Can I have some feedback?

[Rob Wick]

Gene,

I had been working on a full-scale biography of Conger for about 15 years now, but a lack of primary material from his early years and a run-in I had with my local library which resulted in my not being able to get microfilmed newspapers put the kibosh on it. I have been working from time to time on a manuscript but haven't touched it for a few months with all the other irons I've got in the fire.

My problem (if you can call it a problem) is that I have to have as much information as possible before I'm comfortable writing something. I'm not sure if it comes from my newspaper days or if I'm just obsessed that way. I have enough material on Conger's Civil War service, his capture of Booth, his time in southern Illinois and his time on the Territorial Supreme Court of Montana, but without the other material I just don't feel like I can do it the way I want to do it.

Steve's working on a biography of Boston Corbett, which will be a major contribution and is sorely needed. To be honest, my interest in the assassination was more a means to an end, i.e., getting myself back into a serious study of history. My main interest has always been in historiography, or the study of the study of history. I like the idea of getting the story behind the story (which is definitely a holdover from my newspaper days).

Whatever I end up writing, you will certainly get it autographed.

Best
Rob

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Joe,

I am very interested in what you are writing about the 1893 World's Fair. I read Devil in the White City, which is one of the top 5 books that I've ever read.

I also think it would be a natural progression. I will say that John Hoffman, who is in charge of the Lincoln and Illinois History room at the University of Illinois, wrote a major article on Thomas for the Journal of the Abraham Lincoln Association that is quite comprehensive, so I'm not sure how practical that would be.

Best
Rob