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Title details for Manhunt by James L. Swanson - Available

Manhunt

The 12-Day Chase for Lincoln's Killer

by James L. Swanson
Richard Thomas
Audiobook
1 of 1 copy available
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1 of 1 copy available

The murder of Abraham Lincoln set off the greatest manhunt in American history -- the pursuit and capture of John Wilkes Booth. From April 14 to April 26, 1865, the assassin led Union cavalry troops on a wild, twelve-day chase from the streets of Washington, D.C., across the swamps of Maryland, and into the forests of Virginia.

At the very center of this story is John Wilkes Booth, Americas notorious villain. A confederate sympathizer and member of a celebrated acting family, Booth threw away his fame, wealth, and promise for a chance to avenge the Souths defeat. For almost two weeks, he confounded the manhunters, slipping away from their every move and denying the justice they sought.

Manhunt is a fully documented work, but it is also a fascinating tale of murder, intrigue, and betrayal. A gripping hour-by-hour account told through the eyes of the hunted and the hunters, this is history as youve never read it before.

  • Creators

  • Publisher

  • Awards

  • Release date

    February 7, 2006

  • Formats

    • OverDrive Listen audiobook

      • ISBN: 9780061134678
      • File size: 263944 KB
      • Duration: 09:09:52

  • Languages

    • English

  • Reviews

    • AudioFile Magazine
      Narrator Richard Thomas treats this fascinating account of the twelve-day manhunt for Abraham Lincoln's killer like a thriller. Lowering his voice at times and raising it at others, he sounds as involved as the law officers searching for the then-famous actor and now-infamous assassin, John Wilkes Booth. Even though most listeners will already know the outcome, Thomas uses his vocal skills, especially tempo, to maintain the suspense of the chase, keeping his audience with him to the last shot fired. Thomas's measured and distinct speech renders the stilted American English of the time with a fluency that makes it sound familiar and pleasant. J.A.H. (c) AudioFile 2006, Portland, Maine
    • Publisher's Weekly

      April 3, 2006
      Thomas has done many solid jobs of acting in all mediums since his television days on The Waltons
      , but it's the memories of the wide open American country tones of his flexible voice that add immeasurably to his reading of the audio version of Swanson's intensive new book about the assassination of Abraham Lincoln and the full-throttle hunt for the conspirators who planned and carried out the deed. Thomas's nuanced but never hyped narration serves as a seamless link between the words of the individual characters he brings to life. Some of the voices work better than others: his Lincoln is perhaps a bit too young and straightforward, especially compared to the darker, richer oratory of actors connected to the role such as Raymond Massey. But his John Wilkes Booth is just about perfect, catching the desperation and increasing lunacy of an actor getting ready for his role in history. And the other major characters—plotters, hunters, politicians, distraught family members—all bring a familiar story to exciting new life. Simultaneous release with the Morrow hardcover (Reviews, Dec. 12, 2005).

    • Publisher's Weekly

      Starred review from December 12, 2005
      In the early days of April 1865, with the bloody war to preserve the union finished, Swanson tells us, Abraham Lincoln was "jubilant." Elsewhere in Washington, the other player in the coming drama of the president's assassination was miserable. Hearing Lincoln's April 10 victory speech, famed actor and Confederate die-hard John Wilkes Booth turned to a friend and remarked with seething hatred, "That means nigger citizenship. Now, by God, I'll put him through." On April 14, Booth did just that. With great power, passion and at a thrilling, breakneck pace, Swanson (Lincoln's Assassins: Their Trial and Execution
      ) conjures up an exhausted yet jubilant nation ruptured by grief, stunned by tragedy and hell-bent on revenge. For 12 days, assisted by family and some women smitten by his legendary physical beauty, Booth relied on smarts, stealth and luck to elude the best detectives, military officers and local police the federal government could muster. Taking the reader into the action, the story is shot through with breathless, vivid, even gory detail. With a deft, probing style and no small amount of swagger, Swanson, a member of the Lincoln Bicentennial Commission, has crafted pure narrative pleasure, sure to satisfy the casual reader and Civil War aficionado alike. 11 b&w photos not seen by PW
      .

Formats

  • OverDrive Listen audiobook

subjects

Languages

  • English

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