Swanson has a flair for storytelling.

So many facts that I was not aware of regarding Lincoln's death. I wish that books like this were what we read in High School History classes

The author does a great job of clarifying what happened after Lincoln was shot. Everyone seems to know about the assassination, but few know about that tumultuous time immediately after. This could have been a very dry recounting of the events, but it wasn't. It was a narrative that drew me in. I especially loved all the primary source materials that the author referenced.

I learned a great deal about the assassination, and had several mistaken beliefs corrected. I learned much more about Booth and his attempt to escape than I expected. What an amazing story. It should be used in American History classes, instead of the insipid version I was taught.