A wonderful surprise Christmas present from Sandy who read my mind all the way from California and sent me two books that were on my list and that I was waiting to buy while working my way through my huge shelf of books to read. As soon as I finished my read in progress, I dove into Killing Lincoln by Bill O'Reilly. I have heard most readers rave about it and now I join that chorus. It is a wonderfully put together historical book. How all those details came about from the heinous assassination of President Lincoln is a testimony to Bill and Martin Dugard who collaborated with Bill on this. Over 295 pages, a haunting historical tale, as mesmerizing as the cover photo to the left. While writings about Civil War battles and the strategy that won the war may not be my preferred reading, every word of this drew me in and along. I learned a bit more about General Custer too and how his full steam ahead attitude regardless of orders is likely what caused his demise at Little Big Horn. I learned about characters I never knew, John and Mary Surratt, Lafayette Baker, and Lucy Hale one time fiancee of John Wilkes Booth. I learned a lot about the alleged Confederate conspiracy and the character and temperament of John Wilkes Booth, and Mary Todd Lincoln. The book delves into the head of the assassin and into Lincoln's anguish over the Civil War and the peacetime to follow. When I first heard of this book, I wondered how it could expand on what we know but from the first page, I wondered no more. Following the Epilogue, the Appendix has the entire recreation of the April 29, 1865 Harper's Weekly. This is a keeper book for my personal library. The photos, the maps and the research notes are incredible. The maps will be a source of places yet to see when we are out touring in the motor home in southeastern states. I am particularly fond of historical non-fiction so this book is right up there for me.
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