History buff or not, you'll be immersed in this story of Lincoln's assassination - Killing Lincoln by Bill O'Reilly and Martin Dugard. It's the style in which it is written, rather than the facts unveiled, that make this an enjoyable and informative read. It reads like a suspenseful thriller outlining the day-by-day, hour-by-hour events beginning with the final days of the Civil War and culminating with the sentencing and execution of assassin, John Wilkes Booth, and his accomplices.
The story alternates between Lincoln's and Booth's days. The bedraggled Union and Confederate armies challenges. The jubilation taking place in Washington, D.C. as word spread of General Lee's surrender. The world of theatre and acting that provided Booth with the opportunity to move freely through Ford's Theatre plotting the assassination.
Bonus: The appendix includes a reprint of the April 29, 1865 edition of Harper's Weekly, a news magazine of that time, exclusively covering the assassination and death of President Lincoln. The sense of loss felt by the nation is apparent.
Reviewed by Mrs. Boehm
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