Blood on the Moon: The Assassination of Abraham Lincoln

By: Edward Steers Jr.

Narrated by: William Coon

Length: 14 hrs and 58 mins

Publisher's summary

Winner of the 2001 The Lincoln Group of New York's Award of Achievement A History Book Club Selection.

The assassination of Abraham Lincoln is usually told as a tale of a lone deranged actor who struck from a twisted lust for revenge. This is not only too simple an explanation; Blood on the Moon reveals that it is completely wrong. John Wilkes Booth was neither mad nor alone in his act of murder. He received the help of many, not the least of whom was Dr. Samuel Alexander Mudd, the Charles County physician who has been portrayed as the innocent victim of a vengeful government. Booth was also aided by the Confederate leadership in Richmond. As he made his plans to strike at Lincoln, Booth was in contact with key members of the Confederate underground, and after the assassination, these same forces used all of their resources to attempt his escape.

Noted Lincoln authority Edward Steers Jr. introduces the cast of characters in this ill-fated drama. He explores why they were so willing to help pull the trigger, and corrects the many misconceptions surrounding this defining moment that changed American history.

About the author: After completing an acclaimed career as a research scientist at the National Institutes of Health, Edward Steers Jr. has turned his research skills to the Lincoln assassination. He is the author of several books about the president, including The Trial. He lives in Berkeley Springs, West Virginia.

©2001 The University Press of Kentucky (P)2012 Redwood Audiobooks

Critic reviews

"An exceptionally well-written and thorough book on the assassination. For anyone who is sincerely interested in the assassination, this book is a 'must read." ( Historian)

"Steers has a sharp ear for historical discordance and a novelist's eye for illuminating detail. Provocative reading." ( Publishers Weekly)

"Steers has written a careful synthesis of what is known about Lincoln's murder." ( New York Review of Books)

Great account of this tragedy

I love this book! So well-written & seemed to be diligently researched. The narrator did a great job, too. Wonderful account of this tragic event.

The best book on Lincoln assassinaton I have read

Good Research, and a Challenger to the history myth makers.
History should be written on hard proof, not on speculation.
Mr Steees has set a standard on how to debunk fantasies aimed at money making.

Outstanding

Well researched. Well written! Excellent read. Recommend as someone who studies Lincoln . Manhunt by James Swanson is an excellent read too!

Terrific listen.

Blood on the moon is a totally gripping account of the events leading up to and subsequent to the assassination of Abe Lincoln. Detailed biographies of every major player is given. This book deals with the plots to kidnap / kill the president and really doesnt delve into the civil war and Washington politics that a lot of other works tend to do. You are truly moved by the funeral. The trial of the conspirators is remarkably recreated before your eyes.

My only complaint with Blood on the Moon is the author's habit of when presented with a historical question where no definitive answer is known, the author drops his opinion down and without any justification, simply moves on. This is more annoying then anything else and should not prevent you froookm enjoying this wonderful book

William Coon did an excellent job reading this book to me and Ill gladly listen to other productions of his in the future.


Well worth the 1 credit

A Shakespeare Tradgedy

Would you consider the audio edition of Blood on the Moon: The Assassination of Abraham Lincoln to be better than the print version?

I have never read the print version but can't imagine it being much better than the audio version.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Blood on the Moon: The Assassination of Abraham Lincoln?

The killing of the President.

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

A very well done historic narration of a very fact based book.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

A fact based account of the lincoln assassination.

Any additional comments?

This is one of the best audio books I have ever read or heard. I believe everyone should read this book. It is as close to the facts of what happened when John Wilkes Booth killed Abraham Lincoln.

Fascinating! so much we never learned in school

I am full of admiration for the author, as the amount of research behind this book and the thoroughness of it are mind-boggling. I would not recommend this book to anyone who is not very interested in learning about the assassination of President Lincoln. It is extremely detailed, with virtually every fact being supported by quotes from printed media, private letters, police files, court documents, government sources, or photographs. Very rarely, when that last shred of proof cannot be found, the author presents his opinion (rather confidently), and moves on.
All in all, this is an amazing achievement. I learned an immense amount of my own country's history, was enthralled by the man (Lincoln) himself, and now I understand why he is beloved, and such an icon. The description of his funeral, and then the huge crowds meeting the funereal train carrying his body back to Indiana was vividly brought to life, and was very moving.
It's not historical fiction, it's not Bill O'Reilly, so save your credit there.
If you are a history buff, or a Lincoln buff, or a civil war buff....this is fascinating. This is the one to read.

Thrilling and informative

I learned much about Booth and his fellow conspirators while being entertained by the unfolding of the assassination and manhunt. The book covers some Civil War history, Abolition politics and Southern intrigue as background to the assassination but spends most of its time creating a well researched timeline of the plot and assassination.

The author dispels many common myths about the assassination plot. He convincingly shows that the government got it right when it indicted and prosecuted Dr Mudd, Mary Surratt and the others involved. He has gone back to original sources and shows where sloppy research and misunderstandings have created erroneous impressions that Booth was a lone madman.

The writing is well paced and the passages detailing the assassination and manhunt manage to be gripping while remaining factual and avoiding melodrama.The performance was slightly distracting. The reader has a tendency to enunciate every word very precisely. This hampers the ability to differentiate important details from stray background information. Still, I found the overall performance very good.

I would recommend the book to anyone interested in this pivotal chapter in American History.

Great Book.

I can not recommend this higher or would. I love this book. Get it you won’t be disappointed.

Engrossing

What made the experience of listening to Blood on the Moon: The Assassination of Abraham Lincoln the most enjoyable?

This book is full of so many important details of the assasination that i never knew existed - the spy network, the Dahlgren raid. the kidnap plot, the players. It is thorough but not labrious and the story maintains a level of suspense throughout.

Have you listened to any of William Coon’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

Performances can either make or break an audio book. William Coon does such a wonderful job at narration. I'll certainly look for other books that he narrates

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

I think the book warrants several listenings - it sevrved me well though several commumtes to work.

Ultimate declamation of the Lincoln Assassination

Every detail of the assassination is covered from the plot, the murder and the capture of all conspirators