Edwin Booth and his younger brother John Wilkes Booth were, in many ways, two of a kind. They were among America’s finest actors, having inherited their father’s commanding stage presence along with his penchant for alcohol and impulsive behavior. In other respects, the two brothers were very different. Edwin was more introspective, while John was known for his passionate intensity. They stood at opposite poles politically, as Edwin voted for Abraham Lincoln; John was an ardent advocate of the Confederacy. Award-winning author James Cross Giblin draws on first-hand accounts of family members, friends, and colleagues to create vivid images of Edwin Booth and his brother John Wilkes, best known today as the man who shot Abraham Lincoln. He traces the events leading up to the assassination and describes the effects of John Wilkes’s infamous deed on himself, his family, and his country. Comprehensive and compelling, this dual portrait illuminates a dark and tragic moment in the nation’s history and explores the complex legacy of two leading men—one revered, the other abhorred. Notes, bibliography, index.
Author
James Cross Giblin was an author of biographies and history books for children and younger readers, as well as some history books for adults. In his own words, he was "shy, bookish, and a little spoiled." He loved comic books and drew his own comic strips. Giblin worked on his school newspapers and wrote a play while he was at Western Reserve University. That play, My Bus Was Always Late, was published in 1954. He worked hard at writing plays, but disappointment followed. After receiving his MFA in creative writing from Columbia University, he went to work at the British Book Centre, which proved to be his doorway into the publishing field. An associate editor at Lothrop, Lee & Shepard from 1962 to 1967, Giblin then moved to Seabury Press as editor-in-chief of its children's division, Clarion Books. In 1989, he stepped back to the position of contributing editor so he could focus on his writing career. The Truth About Santa Claus and Chimney Sweeps: Yesterday and Today were named ALA Notable Books. Walls: Defenses Throughout History received an SCBWI Golden Kite Award. The Secrets of the Sphinx was given the Orbis Pictus Award. Most recently, The Life and Death of Adolf Hitler received a Sibert Award in 2003.
