Booth

De: Karen Joy Fowler

Narrado por: January LaVoy

Best Book of the Year
Real Simple • AARP • USA Today • NPR • Virginia Living

Longlisted for the 2022 Booker Prize

From the Man Booker finalist and bestselling author of We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves comes an epic and intimate novel about the family behind one of the most infamous figures in American history: John Wilkes Booth.

In 1822, a secret family moves into a secret cabin some thirty miles northeast of Baltimore, to farm, to hide, and to bear ten children over the course of the next sixteen years. Junius Booth—breadwinner, celebrated Shakespearean actor, and master of the house in more ways than one—is at once a mesmerizing talent and a man of terrifying instability. One by one the children arrive, as year by year, the country draws frighteningly closer to the boiling point of secession and civil war.

As the tenor of the world shifts, the Booths emerge from their hidden lives to cement their place as one of the country’s leading theatrical families. But behind the curtains of the many stages they have graced, multiple scandals, family triumphs, and criminal disasters begin to take their toll, and the solemn siblings of John Wilkes Booth are left to reckon with the truth behind the destructively specious promise of an early prophecy.

Booth is a startling portrait of a country in the throes of change and a vivid exploration of the ties that make, and break, a family.

Grow then rise

I began with some skepticism. Shortly after the trajectory of this story became apparent and the author surely did her work. I found myself researching what is out there about the Booth family.

Engaging

Well written and well read - recommend to history lovers. I didn’t want it to end.

Powerful

I thought this was an excellent book although I had to keep reminding myself that it was not a John Wilkes Booth book, Rather it was about the family and how he fit there. I would definitely recommend it!

Engrossing listen

Wonderful historical read about all the lesser known Booths and perfectly performed - completely immersive story.

Hard to get into

I thought this book would be very interesting, but somehow it wasn't. maybe it's because it's on the audio that I felt confused by all the various characters and I just didn't care about any of them. So I didn't finish the book.