Book recommendations

[jonathan]

Hey gang, I was wondering if anybody had any assassination books they would recommend in particular. I've done moderate reading so far, so I really wouldn't want anything that strays too far off the beaten path, at least not for the time being. I'd rather take it step by step for now. Here's what I've already read...

American Brutus (twice)
Blood On the Moon (twice)
Manhunt (twice)
Alias Paine
They Have Killed Papa Dead
His Name is Still Mudd
We Saw Lincoln Shot
Bloody Crimes
Shall We Gather At The River

and yes, also Killing Lincoln (hangs head)

Thanks for any tips.

[Rob Wick]

Jonathan,

I would recommend some of the older classics, many of which are available at Google Books. Some titles would include:

The Death of Lincoln by Clara Laughlin
The Judicial Murder of Mary Surratt and The Assassination of Abraham Lincoln and its Expiation, both by David Miller DeWitt

and I would also recommend (surprise) that you read Otto Eisenschiml's books. Of course, I wouldn't ask you to believe much that's in them, but he was a "name" in the field. You'll have to find his books at used book websites.

Best
Rob

[Gene C]

A few that I like that are not on your list
1. A True History of the Assassination of Abraham Lincoln and of the Conspiracy of 1865 by Louis Weichmann
2. Lincoln's Assasins by Roy Chamlee
3. The Great American Myth by George Bryan
4. Assassin's Accomplice by Kate Larson is a good book on Mary Surratt

[L Verge]

I would add:
The Darkest Dawn by Goodrich
His Name Is Still Mudd by Steers
The Lincoln Murder Conspiracies by Hanchett
My Thoughts Be Bloody by Titone
The Web of Conspiracy by Roscoe (be aware that new research disputes some of his claims, but I still love the detail of the book)
The Union vs. Dr. Mudd by Higdon
The Riddle of Dr. Mudd by Carter

You will find disparities in most of them and personal conjecture, but that's what makes the study interesting - trying to figure out which ones come closest to your ideas and which ones totally change your mind.

[Craig Hipkins]

Emerson Reck's book A.Lincoln His Last 24 hours is one of my favorites.

Craig

[Laurie Verge]

I recommend Reck's book also. It is very well done.

Also, if you want a Southern perspective as to Booth's mindset, please read Bill Richter's Sic Semper Tyrannis.

[RJNorton]

I'd like to second what Laurie just said. Bill Richter's book really helps those of us brought up in states like Illinois have a much better understanding of Booth and his mindset. If I were still teaching, and were trying to give the students a more comprehensive perspective of the driving forces in Booth's mind, I would use Bill's book as a resource for this. I certainly recommend it. It could lead to a great class discussion in which the students compare/contrast Bill's book to what they are reading in their own textbook.

From Bill's website:

"In a new, provocative study comprising three essays, historian William L. Richter delves into the psyche of Booth and finds him far from insane. Beginning with a modern, less adulating interpretation of President Abraham Lincoln, Richter is the first scholar to examine Booth's few known, often unfinished speeches and essays to draw a realistic mind-picture of the man who so intensely believed in common American polital theories of his day, and acted violently to carry them out during the time of America's greatest war."

[Laurie Verge]

Many years ago as part of his BA work, Mike Kauffman prepared a special scholars thesis along similar lines. It was never published to my knowledge, but we do have a copy at Surratt House. It is entitled Booth, Republicanism, and the Lincoln Assassination.

[Rick Smith]

Roger,

Sic Semper Tyrannus is indeed a fine piece of work by Bill Richter.

His two volume Last Confederate Heroes is also well worth reading.

Rick Smith

[Craig Hipkins]

I recommend Reck's book also. It is very well done.

Also, if you want a Southern perspective as to Booth's mindset, please read Bill Richter's Sic Semper Tyrannis.

Sic Semper Tyrannis is a good one. After reading it I had to read Di Lorenzo's book which gives a unique perspective of Lincoln.

Craig

[BettyO]

Roger,

Sic Semper Tyrannus is indeed a fine piece of work by Bill Richter.

His two volume Last Confederate Heroes is also well worth reading.

Rick Smith

I agree! I'm finishing up tweaking LCH to put it into eBook format -- look for it soon on the Barnes and Noble site! I can heartily agree that LCH is the BEST assassination novel I have ever read! Well worth it.....

[Rogerm]

Would anybody recommend a good biography of Lincoln's White House secretary, John Hay?

[Rob Wick]

Rogerm,

A quick Google search turned up nothing new on John Hay. There was a small book published in 1978 about Hay by Robert Gale, but I'm not familiar with it.

Best
Rob

[Linda Anderson]

Rogerm,

Clover Adams: A Gilded and Heartbreaking Life by Natalie Dykstra lists in its bibliography:

The Five of Hearts: An Intimate Portrait of Henry Adams and His Friends by Patricia O'Toole. It is the story of the friendship of Henry and Clover Adams, John and Clara Hay and Clarence King.

You can go to the The Five of Hearts on Amazon and Search Inside This Book for the bibliography.

[LincolnMan]

For an outstanding reference book on the assassination and one that is a lot of fun just to peruse- I recommend The Lincoln Assassination Encyclopedia by this Forum's own Edward Steers, Jr. I swear he didn't pay me to say that.