The Impeachment of Abraham Lincoln

By: Stephen L. Carter

Narrated by: Paul Boehmer

Length: 22 hrs and 45 mins

Publisher's summary

From the best-selling author of The Emperor of Ocean Park and New England White, comes a daring reimagining of one of the most tumultuous moments in our nation’s past.

Stephen L. Carter’s thrilling new novel takes as its starting point an alternate history: President Abraham Lincoln survives the assassination attempt at Ford’s Theatre on April 14, 1865. Two years later he is charged with overstepping his constitutional authority, both during and after the Civil War, and faces an impeachment trial....

Twenty-one-year-old Abigail Canner is a young black woman with a degree from Oberlin, a letter of employment from the law firm that has undertaken Lincoln’s defense, and the iron-strong conviction, learned from her late mother, that “whatever limitations society might place on ordinary negroes, they would never apply to her.” And so Abigail embarks on a life that defies the norms of every stratum of Washington society: working side by side with a white clerk, meeting the great and powerful of the nation - including the president himself. But when Lincoln’s lead counsel is found brutally murdered on the eve of the trial, Abigail is plunged into a treacherous web of intrigue and conspiracy reaching the highest levels of the divided government.

Here is a vividly imagined work of historical fiction that captures the emotional tenor of post-Civil War America, a brilliantly realized courtroom drama that explores the always contentious question of the nature of presidential authority, and a galvanizing story of political suspense.

©2012 Stephen L. Carter (P)2012 Random House Audio

Superb!

If like historical fiction, this one should be at the top of your list. You forget that he actually died and none of this happened. It seemed so real.

Political shenanigans of the 20th century rehashed

I was excited to listen to this book, but it remains 1/2 finished. I find the heroine's abilities too much to be believed. Young, naive and inexperienced in the world, but able to deduce how all the sneaky political games are being played and be a key part of the legal team strategy. Really??

Good premise for a novel, but the female character ruins the storyline.

Entertaining twist on history

Would you listen to The Impeachment of Abraham Lincoln again? Why?

Possibly. There was a lot of information and it would be good to take it all in again.

What did you like best about this story?

The mix of real and fiction.

What does Paul Boehmer bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

The building of emotions and excitement in the story.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

It made me do both.

Any additional comments?

Proud to be able to say I "read" this bestseller that I might not have had time to read otherwise!

Alternate History in a bad way

This story had so much potential; and we picked it for our book club. It was just disappointing. The whole and on the 3rd day Lincoln recovered from the assassination attempt with no injuries; to the black single woman as a lwayer 60 years before any female was admitted to the bar; and Lincoln only speaking in metaphors in every private conversation was a little too far fetched for me. BUT the whole issue of criminal offenses during martial law and the suspension of habeus corpus - is a GREAT conversation. The whole intent of the framers conversation took up most of our book club discussion.

Fascinating "what-if" history

What did you love best about The Impeachment of Abraham Lincoln?

Brilliant historical insight. I appreciated how Carter wove the resl impreachment of Andrew Johnson into his non fiction

What other book might you compare The Impeachment of Abraham Lincoln to and why?

Phillip Roth's Plot Against America.

What about Paul Boehmer’s performance did you like?

Powerful, gripping

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

Suspense leading to the verdict which never came

Any additional comments?

None

A MUST READ!

I loved this alternative history storyline! Especially the African American point of view; so often its portrayed all African American were uneducated slaves and that is not the case.

too slow and too many voices...

What would have made The Impeachment of Abraham Lincoln better?

not to record it. I hung in there so long but it never got better.

What could Stephen L. Carter have done to make this a more enjoyable book for you?

three books in this story...really??

How could the performance have been better?

not sure

You didn’t love this book... but did it have any redeeming qualities?

a black woman in these times as a lawyer and her strong conviction in her self from home trainng. I had hopes cuz it was a black author but was I wrong.

Any additional comments?

waste of money.