Manhunt: The 12-Day Chase for Lincoln's Killer

Manhunt: The 12-Day Chase for Lincoln's Killer by James L. Swanson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Manhunt follows the events surrounding the days before Lincoln's assassination and the 12-day search that followed for John Wilkes Booth and his co-conspirators. It is a fascinating true story of how the plot was hatched, how each piece fell into place (and the ones that didn't) on that tragic night in April 1865, and how Booth ultimately evaded capture until his luck ran out.

As I was reading, I kept reflecting on how much our world has changed with technology. Part of Booth's luck in escaping Washington was due to people not hearing about the assassination yet. Now we hear almost instantly when something happens, good or bad. I don't think Booth or any of his cronies would have made it 1 hour if they attempted their scheme today. I also thought about how, due to events like this, our presidents would not be able to freely ride about town with their spouse in an open carriage. Thanks a lot, John Wilkes Booth. Jerk. Crazy zealots like you ruining it for everyone.

Great book! I enjoyed it more than "Killing Lincoln". A definite recommendation for history buffs.

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History Week

History

This week we each read a history book from one of the subtopics we laid out for Reading University.  Our subtopics needed to fit one of the following criteria:

American History - fiction or non-fiction historical book set in North America
European History - fiction or non-fiction historical book set in Europe
World History - fiction or non-fiction historical book set outside of North America and Europe
Alternate History - books from the alternate history genre

Books Selected:

Zach (European History - Non-fiction)

The Spartans: The World of the Warrior-heroes of Ancient Greece by Paul Anthony Cartledge

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I enjoyed this book because it explained the daily life of the Spartans, their values, and a look into the history behind their culture and some of the major battles.  My favorite section was about the Persian Wars.  If you love history, especially military or political history, or reading about ancient cultures, you will like this book.

Michelle (American History - Non-fiction)

Killing Kennedy: The End of Camelot by Bill O'Reilly
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

More like 2 1/2 stars. I didn't enjoy it as much as Killing Lincoln, but it was pretty good. A bit sensationalized in places and very much about the Kennedy administration rather than a focus on the assassination and aftermath. O'Reilly makes a lot of assumptions and embellishes situations--how could he possibly know the content of private conversations or the inner thoughts of the players involved? Pick it up if you want a quick read about Kennedy, his philandering ways, his brother Bobby, and a bit about his daily life in the White House.

Maddie (American History - Non-fiction)

Little House on the Prairie by Laura Ingalls Wilder
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This book directly follows "Little House in the Big Woods." The Ingalls family is leaving their home in Wisconsin for the West.