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Dennis Urban · 02-28-2017, 12:29 PM

Many fine books have been referenced throughout this string including several of my personal favorites which I have reread several times. I do prefer first hand information whenever available. Thus, I will mention that the trial transcripts by Ben Perley Poore are a wonderful source of first hand information (albeit that some folks minds were clouded and thus their testimony was suspect). These transcripts are available for download at the Surratt House Museum website. Of the several different versions available, Poore's is considered by many to be the most complete and most accurate. I particularly use the alphabetized witness list which identifies the exact location of each witness' testimony. I go back to this time and time again to read those incredible first hand accounts. Well worth the time to peruse. It's almost addictive.

TRose · (This post was last modified: 02-28-2017 01:35 PM by TRose.)

(02-24-2017 09:29 AM)Dave Taylor Wrote: I believe that the most "definitive" book out there about the Lincoln assassination is American Brutus: John Wilkes Booth and the Lincoln Conspiracies by Michael W. Kauffman. While there are many wonderful books that have been written about the assassination and there are a few of the older ones that I have an affinity for, I do not feel any other book, past or present, can match American Brutus in terms of research and sheer volume of knowledge. When people ask me which book to read on the Lincoln assassination, I always recommend Kauffman's book because it is, hands down, the best researched book on the subject.

When it comes to learning more on just Booth, then my recommendations are John Wilkes Booth: Day by Day by Arthur F. Loux and Fortune's Fool: The Life of John Wilkes Booth by Terry Alford. Both of these books are wonderful sources to understanding the complex character of John Wilkes Booth. The amount of research and time spent writing these books shines through in every page.

My last three "definitive" books are not ones that you would read cover to cover, but ones that are essential to use when researching different aspects of the Lincoln assassination. They are the trio of edited books that have been put out by William Edwards. All of them are available digitally, which makes it so much easier to use them in research due to the search function. I am constantly using these books in my research:

The Lincoln Assassination: The Evidence edited by William Edwards and Edward Steers

The Lincoln Assassination - The Rewards Files edited by William Edwards

The Lincoln Assassination Trial - The Court Transcripts edited by William Edwards

My other recommendations are some books that do not provide a definitive look at the assassination in general, but provide great focus on one aspect of the story. To delve into other aspects I highly recommend: Alias "Paine": Lewis Thornton Powell, the Mystery Man of the Lincoln Conspiracy by Betty Ownsbey, The Assassin's Accomplice: Mary Surratt and the Plot to Kill Abraham Lincoln by Kate Clifford Larson, Memoirs of Lincoln Conspirator by Samuel Bland Arnold, His Name Is Still Mudd: The Case Against Doctor Samuel Alexander Mudd by Edward Steers, Jr., The Assassin's Doctor: The Life and Letters of Dr. Samuel A. Mudd by Robert Summers, Backstage at the Lincoln Assassination: The Untold Story of the Actors and Stagehands at Ford’s Theatre by Thomas Bogar,Lincoln's Final Hours: Conspiracy, Terror, and the Assassination of America's Greatest President by Kathryn Canavan, In The Footsteps of an Assassin by Michael Kauffman, A True History of the Assassination of Abraham Lincoln and of the Conspiracy of 1865 by Louis J. Weichmann, The Assassination of Abraham Lincoln: Flight, Pursuit, Capture, and Punishment of the Conspirators by Osborn Oldroyd, J. Wilkes Booth: An Account of His Sojourn in Southern Maryland After the Assassination of Abraham Lincoln, His Passage Across the Potomac, and His Death in Virginia by Thomas A. Jones, and at some date in the future (I hope) Inside the Walls: The Final Days of the Lincoln Conspirators by Barry Cauchon and John "Jeff" Elliott. I'm sure there are, many, many other books that I can't think of right now that delve deeply into specific aspects of the Lincoln assassination. There are also a plethora of books about the Booth family, if you're interested.

That's my two cents on the matter, anyway. To me, American Brutus is the most definitive but we are lucky to have many wonderful books on the subject.

Hi Dave,

thank you so very much for this great reply...above and beyond expectations for sure! I have read most of the books you have mentioned...and yes, American Brutus is also a great book! I'm hip-deep in the middle of The Evidence. I can only read so much at a sitting before my mind starts to spin. There are several on your list that I haven't read yet, so after Twenty Days and They Have Killed Papa Dead, it looks like I will have more work to do! Thanks again for your input and guidance!

(02-28-2017 12:29 PM)Dennis Urban Wrote: Many fine books have been referenced throughout this string including several of my personal favorites which I have reread several times. I do prefer first hand information whenever available. Thus, I will mention that the trial transcripts by Ben Perley Poore are a wonderful source of first hand information (albeit that some folks minds were clouded and thus their testimony was suspect). These transcripts are available for download at the Surratt House Museum website. Of the several different versions available, Poore's is considered by many to be the most complete and most accurate. I particularly use the alphabetized witness list which identifies the exact location of each witness' testimony. I go back to this time and time again to read those incredible first hand accounts. Well worth the time to peruse. It's almost addictive.

Thank you! Would Steers' "The Trial" suffice in this regard?

Thank you ALL so very much! I do appreciate everyone's feedback. It seems I've wasted my time reading a bunch of other books on the topic over the past several years, but such is life. You all have added 4-5 additional materials for me, and I am honestly grateful to all of you who took the time to respond. And WPBinzel I do find myself asking more questions rather than having standing questions answered. It can be frustrating. Might I ask one of those questions...a nagging one that has been bothering me since my last visit to the James O. Hall Center when I spoke at length with Lindsey...

Was David Herold really tasked with accompanying Powell to Seward's and then escort him out? It seems illogical and a waste of man-power.

thanks!

RJNorton · 02-28-2017, 01:56 PM

(02-28-2017 01:20 PM)TRose Wrote: Was David Herold really tasked with accompanying Powell to Seward's and then escort him out? It seems illogical and a waste of man-power.

Tony, for numerous thoughts on this please see the thread Laurie began here.

Dennis Urban · 02-28-2017, 02:11 PM

Having not read The Trial, but it being on my list to do so, it is difficult for me to comment. However, Mr. Steers is an excellent historian who also used other experts to "explain testimony...expose perjuries...and clarify events" (synopsis by Good Reads) thus adding immensely to the understanding of all of the events associated with the assassination.

Herold was to be the guide for Powell (as you mentioned) since Powell did not know Washington City nor southern MD and would have great difficulty escaping on his own. Note how Powell got lost when Herold frightfully deserted him at Seward's. Herold knew these areas very well over the course of many years. I believe Booth wanted to make it relatively easy for Powell to leave the city and join with him in the escape. Powell could also supply the "muscle" Booth might need during the escape. On the other hand, George Atzerodt was left to his own to escape; but them he knew the city and Montgomery County to the north.

L Verge · 02-28-2017, 03:10 PM

This is just my personal opinion, but Powell would have stuck out like a sore thumb on the escape route.

Just like he stands out in photos for us, he was likely just as easily identified by strangers in 1865. The folks along the escape route had not laid eyes on him (I'm guessing not even Harbin). His strength, height, etc. was unusual for the time whereas Herold was just "average" - and probably known by some on the route. Also, it becomes more difficult to travel and remain hidden the more people that are in a group. One person usually has an easier time, but Herold was needed for his "environmental" knowledge.

Powell, on the other hand, was trained to stand and fight and then skedaddle. He also had vital contacts in Baltimore and was much more familiar with that city. I just don't see him even considering sticking with Booth to the end. I'm amazed that Herold did!

Rick Smith · 03-07-2017, 07:55 AM

(02-25-2017 07:48 PM)J. Beckert Wrote: 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.

An excellent assessment, Joe. Although Bill is a master of writing documented histories, he has also written several works of historic "fiction," most notably, The Last Confederate Heroes, a two volume set which minutely details the events surrounding the Lincoln assassination and those who took part in them. Also included are a massive amount of citations; chapter notes and references which support, expand and illuminate the work. Other works which Bill has authored include; The Last Shot, The Assassinator, Confederate Freedom Fighter, and In The Shadows of The Lincoln Assassination.