It Didn't Happen the Way You Think (by Robert Lockwood Mills)

[L Verge]

(12-16-2018 10:46 AM)Gene C Wrote:  As I post this, the price for the book mentioned above is a bit steep at $794.77 for a used paperback.
I hope you were able to find a less expensive copy Mike.

https://www.amazon.com/Didnt-Happen-Way-...wood+mills

Now that I have recovered from a dead faint after seeing the ridiculous sum that two dealers are asking for that book, I would buy Dr. Arnold's book and theories before I would this one. Joan Chaconas and I spent many hours working with Robert Mills when he was putting his ideas together, and the book turned out worse than we even suspected.

And for Mr. Griffith's information, we did attempt to sell it in the gift shop at Surratt House, but only a few people bought it (the book and the theories). In fact, one buyer brought the book back a few weeks after purchasing it and wanted to know if he could get his money back.

We maintained some contact with Bob for a while, but he had moved on to other subjects. One highlight (or lowlight) of his speaking engagements on the book came at a meeting of the Lincoln Group of D.C. when he invited himself to speak.

Bob was a very loquacious and "dynamic" speaker (even in general conversations). As mentioned above, he had also attempted stage acting at one point. When he took the podium that night at Ft. McNair (where the group met at the Officers' Club which is within fifty feet of the site of the spot where the four conspirators were hanged ion July 7, 1865 - and now tennis courts), there was no holding him back.

The LGDC was and is a very distinguished group of Lincoln scholars and enthusiasts, many of whom then and now cast disparaging eyes on those of us who are interested in the assassination. Bob's presentation certainly did not help the situation, and he lost control completely by feeling compelled to act out certain points. When he moved to where he had more space and dropped to the floor to enact the assassination, the curtain might as well have fallen at that point. If only he had brought a rocking chair to be more accurate...

He recovered and took the podium again, facing the stone-cold stares of the audience. Within five minutes, he took on the military court issue. That was the end. Shortly, a retired JAG officer and visiting professor of law at GWU who was working on a book related to CW justice as well as being a member of the Surratt Society stood up and announced that he could take no more of this "pure ----" (expletive deleted), grabbed his coat and stomped out of the building. Several other folks followed.

Bob saw good reason to draw his conclusions to a close, no one entertained any questions, the president closed the meeting, and everyone left with buzzings uttered under their breath. What was it that Lincoln said about fooling people??? Maybe I should send this to at least those booksellers (and someone else) who are attempting to fool people into paying such a ridiculous price for Bob's book. 75 cents would be my top bid - and, I liked Robert Lockwood Mills as a person.