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Killing Lincoln
Killing Lincoln
The Shocking Assassination that Changed America Forever
A riveting historical narrative of the heart-stopping events surrounding the assassination of Abraham Lincoln, and the first work of history from mega-bestselling author Bill O'Reilly.
The anchor of The O'Reilly Factor recounts one of the most dramatic stories in American history—how one gunshot changed the country forever. In the spring of 1865, the bloody saga of America's Civil War finally comes to an end after a series of increasingly harrowing battles. President Abraham Lincoln's generous terms for Robert E. Lee's surrender are devised to fulfill Lincoln's dream of healing a divided nation, with the former Confederates allowed to reintegrate into American society. But one man and his band of murderous accomplices, perhaps reaching into the highest ranks of the U.S. government, are not appeased. In the midst of the patriotic celebrations in Washington D.C., John Wilkes Booth—charismatic ladies' man and impenitent racist—murders Abraham Lincoln at Ford's Theatre. A furious manhunt ensues and Booth immediately becomes the country's most wanted fugitive. Lafayette C. Baker, a smart but shifty New York detective and former Union spy, unravels the string of clues leading to Booth, while federal forces track his accomplices. The thrilling chase ends in a fiery shootout and a series of court-ordered executions—including that of the first woman ever executed by the U.S. government, Mary Surratt. Featuring some of history's most remarkable figures, vivid detail, and page-turning action, Killing Lincoln is history that reads like a thriller.
A riveting historical narrative of the heart-stopping events surrounding the assassination of Abraham Lincoln, and the first work of history from mega-bestselling author Bill O'Reilly.
The anchor of The O'Reilly Factor recounts one of the most dramatic stories in American history—how one gunshot changed the country forever. In the spring of 1865, the bloody saga of America's Civil War finally comes to an end after a series of increasingly harrowing battles. President Abraham Lincoln's generous terms for Robert E. Lee's surrender are devised to fulfill Lincoln's dream of healing a divided nation, with the former Confederates allowed to reintegrate into American society. But one man and his band of murderous accomplices, perhaps reaching into the highest ranks of the U.S. government, are not appeased. In the midst of the patriotic celebrations in Washington D.C., John Wilkes Booth—charismatic ladies' man and impenitent racist—murders Abraham Lincoln at Ford's Theatre. A furious manhunt ensues and Booth immediately becomes the country's most wanted fugitive. Lafayette C. Baker, a smart but shifty New York detective and former Union spy, unravels the string of clues leading to Booth, while federal forces track his accomplices. The thrilling chase ends in a fiery shootout and a series of court-ordered executions—including that of the first woman ever executed by the U.S. government, Mary Surratt. Featuring some of history's most remarkable figures, vivid detail, and page-turning action, Killing Lincoln is history that reads like a thriller.
Reviews-
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August 15, 2011
Political commentator O’Reilly and coauthor Dugard (Into Africa: The Epic Adventures of Stanley and Livingston) take on the “most spectacular assassination conspiracy in the history of man” in the form of a thriller in this rendition of Lincoln’s murder. Ponderous foreshadowing and innuendo produce a tedious read, even as they enable the authors to resurrect a theory that secretary of war Stanton was involved in the conspiracy to kill the president, vice-president, and secretary of state. They concede the contention has been “repudiated and dismissed by the vast majority of trained historians,” and yet allude to it frequently. Inaccuracies (e.g., ignoring a 2010 study of King Tut’s mummy showing he died of disease, not assassination) and anachronisms (e.g., referring to Grant’s “photograph” in newspapers although until the 1880s only engravings were possible) mar the account. Well-documented and equally riveting histories are available for readers interested in Lincoln’s assassination; this one shows how spin can be inserted into a supposedly “no spin American story.” B&w photos and maps. -
This is a remarkable book in that readers either dearly love it or savagely hate it. There's almost no middle ground among thousands of commentators. Newsman O'Reilly garbles some facts, but he also gives us a great dramatic reading. The book resonates like a novel, an adventure story. There are very few political bones to pick here; most of the facts are well understood, though there are conspiracy theories that pop up among the populace once in a while. Quite a few details unknown to the average history student are revealed, many of them showing the states of mind and thoughts of the victims and conspirators. Pacing is everything; O'Reilly is good at it. D.R.W. (c) AudioFile 2011, Portland, Maine
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Starred review from December 1, 2011
In this fast-paced, enthralling narrative that unfolds more like a true-crime thriller than scholarly analysis, O'Reilly (The O'Reilly Factor) and Dugard (Into Africa: The Epic Adventures of Stanley and Livingstone) offer an account of the events that led up to, surrounded, and unfolded in the aftermath of Lincoln's assassination. With a judicious mixture of history, hagiography, and conspiracy theory, Killing Lincoln overflows with psychological insights and wild speculation. O'Reilly's sonorous tone and flair for the dramatic add tremendously to the work's theatrical value. Recommended for O'Reilly devotees. ["This book is not for academics but may appeal to readers who enjoy fast-paced, conjectural popular history," read the review of the New York Times best-selling Holt hc, LJ 10/1/11.--Ed.]--Brian Odom, Pelham P.L., AL
Copyright 2011 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
