The Day Lincoln Was Shot

Just an amazing book. From page 1, you are in 1865. Have read many books on this subject, but this one now sits on top of the list. A book that is hard to put down.

I truly enjoyed this book. A masterpiece in the sense that it reconstructs the day Lincoln was shot. You will live that day in the 21st century by reading this book. Hour by hour all the actions and conversations of all key personalities have been dissected and presented. This is a great historical forensics book.

The Day Lincoln Was Shot is an old book. It was available when I was in grade school, but although I entertained an interest in history at the time, I was not yet into US history. A friend recently reintroduced me to the book, since he knew I had developed an interest in the period. I must say, I am glad he did. The book is strikingly well written and very well researched. Jim Bishop was not a professionally trained historian, but he was a writer with an interest in history and a methodical manner of approaching his subject. According to the introduction, the author kept notebooks on each of the major participants of the drama of Lincoln's last days, adding to them whenever scraps of information came his way. When he finally put pen to paper he had such voluminous data in anecdotal form, that he was able to untangle events in a way that no one before him had been able to do. Although he puts speeches into the mouths of his subjects, this dialogue is reconstructed from information from diaries, printed speeches, trail transcripts, and other documents from the time, that give credence to the author's construction.The book is written on an hour by hour basis, departing from this format only to add a chapter on events that immediately preceded the fateful day. The author follows the activities of each of the major participants, describing their behavior, interactions, and words, creating a drama every bit as riveting as a novel or play. I had read a biography of John Wilkes Booth that had raised the possibility of a conspiracy by Northerners to remove Lincoln and his more conciliatory approach to reconstruction by using a misguided Booth as a pawn in their political designs. At that time, I felt that there was a distinct possibility that this might have been the case. Bishop's book, however, made it apparent that this theory is not new but has been around since the events themselves. The author discusses the theory that the Secretary of War Stanton may have been behind such a scheme, but dismisses it as misguided, though I'm not entirely sure that his reasons for doing so are any more valid than the previous author's were. One of the things I enjoyed most about the book is that Bishop doesn't leave one hanging at the end. Lincoln isn't just dead as the finale. The author details some of the fates of those who participated in the events. We are not only told what happened to the perpetrators of the murder, but what became of individuals like Secretary of War Stanton, Vice President Johnson, Surgeon General Barnes, Ulysses S. Grant, among others. We are even told of the fate of the Ford Theater and its owner. The wrap up is very good. The book is a delight to read. It's full of information and colorful detail. It's clearly and understandably written, and would make entertaining reading for anyone from 5th or 6th grade reading level to the adult.

This is one of the best historical books I have ever read. I know everyone has heard this before, but I could not put this book down. As you read the hour-by-hour account of Lincoln's last day, Bishop makes you feel as though you are there on the fringe watching as the minutes tick away. You can almost hear every conversation, observe their non-verbal cues, and feel the emotion as the cabinet sits around the table talking about what to do after the war is over. I strongly recommend this book to anyone regardless of age.

I am getting tired of reading fiction, and I saw this in Borders one day and didn't hesitate to buy it. Thank God I did. This is a really good book. It lets the reader know all the characters involved and what exactly happened on that fatal day in April of 1865. Also, there are lots of facts that I learned...for instance, that Lincoln lived for another nine hours after having been shot. If you like the era of the Civil War or are curious about Lincoln, buy this book. It will probably make you want to buy a biography of Lincoln afterwards.

For lovers of history. This book places you in the tumultuous society of the American Civil War. The events surrounding the killing of President Lincoln are brought to life in the style of a modern CNN report. The questions who, why, where and how are well covered. This is an excellent historical account most appreciated by those that lived through the JFK killing.