Bloody Times

Gr 6 Up—Swanson adapts his best seller, Bloody Crimes, for young readers and continues the story of Lincoln's assassination, detailing the funeral and the return of the body for burial in Springfield, IL. Juxtaposed with this compelling drama is that of Jefferson Davis, president of the Confederate States of America, as he learned of Lee's surrender and traveled across the South trying to keep the Confederacy alive while being pursued by Federal forces bent on his arrest. Divided into 14 chapters, the text vacillates between the stories of each man. After funeral services in Washington, Lincoln's body was placed aboard a train that retraced the route taken by Lincoln as he traveled to the capital as president-elect. Readers will be fascinated by the details needed to plan this trip and the people involved, including the embalmers who worked to keep Lincoln's corpse presentable. Just as riveting is Davis's fruitless effort to avoid arrest. He was imprisoned until 1867, then released on bail and never convicted of treason or of any crime. Illustrated with numerous reproductions, some of which are quite dark, the book is completed with an epilogue and a Who's Who. A brilliant book that is sure to be hit with history aficionados.—Patricia Ann Owens, Illinois Eastern Community Colleges