Chasing Lincoln’s Killer by James L. Swanson

Reviewed by Bridget

Ratings

Content Ratings based on a 0-5 scale where
0 = no objectionable content and
5 = an excessive or disturbing level of content

Guide to Rating System

LANGUAGE

VIOLENCE

SEXUAL CONTENT

ADULT THEMES

Ratings Explanation

Language: Damn, damned

Violence:  Assassination of President Abraham Lincoln.  Dr. Leale prolongs President Lincoln’s life with C.P.R.  “Dr. Leale pulled another blood clot from the hole in Lincoln’s head to relieve the pressure on the brain and tossed the gooey mass into the street.  Fresh blood and brain matter oozed through Leale’s fingers.”  The President’s  feet and legs were getting cold.  The eyelids were so filled with blood that they looked bruised, like someone had punched the president in the face.  All signs were consistent with a catastrophic injury to the brain.  They laid a clean white napkin over the bloodstains on the pillow.”  Dr. Leale used a Nelaton probe to work inside Lincoln’s brain.  An autopsy on President Lincoln’s brain and body served very little scientific purpose.  “One surgeon reached for his saws and knives while the others watched.”  The bullet was preserved for history and Lincoln’s blood was drained from his corpse, transferred to glass jars and preserved.  Powell viciously attacks Seward, his sons, his daughter and the nurse.   After Seward’s murder, his bed was saturated with blood.  Fanny Seward’s dress was dripping in blood.  “Augustus Seward had been stabbed and his brother, Frederick was unconscious from a crushed skull; brave Sergeant Robison had endured multiple stab wounds.”  J.W. Booth’s leg was broken.  Herold led the horses to a quicksand pit, shot them and sank their bodies.  The Garrett’s lock Booth and Herold in the tobacco barn.  The barn is lit on fire by the cavalry.  Booth contemplates suicide, but before he can act Boston Corbett shoots him.  Booth dies a slow death.  “Booth’s lips turned purple and his throat swelled.  He gasped.”  The four convicts were “bound and hooded.  Nooses were slipped over their necks and…, they dropped to their deaths.”

Adult Themes:  Mary Todd Lincoln laments and sobs that her son will not see his father alive again.  General Stanton cruelly commands “Take that woman out and do not let her in again.”  Stanton was obeyed.  Slavery, anti-Union, anti-black themes, a reversal of The Underground Railroad for confederate spies and those seeking for the South to secede.   Reference to Lincoln’s son, Willie who died of typhoid.  Reference to Mary Jane Welles’ son who died of diphtheria.  J. W. Booth places Dr. Mudd and his entire family in great danger by taking advantage of Mudd’s hospitality.  Unbeknownst to Dr. Mudd, he became an accomplice to the murder of President Lincoln.  Betrayal and intrigue amongst all the conspirators.

Synopsis

This book is based on James L. Swanson’s bestselling adult book, “Manhunt: The 12-Day Chase for Lincoln’s Killer”.  This version was written especially for young people.  “The story is true.  All the characters are real and were alive during the great manhunt of April 1865.  Their words are authentic and come from original sources: letters, manuscripts, trial transcripts, newspapers, government reports, pamphlets, books, and other documents.  What happened in Washington, D.C. that spring, and in the swamps and rivers, forests and fields of Maryland and Virginia during the next twelve days, is far too incredible to have been made up.”  This is the story of Lincoln’s assassination and John Wilkes Booth’s attempted escape to a safe haven in the South.

Swanson’s book is intelligently written for youth.  The history surrounding Lincoln’s assassination captivated me.  I highly recommend this book and think it would be great for a leisure read as well as a research paper source – a rare combination for literature!

©2009 The Literate Mother