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The Lincoln Assassination
Every schoolchild knows about the assassination of Abraham Lincoln - how the actor John Wilkes Booth shot the president while he was watching a play, leaped to the stage from the presidential box, and made his escape. But there is far more to the story, including the bizarre scheme that Booth first concocted to kidnap Lincoln and trade him for Confederate soldiers held in Northern prisons. Here is the full story of the plot, the bumbling plotters that Booth recruited, Lincoln's lingering death, the manhunt for the assassin, and the trial of the conspirators. It is essential knowledge of a tragedy that shaped America for a century to come.
186 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 23, 2015
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
January 12, 2024
This is more like a very long article in a history magazine. Not that this is a complaint. I rather quite enjoyed it.
No other American president had been assassinated up until Lincoln. The 15 before Lincoln had either succumbed to illness or old age. The president had received many death threats during the war and was even shot at in 1864 but the bullet went through his hat.
John Wilkes Booth was an actor like his father. He sided with the Confederacy believing slavery was right and beneficial for all. Booth saw Lincoln as a dictator and that the president was out to destroy the South and its way of life and take away the freedom of all Americans. His plan was to kidnap Lincoln from Ford theatre in Washington and take him to Richmond where he could then bargain for all the captive Confederate soldiers to be released. He got a little gang together to do this.
The American civil war was over. Robert E. Lee surrendered to Ulysses S. Grant at Appomattox on 09-Apr-1865. Booth has to scrap his kidnapping plans and the book details why this was the case. Instead he goes to the next extreme and assassinated Lincoln instead at the Ford theatre on 14-Apr-1865. The book details the hunt and capture of Booth and his co-conspirators.
It is quite a straightforward account of events. No fluff. Sometimes these accounts can be quite dry and boring but this one trots along like a man on horseback trying to escape after having shot the president.
No other American president had been assassinated up until Lincoln. The 15 before Lincoln had either succumbed to illness or old age. The president had received many death threats during the war and was even shot at in 1864 but the bullet went through his hat.
John Wilkes Booth was an actor like his father. He sided with the Confederacy believing slavery was right and beneficial for all. Booth saw Lincoln as a dictator and that the president was out to destroy the South and its way of life and take away the freedom of all Americans. His plan was to kidnap Lincoln from Ford theatre in Washington and take him to Richmond where he could then bargain for all the captive Confederate soldiers to be released. He got a little gang together to do this.
The American civil war was over. Robert E. Lee surrendered to Ulysses S. Grant at Appomattox on 09-Apr-1865. Booth has to scrap his kidnapping plans and the book details why this was the case. Instead he goes to the next extreme and assassinated Lincoln instead at the Ford theatre on 14-Apr-1865. The book details the hunt and capture of Booth and his co-conspirators.
It is quite a straightforward account of events. No fluff. Sometimes these accounts can be quite dry and boring but this one trots along like a man on horseback trying to escape after having shot the president.
January 7, 2020
I've been a bit obsessed with the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln since I was in grade school. This is a very serviceable and well-thought-out book about the events before, during, and after the assassination. The assassin, John Wilkes Booth, seems to have been an intelligent individual - which makes it all the more incredible that his original plot (cutting off the lights at Ford's theater, binding and gagging the President, and lowering him down from the Presidential box to a henchman in order to kidnap him) was so ludicrous. This is an excellent and thorough explanation of the event.
January 25, 2020
Straightforward account of Lincoln's assassination.
A concise and straightforward depiction of the events leading to and following the assassination of President Lincoln. Follows John Wilkes Booth and his co-conspirators in their planning of the assassination and their ultimate demise. A good quick read, if looking for a matter-of-fact account of the details surrounding the first assassination of a President of the United States.
A concise and straightforward depiction of the events leading to and following the assassination of President Lincoln. Follows John Wilkes Booth and his co-conspirators in their planning of the assassination and their ultimate demise. A good quick read, if looking for a matter-of-fact account of the details surrounding the first assassination of a President of the United States.
June 7, 2020
This book just proves what I’ve thought all along - in the hurry to make sure justice is mete out, mankind sometimes bulldozes the basic rights of the accused. And sometimes our government is not a “well-oiled machine.”
It was apparent long before John Wilkes Booth killed President Lincoln that Booth was mentally ill —-why didn’t someone say something? Surely one of the people Booth babbled to could have told one of his guards!? Are was everyone around the President inept? What a mess.
It was apparent long before John Wilkes Booth killed President Lincoln that Booth was mentally ill —-why didn’t someone say something? Surely one of the people Booth babbled to could have told one of his guards!? Are was everyone around the President inept? What a mess.
December 30, 2019
Easy read
A little complicated but good background material. You need to list the number os characters in order to understand the plot. A general summary or timeline would have useful.
A little complicated but good background material. You need to list the number os characters in order to understand the plot. A general summary or timeline would have useful.
January 23, 2020
This is how a history book should read. A nice, tidy account of Booth and his waffling conspirators. Great research outlining the chronological events and reads more like an action movie. Well done.
March 11, 2018
Ok read
Quick read learned some things I didn't know about Lincolns assassination. That's about it the earth didn't move or anything
Quick read learned some things I didn't know about Lincolns assassination. That's about it the earth didn't move or anything
January 20, 2020
Very factual book cleared up some false facts about the conspirotors involved five stars
February 12, 2020
Good Read
Well written with good detail of Booths associations with coconspirators and how his plan went from kidnapping to assasination of Lincoln
Well written with good detail of Booths associations with coconspirators and how his plan went from kidnapping to assasination of Lincoln
March 9, 2020
Wow
A balanced account of one of the darkest events in American history. It sheds light on the brokenness of the nation, security and the legal process at that time.
A balanced account of one of the darkest events in American history. It sheds light on the brokenness of the nation, security and the legal process at that time.
April 25, 2015
Concise narrative of Lincoln assassination
I highly recommend this book to anyone who would like to learn more about the Lincoln assassination. With the exception of a couple of minor errors, the book provides the salient details and little known facts of this critical historical event.
I highly recommend this book to anyone who would like to learn more about the Lincoln assassination. With the exception of a couple of minor errors, the book provides the salient details and little known facts of this critical historical event.
June 25, 2016
Very good!
I had heard parts of this story before but not the details as this book. President Lincoln was a great man. I wish he had been able to live out his dreams for our country.
I had heard parts of this story before but not the details as this book. President Lincoln was a great man. I wish he had been able to live out his dreams for our country.
April 21, 2015
A very good history of the plot to assassinate Lincoln and the people involved. If you like reading about Lincoln you will live this book!
January 6, 2016
This is a good recap of the events surrounding the assassination of Lincoln. It is a "just the facts, m'am" telling of this pivotal event in American history.
March 10, 2018
Everything I wanted to know about the assassination but was too afraid to ask. The planning and execution and, er, execution. Only a few surprises that I didn't know before, but on the whole a good, quick read.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews