Definitive Sources

[J. Beckert]

A must read, in my opinion, is Bill Richter's "Sic Semper Tyrannis - Why John Wilkes Booth Shot Abraham Lincoln". Aptly titled, Bill's book explains exactly why Booth shot Lincoln. It banishes the common and threadbare beliefs that Booth was crazy, a drunkard, failed actor, etc. It delves into the political beliefs of both men (you may be surprised at Lincoln's), which is a good way to get a handle on both of their thinking. It also does so through the lens of their times, which some modern authors can't do without injecting their own modern political leanings.