Bloody Times

Starred review from April 1, 2011

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

Copyright 2011 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Starred review from March 15, 2011
Grades 6-9 *Starred Review* The author of Chasing Lincolns Killer (2009) offers a similarly trimmed-down version of his Civil War study for adult audiences (Bloody Crimes, 2010), and this outing turns out to be every bit as compelling as its predecessor. Swanson alternates passages following Jefferson Davis six-week flight in the wake of General Lees surrender, his quixotic attempts to rally the South, and his eventual capture with Abraham Lincolns impromptu visit to newly occupied Richmond, Lincolns assassination, and the elaborate mourning ceremonies held over his body as it was carried by train over a circuitous route back to Springfield. Those minutely described ceremoniesawash in acres of black bunting, massively crowded public viewings, and sentimental expressions of griefmay strike modern sensibilities as over the top, but they provide telling glimpses of another era and make more credible the authors insight that during the journey, Lincolns train became a symbol of the cost of the Civil War, a mournful homecoming for the dead of both sides. The author also makes a strong case for Davis as Lincolnesque in his ability, strength of character, and commitment to his cause, a worthy statesman who also became (at least in the South) a symbolic figure while living quietly for a quarter century after the war. Though the period photos can be murky, and the adult editions source notes have been replaced by a glossary, this fascinating twin study of two American icons will appeal to more than just Civil War buffs.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2011, American Library Association.)