Manhunt [Unabridged, Audiobook] [Audio CD]

James Swanson (Author), Jonathan Davis (Narrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: 2006

Legal scholar and Lincoln expert James L. Swanson, co-author of Lincoln's Assassins and contributor to American Heritage, crafts a history as spellbinding as any best-selling thriller. Dramatically portraying John Wilkes Booth's brutal crime and pulse-pounding escape, Swanson takes listeners on the unrelenting chase for the killer. Having sacrificed his wealth and theatrical legacy for a single bullet, the frantic Booth flees from D.C.'s streets, through Maryland's marshes, and into Virginia's woodlands. Trying to soothe the stunned nation, federal and local authorities launch a manhunt to capture Lincoln's elusive murderer. At the forefront of this pursuit are celebrated Civil War hero Colonel Everton Conger and his New York Cavalry. But on day 12 of this bizarre hunt, what really happens? Brilliantly combining historical accuracy and vivid you-are-there narration, Swanson delivers a riveting account of intrigue and betrayal. Jonathan Davis compelling narration holds listeners attention to the very last word. "James Swanson has written a terrific narrative of the hunt for Lincoln's killer that will mesmerize the reader from start to finish ... It is a triumphant book."-Doris Kearns Goodwin, best-selling author of Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln

Product Details

• Audio CD
• Publisher: Recorded Books; Unabridged edition (2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 141938368X
• ISBN-13: 978-1419383687
• Product Dimensions: 7.3 x 6.3 x 1.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (342 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,246,953 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

James L. Swanson is the author of the New York Times bestseller Manhunt: The 12-Day Chase for Lincoln's Killer. He is an attorney who has written about history, the Constitution, popular culture, and other subjects for a variety of publications, including the Wall Street Journal, American Heritage, Smithsonian, and the Los Angeles Times. Mr. Swanson serves on the advisory council of the Ford's Theatre Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Campaign and is a member of the advisory committee of the Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Commission.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

183 of 194 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Manhunt: An Exciting Account of Booth's Murder of Lincoln, February 25, 2006

By 

C. M Mills "Michael Mills" (Knoxville Tennessee) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Manhunt: The 12-Day Chase for Lincoln's Killer (Hardcover)

The most notoriously infamous murder in American history occurred on Good Friday April 14, 1865. President Lincoln was

shot with a derringer by John Wilkes Booth (1838-April 26, 1865) in a murder most foul!Booth came from the most renowned acting family America. He was a superb actor, rake and handsome man who favored Southern Independence, hated the blacks and viewed Lincoln as a tyrant. Booth killed Lincoln after several earlier kidnap schemes went awry.

As an avid Civil War buff and student of the Lincoln assassination this is one of the two best books on the murder of the railspliter. The other great book on this topic is Edward Steers.Jr's classic "Blood On the Moon."

This book is not as dry as Steers book and could serve as the basis of a motion picture or better yet mini-series on the horrific event.

In great detail Swann tells us what really happened on the 12 day flight by Booth and his fellow conspirator David Herold on their flight to the Garrett family barn near Port Royal, Va. where Booth was shot to death by Sergeant Boston Corbett and

Herold was captured. (Herold along with George Atzerdot; Mary

Surratt and Lewis Powell would die on the scaffold on July 7, 1865.

Powell had sought to kill Secretary of State Seward in his bed where he was recovering from a painful carriage accident. He failed. George Atzerodt failed to even try to assassinate Vice President Andrew Johnson living in the Kirkwood Hotel.

If you want to excite a young person in American history this is a wonderful place to begin. Swann can write well and simply about complex events regarding the assassination. Finishing this book I have a new respect for Secretary of War Edwin Stanton who led the manhunt for the killers.

The book has many period illustrations, letters from the participants in the ghoulish search and a final chapter alerting us to the fate of the chief characters in this American Tragedy.

I stayed up until 1 AM last night reading this excellent and

exciting book. Very well recommended!

44 of 46 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Compelling treatment, with some new information..., February 24, 2006

By 

William E. Adams (Midland, Texas USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Manhunt: The 12-Day Chase for Lincoln's Killer (Hardcover)

I've read several accounts of the death of Lincoln and its aftermath over the past 50 years, but not any of the recent publications, until picking this off the library shelf last week. I enjoyed it immensely. The flaws mentioned by prior reviewers are probably justified, but if, like me, the weakest part of your Lincoln lore was the escape and capture of Booth, this is a sufficient remedy for that gap. It is detailed enough, with interesting notes, yet it does read like a novel. One comes to feel sorry for Booth's suffering on his 12-day run, while not excusing his foolish crime, which did the South more harm than good. More photos would have been nice, including some modern views of the Maryland/Virginia locations. I've been to Ford's Theater and the Peterson House, and Swanson's treatment of those locales is nicely done. Although billed as the story of the manhunt, Lincoln does not die until page 139 of a nearly 400-page text, so the actual killing, and the simultaneous attack on Secretary of State Seward, are depicted in more-than-adequate detail.

31 of 33 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Bucky Sappenfield - Terlingua, TX, February 13, 2006

By 

George R. Sappenfield - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Manhunt: The 12-Day Chase for Lincoln's Killer (Hardcover)

I have been reading about the Lincoln assassination for over 45 years and this is the best book to date. It is riviting, filled with heretofore unrevealed details and updates. A wonderful read! Mr Swanson has done a lot of research and has woven a thrilling story...yet it is all true! He could not make these things up! Great book. Thanks