Book Review: Killing Lincoln by Bill O’Reilly and Martin Dugard

Killing Lincoln was better than I expected. The breathless style at the beginning was a bit off-putting, but it settled down to a clean narrative. This novel was a fun read because Maelstrom ends when Lincoln leaves for Ford's Theatre, which meant I took no notes and let myself get absorbed in the story.

Some historians have criticized the accuracy of KillingLincoln. I disagree. The book does not purport to be an academic treatment and appears accurate in its description of relevant events and details. My only serious concern is that O’Reilly and Dugard included asides that Secretary of War Edwin Stanton might have had a hand in the intrigue. I find Stanton’s involvement dubious and the inclusion unnecessary.

It may surprise many to discover the extent of the conspiracy, which went beyond Lincoln to include attempted assassinations of the vice president and secretary of state. Bad people do conspire to do bad things.

There are so many Lincoln books that authors have begun to address a single event in his life. Considering the title, I don’t believe I’m revealing a spoiler to say that this book is about Lincoln's death. Killing Lincoln does a good job of describing the assassination in a readable style that makes the book hard to put down.

If you are interested in Lincoln, conspiracies, or American history, you’ll enjoy this book.

(I am listing this nonfiction book with the novels because its narrative style fits the category.)

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