Comments on: Back to Booth

By: Susan Evelyn McDowell Cole

Susan Evelyn McDowell Cole — Mon, 22 Nov 2010 21:03:50 +0000

The C-Span program was awesome and inspired me to read a biography on General George Thomas. Patterson’s role is mentioned in Thomas’s biography but the author is more sympathetic to Patterson’s failure to control the movement of Confederate troops. The author mentions that Jeffferson Davis was Secretary of War prior to the Civil War and managed to secret away arms, munitions and even warships for use by the Confederacy against the Union.

Jefferson Davis apparently began planning his moves in 1845 when Texas seceded from Mexico and applied for admission as a state to the United States. When the Civil War began, Texas then seceded from the United States to join the Confederates. Jefferson Davis was a piece of work. He seemed to have the whole thing planned out.

Susan Evelyn McDowell Cole

By: Harry Smeltzer

Harry Smeltzer — Sat, 20 Nov 2010 22:02:35 +0000

Thanks Robert. So in one respect it IS like Swanson, in that no new ground is covered. However, unlike in the case of “Manhunt” I haven’t read much about the Wilkes/Edwin dynamic, so I shouldn’t feel too disappointed if the writing holds up.

Correct me if I’m wrong, but don’t the pictures of a scowling Edwin remind you of Buster Keaton?

By: Robert Redd

Robert Redd — Sat, 20 Nov 2010 21:37:55 +0000

Hi Harry, I received this as a review copy not too long ago and recently finished it but haven’t posted a review yet. I haven’t read the others you pointed out so I can’t compare them. Overall it’s pretty straight forward…Edwin was the more favored child and ultimately the more talented actor but who is it America remembers. There’s more to it of course with Booth family fortunes earned and lost being a big part. Junius and Edwin were the money winners and the whole family tended to lean on them. The book reads pretty well and while it doesn’t really seem to break any new ground I felt it was worth the time overall. I haven’t caught the C-Span program you referenced but I’ll watch for it.