Chasing Lincoln's Killer Book Report

Chasing Lincoln’s Killer by James Swanson, published by Scholastic Inc. on February 1, 2009, is a biography of John Wilkes Booth and his assasination of President Abraham Lincoln. The story talks about how the main character John Wilkes Booth’s plan of attacking the President, Secretary, and Vice President had been carried out in history and the prominent impact it had left the nation. John Wilkes Booth was a twenty-six-year-old who was the son and brother of two very famous actors. The story begins with a little historical background as it talks about the Civil War and brings in Booth’s hatred of President Abraham Lincoln. The book progresses as the murder of Abraham Lincoln occurs and how the rest of his allies of his group of four had carried

“The black powder charge exploded and spit the bullet towards Lincoln’s head. The muzzle flash lighted the box for a moment like a miniature bottle rocket.” (Swanson, 39). I chose this quote in the book, Chasing Lincoln’s Killer because this is where the book began. It is at this moment that John Wilkes Booth shot president Abraham Lincoln in the head with his .44 Daranger pistol mortally wounding Lincoln. If John Wilkes Booth hadn’t fired that shot into the back of President Lincoln’s head on the night of April 14, 1865, then; the book would have no story. The book, Chasing Lincoln’s Killer had no one specific setting, is about how John Wilkes Booth evaded capture, and has a theme of crime and justice.

The book chasing Lincoln killer begins with Lincoln inauguration. There is a man named john Wilkes booth that is plotting to kill Lincoln, and on April 14, 1865 when booth found out that Lincoln would be attending the play Our American Cousin that night he decided to murder him then. And on the night of April 14, at 10:13pm Lincoln was shot. Lincoln was taken to a house where he lie in bed deaf and wounded but still breathing. Then at 7:22 and ten seconds, Lincoln’s heart stopped beating Lincoln was dead. Along with killing Lincoln booth and his conspirators planned to kill the vice president, , and secretary of state William H. Seward. But George Atzerodt did not decide to kill …, and Lewis Powell succeeded in only injuring Seward. After Lincoln

History class to many falls as a boring lesson, memorizing facts nobody will use in life. The day America got it’s independence, the dates of the end of World War 1 and 2. These facts may seem useless, but behind each one, their is a story with so many valiant people, a story with people who must be forever condemned, and facts that we can always use. In the book, Chasing Lincoln’s Killer, written by James L. Swanson, there is one such story about the death of Abraham Lincoln and the manhunt that followed. What is really important about this story is that there are heroes, who should be remembered, and attackers whose actions must always be condemned. Most importantly, this book shows how many people worked together in order to catch the escapees

2. Chasing Lincoln’s Killer is a biography, as it mainly focuses on John Wilkes Booth’s plan to assassinate the president along with the secretary of state and vice president, the actual assassinations in action, and Booth’s attempt to escape to the south, along with personal retellings of what happened by the people involved.

Chasing Lincoln’s Killer by James Swanson is a third-person book about Lincoln’s assassination and the manhunt for John Wilkes Booth. In the beginning, the civil war just ended. A lot of southern's were angry at Lincoln such as John Wilkes Booth. Booth had found conspirators to help assassinate Abraham Lincoln and his cabinet members. Booth had a plan to kidnap Lincoln before

The theme of the book Chasing Lincoln’s Killer has numerous of themes, however the theme that stands out the most in the book is that, historical assassination

The feeling of change, is one many are afraid of. Moreover, the possibility of moving on from the style of one life into the unknown world where they are vulnerable, is frightening to many, unthinkable to some. After the Civil War, hundreds of thousands of Southerners refused to believe in a world where African Americans were also citizens of the Union, one where they were all men were free. While most maintained peace in order to prevent more mayhem, some decided to act out. John Wilkes Booth was one of these such men, and he demonstrated his anger through murder. Booth assassinated President Abraham Lincoln on April 15th, 1865 .The book, Chasing Lincoln’s Killer, written by James L. Swanson reports the anger felt by Booth, in addition to the manhunt that followed, and the shocked nation left behind. The magnitude of emotions felt by Booth leads him to this traitorous act, and this text shows a lot about the how people react to change in their life, because of fear of change, and the annoyance of a new system. Most importantly this text shows us how even through the pain from the worst, there is always a better door in life, waiting to be opened.

Sreeka Bharani Block II Book Review Chasing Lincoln’s Killer Book Review There are two themes in Chasing Lincoln’s Killer. These two themes can be seen throughout the book. One is from the American people, as they sought out justice for the crime (the assassination of Lincoln) that had been committed. The Author describes the unrest of the American people as a result of the assassination. “Booth saw the beginning of a change in how Abraham Lincoln was viewed by America.

Bill O’Reilly’s, Killing Lincoln, is a nonfiction novel based on the assassination of the United States 16th president, Abraham Lincoln. Bill O’Reilly has a writing style that captivates his readers with historical facts in a story format. In this novel, Bill O’Reilly puts emphasis on the assassin, John Wilks Booth and his plans that lead up to the death of Lincoln. This event that occurs at the end of the Civil War, changes America drastically.

Chasing Lincoln's Killer really helped me to better understand the Civil War era because the book almost put you in the boots of the assassin and you got to see what was actually going on in the country at the time. At the time of the assassination in 1864, the civil war had just ended and there was civil unrest among people in the south because they hadn't got their way. Booth was a strong confederate sympathizer, just as many other people still were during this time period, with this he

James L. Swanson is the Edgar Award-winning author of the New York Times bestseller “Manhunt: The 12-Day Chase for Lincoln’s Killer” and its sequel, “Bloody Crimes: The Funeral of

James L. Swanson’s Bloody Times: The Funeral of Abraham Lincoln and The Manhunt for Jefferson Davis describes the separate journey of the two most important faces of the civil war, Abraham Lincoln and Jefferson Davis. Swanson seems to write for the purpose of allowing readers to experience the final journeys of what he believes is the most unique time in history.

I chose this article because I have always been curious of the story of the assassination of Abraham Lincoln. In a way I felt like it was a murder mystery because I didn’t know all of the details to the story and those are my favorite. As I began to read more into the assassination, I began to love it even more and wanted to learn more about it and I actually had an interest in history which I have never had before.

McPherson’s book on Abraham Lincoln is about his struggle as president to keep the union together. The book explained the different strategies, decisions, and speeches Lincoln used in order to keep the confederacy from seceding from the union. His timing on military strategy and national strategy helped the outcome of the revolution. McPherson also talks about the lives of African Americans after the Emancipation Proclamation was put into effect. The most believed reason for the Civil War was Lincoln’s decision to abolish slavery and the emancipation. McPherson discusses how this outraged the south, where slavery was necessary for the everyday functions of their plantations. Lincoln immediately had to defend his decision and himself. “Thus