Nam Nguyen 12th U.S History Mr.

Rankin

Killing Lincoln

Killing Lincoln, by Bill OReilly, is a fascinating book. It portrays vividly the United States conditions amidst the Civil Wars chaos, yet never once fails to raise the suspense within Abraham Lincolns final days of his presidency. The three hundred and thirty six pages nonfiction document did more than just being a historical narrative: the successive events, connected by dramatic developments in both physical and mental perspectives around President Lincoln, bring a sense of urgency that capture the readers attention and make alive the scenery which has long been forgotten by many. The opening chapter starts with a count-down timer: The man with fourteen days to live is himself witnessing death. (Page 9) It was the beginning of April, and the President himself was just about to get ready to end the war with the Confederate Army. However, things did not go the way he wanted: The Confederate Army painstakingly and stubbornly struggled against the Union side despite the undeniable demise they were destined to suffer. As the Souths situation continued to be more and more apprehensive, Lincoln was desperate for news from the front. April 9, 1865, after many fierce collisions, the generals of the two parties: Robert E. Lee and U.S. Grant, finally came together and ended the long Civil War. The book then briefly summarized the peace convention; upon completion, it moves on to reveal Lincolns final five days of life. When the South surrendered without condition, Washington D.C exploded with joy and bliss. The Capitol people expected a speech delivered from Lincoln, though he had refused them several times. His current mood was then not of merriment, but of anxiety and worry over how he would heal the nation and rebuild the tie. Unfortunately, John Wilkes Booth did not share

Nam Nguyen 12th U.S History Mr. Rankin the least sympathy with the president. Having received direct orders from the Confederate chairman, Jefferson Davis, he and his atrocious party had attempted to capture and later to murder President Abraham Lincoln. It was strange, however, that times and times again, Lincoln escaped his death predicaments. It was as if God Himself did not allow him to die until he had accomplished something for this blessed nation of the Western Hemisphere. Thursday, April the 13rd, President Lincoln gave his final speech. His focuses on unification, racial indiscrimination and the healing of nation showed how much this president cared for the people of the United States. Nevertheless, as much as we want to run away from the truth, President Abraham Lincoln was assassinated in the evening of April 14th. The bullet went through his skull, yet his flesh did not die any quick or easy. His body lingered on for many hours, in a most unpredictable and imminent way. April 15, 1865, the President drew his last breath. John Wilkes Booth became one of the most wanted men of the nation, and eventually received a death sentence after many days pursued. Of the entire history of the United States, never had the death of a president unsettled the whole country like that of Abraham Lincoln. He was a bright man with concrete resolution; he leaded the nation out of Civil War. Lincoln also had a lot of unfinished plans, those which are equivalent to a centurys worth of contribution. Had the death of President Abraham Lincoln not happened, the United States of America, in my perspective, could have leaped a few eras of conflicts and devastation, becoming a promising country not only for the natives, but also for the international visitors, coming to visit and exchange mutual values. The author, Billy O Reilly, also did an amazing work on this historical document. Though its languages are powerful and heart-racing, the book really gives a deep sense of pride and responsibility, and of how valuable

Nam Nguyen 12th U.S History Mr. Rankin a kind-hearted and capable president is to the prosperity of a country. It would be another time before one can find a book with such detailed description and meaningful connotations. I would highly recommend this book to anyone interested in President Abraham Lincoln, and even more to anyone who does not know him well. Killing Lincoln was a marvelous read. I would be honest to say that I did not have much of an interest in either the death of the president or the Civil War before. Now, after having read about Lincoln, my perspective changed. The book gave me a glimpse into what the past looked like, as if I was there, feeling the burden, the pain, the agony. It fills me with the desire to change the undeniable destiny; but no, that is something only God could do.