke, but I appreciate this line:

"After spending enough time reading different sources and footnotes of Lincoln lore, the idea that we can chalk things up to time travelers and alternate realities starts to seem more and more appealing" (at 84%).

That being said, I was impressed by the research the author has done into the life and death of Lincoln and how this spectrum of the paranormal touched his life. One does not always find this level of research in relation to paranormal books, or the quality of writing. I have read some paranormal books in dire need of a good editor but luckily this is not one of them.

Quote that really stuck with me:

"It is fair to say that Lincoln haunts the United States, whether as an actual ghost, as several different ghosts, or as just a strange, unknowable presence in our collective mind and memory. His life and work changed nearly every aspect of the nation, and his death changed more of them still" (at 4%).

Whether you are interested in only the paranormal or only the Lincoln aspect, definitely recommended.

[Katie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Guilty pleasure read. The author goes on long tangents that made it really hard to focus on what he was trying to convey in his writing. I enjoyed the chapters on hauntings in the white house and really want to do more research on Mary Todd.

[Susan Jo Grassi · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was very interesting and well researched. I loved the many stories about Lincoln and the paranormal and whether or not he believed, even though we can't confirm one way or the other unless we hold a seance. I would suggest it to anyone interested in such things as I am.

[Sarah Lawton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very interesting read! Includes some ghostly images even the ones without spectres present. A fun but slightly unsettling read.

[Amber the vintage girl · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fascinating.

[Charles Weinblatt · Rating 2 out of 5]

Abraham Lincoln is one of the most haunting presidents in US history. Sightings of his ghost, and his assassin’s, have been reported for more than 150 years. Lincoln has become the subject of dozens of myths and paranormal mysteries.

Buffeted by slavery and the raging Civil War, Lincoln is at the center of a whirlwind of death and destruction. Racing to pass the Thirteenth Amendment while fighting the most devastating war in American history, Lincoln is under immense pressure. Within the White House, the Lincoln family is rocked by death, depression, and conflict.

Americans of this period entertained the concept of paranormal events. The Lincolns lost two sons and their eldest son was threatening to leave Harvard to join the Union Army. Into this conflict, Mary Todd Lincoln’s emotional shortcomings contributed greatly to discord and stress. It is impossible to say with certainty that the Lincolns believed in ghosts. But if they did not, why participate in organized mystical events?

Ghosts of Lincoln digs deeply into the annals of history, including everything from obscure séance transcripts and nearly forgotten newspaper articles to tales, rumors, and folklore. It is well known that the Lincolns consulted with spiritualists in the White House, particularly after the death of their son, Willie. President Lincoln also spoke of dreams of his assassination. Whether the Lincolns believed in the séances and other ghostly occurrences is not known. But the public largely believed in them, which made for prodigious recounting in newspapers, journals, and books.

Adam Selzer is an accomplished researcher. His historical explanations, citations, and footnotes are detailed and objective. Selzer’s approach is to recount an item, cite its references, and then allow the reader to decide whether or not to believe it. Most of the situations presented are historically accurate and presented in an objective manner.

Ghosts of Lincoln is fast reading. Selzer carefully describes the culture and beliefs of antebellum and Civil-War-era America. Within the framework of this ethos, he matter-of-factly presents his research. Although the topics are not particularly erudite, Selzer examines them from a formal academic perspective; however, his casual writing style feels ill-suited to serious scholarly research. A more formal style might have been preferential. A few typos could be eliminated in a second edition.

The inclusion of drawings, art work, and pictures of people and events surrounding the scope of this work aids the reader immensely. Selzer’s evocative writing style helps the reader imagine what it was like to be in these supernatural circumstances.

Charles S. Weinblatt was born in Toledo, Ohio, in 1952. He is a retired university administrator. Mr. Weinblatt is the author of published fiction and nonfiction. His biography appears in the Marquis Who’s Who in America, Who’s Who in American Education, and Wikipedia.

[Manda Lee · Rating 4 out of 5]

To read my complete review go to: https://t.co/YzPFQVvkGm

This book is like no other paranormal book I have ever read. So to give it a fair review I am going to use a different review format that appears to work well.

Things I Liked: This is a very well written book but not in a textbook sort of way. I felt like me and the author were sitting down with a beer and talking about the latest research that he had discovered. Ghosts of Lincoln is not a typical paranormal book. Adam Selzer looks at every supernatural rumor, story, or legend about Abraham Lincoln through the lens of the time period, who started the story, when they said it, and what type of documentation there to support it happening. The best and oddest thing about this book is that I never felt like he was talking down to me or patronizing me for believing in the possibility of ghosts. I could feel that he wanted some of these legends to be true but he desired his readers to have the whole story.

Things I Didn’t Like: I felt that this was an excellent book written by a spectacular author but this was not a book I enjoyed. It didn’t give me the main thing that I look for in a book which is an escape from reality. In fact, it gave me more reality, and while it was interesting, it never sucked me into the story. However it did cause a few creepy feelings while reading it that caused me to turn on a light.

Conclusion: I am giving Ghosts of Lincoln a four rating. I know I said that I didn’t enjoy it but that doesn’t mean I should downgrade a truly outstanding book that does a great service to the realm of paranormal research. This is truly the most referenced book about ghosts I have ever read and I know that Adam worked very hard to make sure that both sides of the story were told. Any lover of history and the paranormal will truly do well to have this book in their collection.

Review copy provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Maria · Rating 4 out of 5]

Many thanks to NetGalley and Llewellyn Worldwide, Ltd. for an Advanced Reader Copy in exchange for my review.

The idea for this book alone is intriguing -- a mix of history, biography, and ghost stories. While none of these on their own would be something I normally gravitate toward, the mix of the three has me curious enough to delve in. Well researched, Selzer neither treats his subject matter with a cavalier lightness, nor does he take it too seriously. This unique angle on the life (and afterlife) of a great American historical figure is treated with a dry wit and interesting anecdotes. Given that some sources may be more entertaining than reliable, Selzer shares details that help us judge the authenticity of particular stories and historical tidbits.

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ghost of Lincoln: Discovering His Paranormal Legacy is quite an interesting read. I learned some interesting facts about Abraham Lincoln and how much he was involved in the spiritual world. I thought this was a good book.
5 stars.

[Jenni Schell · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have always been intrigued by Abraham Lincoln and his link to the paranormal. Mr. Selzer does an fantastic job of bringing more of that into light. A wonderful all around read.

[David Rambo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Informative,well researched and balanced view of the paranormal legacy of Lincoln.Many historical details given as well as paranormal aspects of Lincoln's complex life.The author gives a critical examination of the haunted legacy of Lincoln,but certainly does not rule out the fact that many or most of the stories could have validity. He researches and compares several sources with regards to the stories told, and gets different slants on them from the people who knew Lincoln at the time.If you are in to history as well as Civil War era America it is a must read!