GDG- Killing Lincoln

Sun Jan 15 19:36:54 CST 2012

The Lincoln Forum thought well enough of Mr. Swanson's work they had him  
address their group:

_http://www.booktv.org/Watch/6491/2005+Lincoln+Forum+James+Swanson+Manhunt+T
he+12+Day+Chase+for+Lincolns+Killer.aspx_ 
(http://www.booktv.org/Watch/6491/2005+Lincoln+Forum+James+Sw
anson+Manhunt+The+12+Day+Chase+for+Lincolns+Killer.aspx) 

And they had him appear as part of a panel of experts on the Lincoln  
Assassination:

_http://www.booktv.org/Watch/6489/2005+Lincoln+Forum+Panel+quotWhy+Was+Linco
ln+Murderedquot+Frank+Williams+Edward+Steers+Jr+Michael+Kauffman+James++++Sw
anson+Thomas+Turner+Louise+Taper.aspx_ 
(http://www.booktv.org/Watch/6489/2005+Lincoln+Forum+Panel+quotWhy+Was+Lincoln+Murderedquot+Frank+Williams+Edward
+Steers+Jr+Michael+Kauffman+James++++Swanson+Thomas+Turner+Louise+Taper.aspx
) 

Might be it's better history than you claim.  At least he spells  Lincoln's 
name correctly.

Best Regards,
Al Mackey

In a message dated 1/15/2012 7:49:56 P.M. Eastern Standard Time,  
CWMHTours at aol.com writes:

Esteemed  GDG Member Contributes:
You make a good point about whether the endorser  actually read  the book.  
It seems too frequently that it  appears that they haven't read  the work.

I was a bit disappointed  that Surratt Tavern had "Manhunt" and  was sold 
by 
them.   

They actually have excellent works of real history  there.   I'd prefer to 
have them promote that stuff and not a book full of   make believe.

I don't excuse them for it but they are a very  small  non-profit museum 
which needs all the publicity and promotion  they can get, so  maybe they 
are a 
little lax about  accuracy.

Here's what:  If they put it out on the shelf with  a  promotional sign 
that 
called it great historical fiction I would  have no problem  with that.

I have a problem with Swanson though  coming out with the book  under the 
pretense that it is pure  history

"Just  the facts, ma'am." Sgt. Joe Friday.  Dragnet.

Your Most Obediant  Servant  

In a  message dated 1/15/2012 1:38:08 P.M. Eastern Standard Time,   
bunco973 at optonline.net writes:

Esteemed  GDG Member  Contributes:
Peter,
Just as an example of  fiction,nonfiction,  errors etc.  - Manhunt: The 
12-Day Chase for  Lincoln’s Killer  by James L. Swanson – the book you’ve 
mentioned is way out  there in  facts – is recommended reading at the 
Surratt 
Museum you have   mentioned. I would not read that book after reading your 
posts – 
yet, this  is  what twists folks around – it is recommended reading at a  
reputable facility.  Going on to, say, Amazon to purchase a book – I  skip 
right 
past the reviews by  Publishers Weekly, Booknotes etc.,  and go for the 
readers comments (the common  folk), and usually !!  –  usually use their 
opinions as a barometer of  whether the  book is good, factual etc. It’s a 
literary 
minefield out there  when  you shell out $30 or more to buy a book 
pertaining 
to history etc..  I’ve  seen endorsements on the backs of certain books by 
well  respected authors –  buy the book – and sometimes wonder if the  
endorser actually read the book, as  it was off the wall in facts,  
captions, maps 
and so on. IMHO – once I latch on  to an author that  gets it right, you 
can 
be sure that I’ve pre-ordered the  book –  sight unseen – with confidence. 
(Ex. – there are a few of our  esteemed  members who fit into that 
category). 
Wish it was a perfect  world – but it  ain’t happenin’. Just my 2  cents!

Regards,
Tom  B.

-----Original  Message----- 
From: Phil Vitiello  
Sent: Sunday, January 15, 2012  12:14 PM 
To: GDG 
Subject: Re: GDG-  Killing Lincoln  

Esteemed GDG Member Contributes:
Peter a fair  question,  that's why I was careful to use the word "most" in 
my comment. I was   referring less to the O' Reilly book (which I have 
read). 
I'll say this  that  it does drive me crazy when I read book when the 
author 
writes  history  with supposing to know what someone may have said or 
thought  based only on the  whim of that author. it bothers me more when 
certain  
"known" historical facts  are presented wrong weather in a book or  movie. 
just shows a lack of a certain  laziness to get it right  knowing
that people who don't know better will now  take that it is  fact. That 
being said I've mellowed some over the last 50  years of  my interest in 
our 
history that if a book, even if with errors in it   can either inspire or 
enlighten our youth in our history than that is a  good  thing.

Peter thank you for replying. hope I made some sense  here on my  thoughts 
on this.

Phil
new haven Ct   

Sent from my  iPad

On Jan 15, 2012, at 9:33 AM,  CWMHTours at aol.com wrote:

>  Esteemed GDG Member  Contributes:
> Phil-
> 
> Should I  understand that in  agreement with Chet that you think  it is 
OK 
to  
> mix  fiction with fact and then publicly call it history and try  to   
sell 
it 
> that way?
> 
> Your  Most Obedient   Servant,
> Peter    
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