Killing Lincoln: The Assassination that Changed America Forever
Author:
Genre: History
Book Type: Hardcover
Author:
Genre: History
Book Type: Hardcover
The opening scene of this book is surprising; as Lincoln is taking his oath of office for his second term, he has 6 more weeks to live. By the kind words Lincoln speaks at his second inauguration, he shows that he plans to quickly take the Confederates back into the fold of America. The war is winding down; amazingly enough, Northerners are sick of the war and are demanding that Lincoln stop immediately (in spite of the fact that they are so close to victory).
Quickly the scene changes to the fighting between Grant and Lee. Parts of it are hard to read; the authors explain the suffering in gripping detail. Throughout this book, I have the feeling that I am there. The characterizations of the participants are very clear. The authors keep the chapters short, which has the effect of seeming to move the action at a rapid pace.
This is not your father's high school American history. As someone who has read a great deal about the Civil War and Abraham Lincoln, I was surprised that the story could be told so succinctly (~325 pages) This book also includes two minor facts that are rarely included. First, Wilmer McLean was involved in both the beginning and end of the American Civil War. At the first Battle of Bull Run, a cannonball landed in his fireplace. He and his family decided to move to a place away from the fighting. At the end of the war, Wilmer McLean's out-of-the-way Virginia house just happens to be used as the meeting place of Grant and Lee, to hammer out the surrender of Lee's forces.
Second, Lincoln was effectively mummified because as his body traveled across the US (during the train trip after his death), he was repeatedly embalmed as he crossed into different states (where the rules for embalming were different). Over the next 150 years, Lincoln's casket would be opened six times and his remains would be moved from location to another 17 times. I remember reading one report by a man who had seen Lincoln's body (he was a child at the time; I believe he accompanied his father, a doctor), who reported that Lincoln's body was the same as when he had died. There had been virtually no decomposition, due to so much embalming.
I'm glad that the authors included the conspiracy theories and generally how they panned out over the years. The photos and other images added much to the story. Fascinating reading.
Quickly the scene changes to the fighting between Grant and Lee. Parts of it are hard to read; the authors explain the suffering in gripping detail. Throughout this book, I have the feeling that I am there. The characterizations of the participants are very clear. The authors keep the chapters short, which has the effect of seeming to move the action at a rapid pace.
This is not your father's high school American history. As someone who has read a great deal about the Civil War and Abraham Lincoln, I was surprised that the story could be told so succinctly (~325 pages) This book also includes two minor facts that are rarely included. First, Wilmer McLean was involved in both the beginning and end of the American Civil War. At the first Battle of Bull Run, a cannonball landed in his fireplace. He and his family decided to move to a place away from the fighting. At the end of the war, Wilmer McLean's out-of-the-way Virginia house just happens to be used as the meeting place of Grant and Lee, to hammer out the surrender of Lee's forces.
Second, Lincoln was effectively mummified because as his body traveled across the US (during the train trip after his death), he was repeatedly embalmed as he crossed into different states (where the rules for embalming were different). Over the next 150 years, Lincoln's casket would be opened six times and his remains would be moved from location to another 17 times. I remember reading one report by a man who had seen Lincoln's body (he was a child at the time; I believe he accompanied his father, a doctor), who reported that Lincoln's body was the same as when he had died. There had been virtually no decomposition, due to so much embalming.
I'm glad that the authors included the conspiracy theories and generally how they panned out over the years. The photos and other images added much to the story. Fascinating reading.
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