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John Wilkes Booth and the Women Who Loved Him
When John Wilkes Booth died—shot inside a burning barn and dragged out twelve days after he assassinated President Lincoln—all he had in his pocket were a compass, a candle, a diary, and five photographs of five different women. They were not ordinary women. Four of them were among the most beautiful actresses of the day; the fifth was Booth's wealthy fiancée.
And those five women are just the tip of the iceberg.
Before he shot the president of the United States and entered the annals of history as a killer, actor John Wilkes Booth had quite a way with women. There was the actress who cut his throat and almost killed him in a jealous rage. There was the prostitute who tried to kill herself because he abandoned her. There was the actress who would swear she witnessed him murdering Lincoln, even though she was thousands of miles away at the time. John Wilkes Booth was hungry for fame, touchy about politics, and a notorious womanizer. But this book isn't about John Wilkes Booth---not really. This book is about his women who were once notorious in their own right; women who were consumed by love, jealousy, strife, and heartbreak; women whose lives took wild turns before and after Lincoln's assassination; women whom have been condemned to the footnotes of history... until now.
And those five women are just the tip of the iceberg.
Before he shot the president of the United States and entered the annals of history as a killer, actor John Wilkes Booth had quite a way with women. There was the actress who cut his throat and almost killed him in a jealous rage. There was the prostitute who tried to kill herself because he abandoned her. There was the actress who would swear she witnessed him murdering Lincoln, even though she was thousands of miles away at the time. John Wilkes Booth was hungry for fame, touchy about politics, and a notorious womanizer. But this book isn't about John Wilkes Booth---not really. This book is about his women who were once notorious in their own right; women who were consumed by love, jealousy, strife, and heartbreak; women whose lives took wild turns before and after Lincoln's assassination; women whom have been condemned to the footnotes of history... until now.
352 pages, Hardcover
Published April 9, 2018
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
April 27, 2020
John Wilkes Booth and the Women Who Loved Him is multiple books rolled into one.
First its obviously a biography of the man who killed President Lincoln
Second its a biography of the many women who Booth had relationships with
And third its a portrait of the theater world of the 1860's
I found each if this part super compelling. I realized while reading this book that I didn't really know much about John Wilkes Booth. Which seemed odd given the part he played in history. I knew the basics
1) John Wilkes Booth was an actor
2) His older brother Edwin was much more popular
3) After the assassination he fled and was mortally injured in a fire that killed him days later
But I didn't realize just how big a star he actually was in his own time. To make a bad but true-ish comparison, John Wilkes Booth was the Brad Pitt of his day. He was uber-famous and women loved him.
John Wilkes Booth was also a proud white nationalist and he had syphilis.
This book raised an interesting question: Did John's syphilis turn him into an assassin?
The author does make quite the case for John Wilkes Booth being in the late stages of neurosyphilis at the time of the assassination. His friends and family recall that in the last 2 or 3 years of his life his entire personality changed. He went from being a regular pro south, pro slavery anti immigration anti Catholic man of his time. To being a radical white nationalist who wanted to kidnap Lincoln and lynch blacks & Catholics. It was a jarring change to many who knew him.
And through it all he still found time sleep with as many beautiful young women as possible. Five of those women's photos were found in his pocket when he was captured. These women were the Jennifer Lawrence's and Taylor Swifts of their day and one was a teenager prostitute. Johnny boy had an eclectic taste when it came to women.
I liked this book and if you enjoy learning about how things were in America 150 years ago than I think you'll like it too!
I recommend it!
First its obviously a biography of the man who killed President Lincoln
Second its a biography of the many women who Booth had relationships with
And third its a portrait of the theater world of the 1860's
I found each if this part super compelling. I realized while reading this book that I didn't really know much about John Wilkes Booth. Which seemed odd given the part he played in history. I knew the basics
1) John Wilkes Booth was an actor
2) His older brother Edwin was much more popular
3) After the assassination he fled and was mortally injured in a fire that killed him days later
But I didn't realize just how big a star he actually was in his own time. To make a bad but true-ish comparison, John Wilkes Booth was the Brad Pitt of his day. He was uber-famous and women loved him.
John Wilkes Booth was also a proud white nationalist and he had syphilis.
This book raised an interesting question: Did John's syphilis turn him into an assassin?
The author does make quite the case for John Wilkes Booth being in the late stages of neurosyphilis at the time of the assassination. His friends and family recall that in the last 2 or 3 years of his life his entire personality changed. He went from being a regular pro south, pro slavery anti immigration anti Catholic man of his time. To being a radical white nationalist who wanted to kidnap Lincoln and lynch blacks & Catholics. It was a jarring change to many who knew him.
And through it all he still found time sleep with as many beautiful young women as possible. Five of those women's photos were found in his pocket when he was captured. These women were the Jennifer Lawrence's and Taylor Swifts of their day and one was a teenager prostitute. Johnny boy had an eclectic taste when it came to women.
I liked this book and if you enjoy learning about how things were in America 150 years ago than I think you'll like it too!
I recommend it!
December 16, 2018
An aspect of the actor's / assassin's life that is seldom mentioned in print.
John Wilkes Booth was a matinee idol. He was Errol Flynn, Gene Kelly, Clark Gable, and every actor who played James Bond. He was so swoon worthy that society matrons and their debutante daughters stood in the aisles at matinees and at the stage door to ogle him and hope he would ogle them. His only real competition was he brother Edwin, who lacked his height, handsome face and athletic prowess. He knew - in the biblical sense - prostitutes, fellow actresses, a 15-year-old Boston debutante, and - perhaps - Lucy Hale, the chubby plain-Jane daughter of a U.S senator.
This book devotes two or three chapters to Booth's murder of President Lincoln, with a few changes in the details of the shooting and the previous kidnapping plot. Most of the book is devoted to the devotion of Booth's mother, his sister Asia, and his other women. He's shown at a more human and thus sympathetic angle: as someone other than the narcissistic racist assassin of a president. Not that the author excuses Booth's guilt for the assassination; but Booth is called "John" throughout the book, which made me think he felt too close to his subject for my comfort.
It is a good series of mini-biographies about several American actresses of the 1850s, and of how his friends and fellow actors saw him and of their horror at what he had done. Several of his women admitted they would have comforted his dying moments. He was so charismatic, such catnip to women.
John Wilkes Booth was a matinee idol. He was Errol Flynn, Gene Kelly, Clark Gable, and every actor who played James Bond. He was so swoon worthy that society matrons and their debutante daughters stood in the aisles at matinees and at the stage door to ogle him and hope he would ogle them. His only real competition was he brother Edwin, who lacked his height, handsome face and athletic prowess. He knew - in the biblical sense - prostitutes, fellow actresses, a 15-year-old Boston debutante, and - perhaps - Lucy Hale, the chubby plain-Jane daughter of a U.S senator.
This book devotes two or three chapters to Booth's murder of President Lincoln, with a few changes in the details of the shooting and the previous kidnapping plot. Most of the book is devoted to the devotion of Booth's mother, his sister Asia, and his other women. He's shown at a more human and thus sympathetic angle: as someone other than the narcissistic racist assassin of a president. Not that the author excuses Booth's guilt for the assassination; but Booth is called "John" throughout the book, which made me think he felt too close to his subject for my comfort.
It is a good series of mini-biographies about several American actresses of the 1850s, and of how his friends and fellow actors saw him and of their horror at what he had done. Several of his women admitted they would have comforted his dying moments. He was so charismatic, such catnip to women.
December 1, 2019
This is an interesting book with a terrible title.
It's half a biography of John Wilkes Booth and half biographies of the women who were involved with him: prostitutes, actresses, and a senator's daughter. It is not particularly academic in tone, although he's clearly done his research, especially in finding out what happened to all these women after Booth died, and it is neither feminist nor misogynistic (aside from some fat-shaming that should have been excised). He also argues that Booth had syphilis and that the mental effects of tertiary syphilis go a fair ways toward explaining why Booth assassinated President Lincoln. I don't know that I entirely believe him on that last part, but certainly his evidence that Booth had syphilis is convincing.
Worth checking out if you are interested either in Booth/the Lincoln assassination or in American theater of the second half of the nineteenth century.
Three and a half stars, round up to four.
It's half a biography of John Wilkes Booth and half biographies of the women who were involved with him: prostitutes, actresses, and a senator's daughter. It is not particularly academic in tone, although he's clearly done his research, especially in finding out what happened to all these women after Booth died, and it is neither feminist nor misogynistic (aside from some fat-shaming that should have been excised). He also argues that Booth had syphilis and that the mental effects of tertiary syphilis go a fair ways toward explaining why Booth assassinated President Lincoln. I don't know that I entirely believe him on that last part, but certainly his evidence that Booth had syphilis is convincing.
Worth checking out if you are interested either in Booth/the Lincoln assassination or in American theater of the second half of the nineteenth century.
Three and a half stars, round up to four.
June 11, 2018
Much has been written about John Wilkes Booth, the assassin of Abraham Lincoln. However, this is only one I know of that looks, not just at the man, but at how he related to women. Booth, an actor, was the closest thing they had in the Civil War era to a movie star and like movie stars he had a number of relationships... some based on sex, some based on real sentiment, and one perhaps based on cold-blooded political need. Abel looks at Booth's women and their role in his life up to the assassination... then looks at their lives AFTER Booth. It is interesting too to look at how Booth's sex life might have had an effect on his acting skills and maybe even his plan to kill Vice-President Andrew Johnson. Well-illustrated with photos.
July 10, 2018
This book is a captivating read. Though a strict history, it is written in a way that tells an engaging tale. I especially enjoy the intimate look into the life of a stage actor during the Civil War. Though the focus is on the ladies who loved John Wilkes Booth, Abel uses them as a lens to examine his life, mindset, and outlook as well. It is a unique perspective on this quite famous individual.
May 9, 2018
Wow, female groupies in the 1800's ! Who knew? Drinking, alcoholism, carousing, bigamy, adultery, child abandonment, violence, mental illness and plenty of bad boy behavior. This book connects to current times in many ways. Fatal human flaws including excessive pride, narcissism, obsession with beauty, and selfishness abound in this page turner. And yet this is non-fiction, which goes to show that truth can sometimes be stranger than fiction. The photographs included in is this book help bring the men and women to life and bring us back to that time period. Dr Abel brings history to life. It is well researched and written in a style that is accessible to all. Reading this book reminds me that looking at our countries past in a truthful way with all its flaws helps us see ourselves in a different light.
February 10, 2026
2.75 stars. It was fine. An interesting look into the life of actors during the 1800s. I don’t know what I expected, but it wasn’t the author’s conclusion that untreated syphilis was behind many of Booth’s actions leading up to the Lincoln assassination. I did enjoy the look at the Booth’s family and other relationships and how the assassination effected their lives
Author E. Lawrence Abel steers clear of calling Booth out for his relationship with a high school aged girl even though all the pieces were there. His brief description of director D. W. Griffith as “the preeminent director of the emerging silent movie industry” without mentioning Birth of a Nation and its pro-Klan/racist content seemed like another big miss. There were also a few editing errors that were annoying and that really should have been cleaned up prior the publication.
Overall, do I know more about John Wilkes Booth? Yes. Would I ready this book again? No.
Author E. Lawrence Abel steers clear of calling Booth out for his relationship with a high school aged girl even though all the pieces were there. His brief description of director D. W. Griffith as “the preeminent director of the emerging silent movie industry” without mentioning Birth of a Nation and its pro-Klan/racist content seemed like another big miss. There were also a few editing errors that were annoying and that really should have been cleaned up prior the publication.
Overall, do I know more about John Wilkes Booth? Yes. Would I ready this book again? No.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 9, 2018
This was an entertaining and very informative book regarding a subject that I didn't know much about prior to reading this book. My first reaction, therefore, is that I learned a great deal about American society at the time, and especially contemporary cultural and societal customs and historical events. The book is well written, well organized, and clearly was very carefully researched by the author. The detailed histories of the women post-JWB's death was fascinating -- I expect that their lives have probably not been a topic of great interest to the many historians who have focused on them up to the time of JWB's death, so finding out about what happened to them later on in their lives was especially interesting. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who is interested in American history and curious about John Wilkes Booth, the period during which he lived, and having a better understanding of the motivation for his actions.
July 4, 2018
F-U-N. John Wilkes Booth and the Women Who Loved him is exactly what it sounds like. An incredibly handsome, famous man kills the president. It turns out he has hundreds of affairs, which are in this book in painstaking detail. He gets stabbed by a woman after he gets to know her sister! He spends most of the book being affable and handsome.
Able argued that Syphilis/VD changed Booth's personality. He also argues other fun but possibly silly things. Anyone who enjoys history, scandal, or FUN should read this book. Right now.
Able argued that Syphilis/VD changed Booth's personality. He also argues other fun but possibly silly things. Anyone who enjoys history, scandal, or FUN should read this book. Right now.
May 9, 2023
It was only out of a sense of appreciation of the fact that writing books is hard work that I gave this a three star rating.
I'm no Booth expert, but even I - with my mere smattering of knowledge on the subject - felt like this book didn't bring much new information to the table. It was an interesting premise but without much substance.
I think this is one of those "I read it so you don't have to" kind of books. Unless you crave to read every book on this particular subject, just keep walking.
I'm no Booth expert, but even I - with my mere smattering of knowledge on the subject - felt like this book didn't bring much new information to the table. It was an interesting premise but without much substance.
I think this is one of those "I read it so you don't have to" kind of books. Unless you crave to read every book on this particular subject, just keep walking.
April 10, 2025
I really enjoyed this! Only took me a couple years to finish (oops) but I thoroughly enjoyed it and have been thinking about it nonstop. I’m curious about some of the women that were chosen to be excluded about a book about the women who were within Booth’s sphere, but loved every second of it none-the-less. I do wish the epilogue centered more about the women instead of the possible insanity Booth went to because of his possible syphillis, but I guess every man needs to be in the spotlight one way or another.
June 7, 2018
Engrossing backstory about America's most improbable assassin. Booth was vain, narcissistic, and surprisingly, a mamma's boy. Unable to commit himself to any woman, he had affairs with many. He had no type. They were all his type. The author has detailed stories, along with photos, of many of he women known to have been involved with him, including a U.S. Senator's daughter. Easy to read and memorable
May 21, 2019
This book was an eye opener. Who knew about Booths father, his two wives and bouts of insanity. John Wilkes followed in his father’s footsteps but had women who really cared for him like his sister and some of the actresses who remained friends with him. He even charmed a senators daughter into getting engaged to him. I liked how the author explored different reasons for killing Lincoln as well and let us know what happened to many of his paramours in latter life.
May 23, 2019
I saw Mr. Abel at a presentation he made at my library on JWB. He was extremely knowledgeable but also hilarious. So I knew I had to buy this book! It’s a really interesting take on one of our nation’s notorious villains.
September 21, 2024
Great book about a side of John Wilkes Booth than few have ever seen before. Who’s to say it is actually the accurate JWB? No one may know for sure, but even presidential assassins have been loved by people too.
July 20, 2018
Very well researched and written.
August 6, 2018
This a book about our famous assassin John Wilkes Booth he was sought after because his fame many affairs
July 3, 2025
I feel that we never look at the villians of stories and what they have been through. This does not excuse any of there actions but it's always interesting to consider what has happened in thier life.
I do have empathy for Mr. Booth but i feel more for the ladies that he seemed to lead on time and time again. Seems that sometimes habits of men are genrational...
I do have empathy for Mr. Booth but i feel more for the ladies that he seemed to lead on time and time again. Seems that sometimes habits of men are genrational...
July 28, 2020
A very enjoyable read. I especially enjoyed learning more about the actresses that John Wilkes Booth knew and about 19th c. theatre. His relationships shed some more light on his character. A few times things were a bit repetitive and I question some of his interpretations of some sources. The syphilis theory is interesting, but no real way to prove it. Other people JWB knew had syphilis, including his brother Edwin and his fellow actor John McCullough, but they did not murder Lincoln. Interesting though that Willie Jett, who assisted Booth in Virginia, later died insane from syphilis at the age of 37 (a footnote). An enjoyable read for those who know about JWB and those who don't.
April 28, 2018
Fun book to read and learn about JWB - it would be like if George Clooney killed Trump in 2018 - didn't realize the extent to which he was a famous actor. Well written and laid out in an easy flowing manner, well researched and footnoted if wanting to explore deeper.
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews