Cons: Relegation of the First Lady and lack of anything pertaining to Vice President/President Johnson
The Bottom Line: I thought Swanson's - Manhunt: The 12-Day Chase for Lincoln's Killer a must read book to anyone interested in history and it's also a thrilling and insightful read otherwise.
popsrocks's Full Review: James L. Swanson - Manhunt: The 12-Day Chase for L...
I just finished James L. Swanson's New York Times Best Seller book Manhunt: The 12-Day Chase for Lincoln's Killer. It was a fascinating read!!
As I've aged I've acquired more interest in The American Civil War, the life of Abraham Lincoln and also of his death by thespian John Wilkes Booth. This book provided much more information than expected through an approach that delivered an engrossing read.
An Attorney Laying Out a Case
In the section where we meet the author I learned he's been studying Lincoln and his times most of his own life. He has also penned books relating to the Constitution, the presidency and more American history as well as a broad base of subjects including pop culture, books, arts, and more American history for other publication. The man is a lawyer and in this book he chronicles the 12 days that Booth was on the lamb by detailing point for point information with collaborating witness in a way an attorney would lay out his case. What was particularly interesting is the author's use of many sources including diary entries, official orders of the military, newspaper accounts, court records and more to create a page turning story that I could not be put down in spite of the fact that I knew much of the basics of the time and event in history.
James L. Swanson opens by introducing the reader to John Wilkes Booth giving a picture of who the man was and his motivations. We learn of previous plots he was weaving and we follow him and his co-conspirators in minute to minute journey the day of the assassination in Fords Theater.
More Than Just Facts
The author not only brought fact on to the pages of the book, he was able to bring feeling as he describes the animosity Booth had towards the sitting president. I was brought to tears at the account of those in overnight vigil outside the doors of the Peterson House where Lincoln died. I was truly mesmerized by Secretary of War, Stanton, in what he felt, thought and did. I was also intrigued by and even brought to pity for Booth, spending moments listening to his deep thoughts as entered a passage into his diary, and read newspaper accounts of his deed, as he laid in the swamps in hiding.
The writer gave all this in a thrilling narration that is supported by an extensive Bibliography and Notes allotted many pages at books end.
The books story is re-enforced with a couple of maps. One showing the DC area including the Ford's Theater, the Peterson House where Lincoln died, the White House, and a number of key places that are told of in the story. An inset shows Booth's escape rout in DC.
Another map shows Booth's route and destinations during the 12 days he was being hunted in the largest dragnet ever previously executed in US history. I like having maps to help me better understand the story and events and following them on the map as I read about it.
Conjecture and Supposition
Another reason I liked the book was the lawyer/author's use of conjecture. Ha, there is no one to "Object", except the reader, however, I welcomed the author's thoughts. There are many facts that just aren't known about Booth's days in hiding yet, the author brings reasonable analysis to many a situation. On another such note I liked how he would also use supposition as when wondering aloud what it might have been like in the theater had Booth's one shot pistol misfired or if he missed. Would Lincoln have been able to defend himself against this athletic actor who still brandished a knife? That to me was interesting and the author and I did happen to come up with the same hypothetical conclusion.
James L. Swanson gives the same facts and analysis to many of the key players in the assassination plot of Lincoln, the Vice president and the Secretary of State. Much isn't known about some of these people because they were in hiding and/or the meetings were secretive. Others destroyed evidence that in any way showed connection with Booth in fear of retribution.
Even with a lack of some fact, the author has much credible information that drives this book. I also appreciated a Timeline of the chase as a separate section.
A Clear Picture Of Events
The book picture's 20 black and white photographs of Booth, Lincoln, and the many people involved in the assassination and/or involved afterward. I particularly appreciated the author taking time after the books end in the Epilogue to expound on key people referred to in the text. He details what they did afterward, any punishment that came their way and recounted info as to the reward moneys that were delved out to many people for the capture of Booth.
Pop's Final thoughts
If there was any negative in the book it would be of the author's depiction of Mrs. Lincoln relegated to the form of a hysterical woman and that of Vice-President/President Johnson who is given little note at all.
Still this book was a five star read for me. Perhaps it may be just a four star to those not as interested in the times and the deed. I have been to Gettysburg that is mentioned in the book a few times and also to Dry Tortugas National Park off the Coast of Key West Florida where Dr. Mudd was imprisoned on an inhospitable piece of land the book notes as Devil's Island. I also suppose my visits to the key sites of the assassination and death of Lincoln including Ford's Theater, the Peterson House and the White House where he began the evening added to my own addiction to such books.
If I may compare him to double Pulitzer Prize winner David McCullough of whom I have read many of his historical account books, and enjoyed, this is right up there with that author's best.
That said, this book is above and beyond other accounts I have read about John Wilkes Booth and his days trying to escape his final fate giving me factual detail and reasonable supposition I never knew of or thought of previously.
From April 14-26, 1865, the hunt for John Wilkes Booth and his accomplices transfixed a nation reeling from the horrors of the newly ended Civil War. ...More at Buy.com Marketplaces
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