Mrs. Lincoln's Dressmaker

Author: Jennifer Chiaverini
Genre: Fiction
Publisher: Penguin Group, 2013
Pages: 384
Rating: Do Not Recommend

Synopsis: In a life that spanned nearly a century and witnessed some of the most momentous events in American history, Elizabeth Hobbs Keckley was born a slave. A gifted seamstress, she earned her freedom by the skill of her needle, and won the friendship of First Lady Mary Todd Lincoln by her devotion. A sweeping historical novel, Mrs. Lincoln’s Dressmaker illuminates the extraordinary relationship the two women shared, beginning in the hallowed halls of the White House during the trials of the Civil War and enduring almost, but not quite, to the end of Mrs. Lincoln’s days.

Review: Although a work of fiction, Elizabeth Keckley was a real person and confidante to the First Lady.

I can appreciate the research that went into writing this novel, but out of 384 pages, I was bored nearly to tears for about 275 of them.

When the author was writing about Mrs. Keckley, Mrs. Lincoln, and Abraham Lincoln, and nuances of their relationships, the story flowed nicely and was actually interesting. However, she spent far too much time discussing details of the Civil War that only detracted from the story line. Such details are not relevant to this particular story.

Had Chiaverini stayed on task this would have been a more compelling, note-worthy read. Disappointing.

NOTE: Chiaverini also wrote Mrs. Grant and Madame Jule, which I really enjoyed. That novel mentions Elizabeth Keckley, the subject of Mrs. Lincoln's Dressmaker.

Killing Lincoln

Author: Bill O'Reilly
Genre: Non-fiction
Publisher: Holt, Henry, & Company, Inc, 2011
Pages: 336
Rating: Highly Recommend

Synopsis: The anchor of The O'Reilly Factor recounts one of the most dramatic stories in American history—how one gunshot changed the country forever. In the spring of 1865, the Civil War finally comes to an end after a series of incredibly bloody battles. President Abraham Lincoln's generous terms for Robert E. Lee's surrender are devised to fulfill Lincoln's dream of healing a divided nation, with the former Confederates allowed to reintegrate into American society. One man and his band of murderous accomplices, perhaps reaching into the highest ranks of the U.S. government, are not appeased.

In the midst of the patriotic celebrations in Washington, D.C., John Wilkes Booth—charismatic ladies' man and impenitent racist—murders Abraham Lincoln at Ford's Theater. A furious manhunt ensues and Booth immediately becomes the country's most wanted fugitive. Lafayette C. Baker, a brilliant but enigmatic New York detective and former Union spy, unravels the string of clues leading to Booth, while federal forces track his accomplices. The thrilling chase ends in a fiery shootout and a series of court-ordered executions—including that of the first woman ever executed by the U.S. government, Mary Surratt. With an unforgettable cast of characters, vivid historical detail, and page-turning action, Killing Lincoln is history that reads like a thriller.

Review: This certainly does read like a thriller. I could not put it down. I expected to like it; I didn't expect it to be one of the best books I've read this year.

I've studied the Civil War, Lincoln's presidency, and reconstruction extensively since high school history class, and then again as a history major in college so the fact that I still found this to be a page turner, even knowing as much as I do about this period and person, speaks to how well the story is told.

The only question that remains is why did I wait so long to read it?