Kathy Canavan's New Book!

[Lincoln Wonk]

There is an interview with Kathy here.

Thanks for posting this, Roger. I was ridiculously lucky to have Andrea Gibbs, the local PBS producer, handle my interview. Her voice is like silk and she is very nice. She coached me a little on using the full title of my book when I spoke too. Very nice.

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Kathy is absolutely great here.
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Thanks, Jim

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[quote='ReignetteC' pid='57931' dateline='1460571149']
One of my disappointments about not attending the Surratt Conference this year was the missed opportunity to hear Kathy Canavan speak about her book. Perhaps another time! As I read her book, I felt I was immersed in an engaging history lesson - the kind I longed for when I was in school.

Thanks, Reignette. The conference was wonderful. I wish I had been able to go on some of the trips with Joan and with Laurie. Everyone was talking about them.

[BettyO]

Kathy -

A fabulous article - and the photo is beautiful!! Kudos -

Had a wonderful time at the Forum - you are a wonderful speaker and I'm so glad that we had time to spend together!

[Eva Elisabeth]

One of my disappointments about not attending the Surratt Conference this year was the missed opportunity to hear Kathy Canavan speak about her book.

Well said, same disappointment here!!

[L Verge]

One of my disappointments about not attending the Surratt Conference this year was the missed opportunity to hear Kathy Canavan speak about her book.

Well said, same disappointment here!!

You both missed an excellent talk by Kathy.

[L Verge]

Congratulations, Kathy! http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/20...-died.html

[Lincoln Wonk]

Congratulations, Kathy! http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/20...-died.html

Wow. Thanks, Laurie. I hadn't seen this. I usually read the D.B., but I was crazy busy at work this morning. Thank you.

[RJNorton]

Kudos, Kathy!

https://www.strategypage.com/bookreviews/1419.asp

[Lincoln Wonk]

Kudos, Kathy!

https://www.strategypage.com/bookreviews/1419.asp

Thanks, Roger. Here's to happy holidays for everyone.

[Jim Garrett]

I use to recommend three books depending on a readers knowledge of the assassination. These days I only recommend only one.

[Gene C]

You've got me curious now Jim, what were the three?

[Jim Garrett]

For a reader not familiar with the assassination, "Manhunt"

For someone knowledgeable, "Blood on the Moon"

For someone well grounded, "American Brutus"

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I did part one of a two part private tour of Wshington for a big bankruptcy attorney and family from Orange County, Ca. They did Ford's Theatre earlier, and I recommended Kathy's book. The 10 year old son remembered seeing it in the bookstore at Ford's and we are going back today to run in and get it.

[L Verge]

Those are the exact same three books that staff at Surratt House have recommended for years (in that order). Now for easy reading, I would put Kathy's book between Manhunt and Blood on the Moon -- all the juicy facts in an easy to read style.

[Joe Di Cola]

I agree with Jim--Blood on the Moon, American Brutus, and Manhunt are definitely the three in the pantheon of Lincoln assassination books. Prior to American Brutus, the only book I ever remember reading about Booth was Philip Van Doren Stern's 1939 The Man Who Killed Lincoln (which I still have in my collection). I also agree with Laurie's assessment of Kathy Canavan's book. I have almost finished it, and it does include a level of detail that is most interesting.

[L Verge]

One that is seldom mentioned is Tom Goodrich's Darkest Dawn. I actually prefer it to ...Papa Dead. Both of those, however, deserve to be in the top ten, imo.

[Gene C]

Lots of interesting details and information, especially regarding the Peterson House, where Lincoln died. I found the information about the family, and other tenants of the house interesting. Lots of good photographs, and well documented with lots of footnotes.

Some of the details really caught my eye, and left me wondering if they really happened, or did the source that was referenced take some liberty with the facts. Such as....

p92-93. William Withers was laying unconscious backstage, bleeding and disheveled after his encounter with Booth. Detectives drag him out of the theater into Baptist alley. A mob gathers and as he drifting in and out of consciousness, he is almost hung, but the mayor of Washington recognizes him and intervenes (Broadway Magazine, May 1904)
p 111. Investigators find in Booth's motel room among other things, a letter from a women who pleaded for Booth to forget his plot (Louisville Daily Union Press, April 17 1865)
p112. She (Mary Lincoln) suddenly began tearing out her own hair out of her head by the hand full....They were all relieved when Bob Lincoln persuaded his mother to stop. (Styple, Generals in Bronze p.304)

I just wonder if these are accurate reports, or just records of an over embellishment made at the time?