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In the Houses of Their Dead: The Lincolns, the Booths, and the Spirits
“Here is Lincoln in the Bardo ―for real. You couldn’t make it up―necromancers, mad actors, frauds, true believers, and, in the middle, the greatest President.” ―Sidney Blumenthal, author of The Political Life of Abraham Lincoln
The story of Abraham Lincoln as it has never been told before: through the strange, even otherworldly, points of contact between his family and that of the man who killed him, John Wilkes Booth. In the 1820s, two families, unknown to each other, worked on farms in the American wilderness. It seemed unlikely that the families would ever meet―and yet, they did. The son of one family, the famed actor John Wilkes Booth, killed the son of the other, President Abraham Lincoln, in the most significant assassination in American history. The murder, however, did not come without warning―in fact, it had been foretold. In the Houses of Their Dead is the first book of the many thousands written about Lincoln to focus on the president’s fascination with Spiritualism, and to demonstrate how it linked him, uncannily, to the man who would kill him. Abraham Lincoln is usually seen as a rational, empirically-minded man, yet as acclaimed scholar and biographer Terry Alford reveals, he was also deeply superstitious and drawn to the irrational. Like millions of other Americans, including the Booths, Lincoln and his wife, Mary, suffered repeated personal tragedies, and turned for solace to Spiritualism, a new practice sweeping the nation that held that the dead were nearby and could be contacted by the living. Remarkably, the Lincolns and the Booths even used the same mediums, including Charles Colchester, a specialist in “blood writing” whom Mary first brought to her husband, and who warned the president after listening to the ravings of another of his clients, John Wilkes Booth. Alford’s expansive, richly-textured chronicle follows the two families across the nineteenth century, uncovering new facts and stories about Abraham and Mary while drawing indelible portraits of the Booths―from patriarch Julius, a famous actor in his own right, to brother Edwin, the most talented member of the family and a man who feared peacock feathers, to their confidant Adam Badeau, who would become, strangely, the ghostwriter for President Ulysses S. Grant. At every turn, Alford shows that despite the progress of the age―the glass hypodermic syringe, electromagnetic induction, and much more―death remained ever-present, and thus it was only rational for millions of Americans, from the president on down, to cling to beliefs that seem anything but. A novelistic narrative of two exceptional American families set against the convulsions their times, In the Houses of Their Dead ultimately leads us to consider how ghost stories helped shape the nation. 33 black-and-white images
The story of Abraham Lincoln as it has never been told before: through the strange, even otherworldly, points of contact between his family and that of the man who killed him, John Wilkes Booth. In the 1820s, two families, unknown to each other, worked on farms in the American wilderness. It seemed unlikely that the families would ever meet―and yet, they did. The son of one family, the famed actor John Wilkes Booth, killed the son of the other, President Abraham Lincoln, in the most significant assassination in American history. The murder, however, did not come without warning―in fact, it had been foretold. In the Houses of Their Dead is the first book of the many thousands written about Lincoln to focus on the president’s fascination with Spiritualism, and to demonstrate how it linked him, uncannily, to the man who would kill him. Abraham Lincoln is usually seen as a rational, empirically-minded man, yet as acclaimed scholar and biographer Terry Alford reveals, he was also deeply superstitious and drawn to the irrational. Like millions of other Americans, including the Booths, Lincoln and his wife, Mary, suffered repeated personal tragedies, and turned for solace to Spiritualism, a new practice sweeping the nation that held that the dead were nearby and could be contacted by the living. Remarkably, the Lincolns and the Booths even used the same mediums, including Charles Colchester, a specialist in “blood writing” whom Mary first brought to her husband, and who warned the president after listening to the ravings of another of his clients, John Wilkes Booth. Alford’s expansive, richly-textured chronicle follows the two families across the nineteenth century, uncovering new facts and stories about Abraham and Mary while drawing indelible portraits of the Booths―from patriarch Julius, a famous actor in his own right, to brother Edwin, the most talented member of the family and a man who feared peacock feathers, to their confidant Adam Badeau, who would become, strangely, the ghostwriter for President Ulysses S. Grant. At every turn, Alford shows that despite the progress of the age―the glass hypodermic syringe, electromagnetic induction, and much more―death remained ever-present, and thus it was only rational for millions of Americans, from the president on down, to cling to beliefs that seem anything but. A novelistic narrative of two exceptional American families set against the convulsions their times, In the Houses of Their Dead ultimately leads us to consider how ghost stories helped shape the nation. 33 black-and-white images
320 pages, Hardcover
Published June 14, 2022
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July 1, 2022
“In The Houses of Their Dead: The Lincoln’s, The Booth’s, and the Spirits” (2022) is a non-fictional account of total intrigue and fascination-- written by the eminent historian, scholar, educator Terry Alford PhD. As founding member of the Abraham Lincoln Institute of Washington D.C. Dr. Alford is recognized as an expert in the Lincoln assassination, and notable biographer of John Wilkes Booth.
The national interest in spiritualism began in the 1840’s, and with the tragedy of the American Civil War, spiritualism soared in popularity as American’s sought a greater understanding of the those departed and the afterlife. The Lincoln’s and the Booth’s were no exceptions, this been historically researched and documented in thousands of observations and articles. Alford portrayed the Lincolns in a realistic and sympathetic manner. As deeply grieving parents they consulted with famous spiritualists and mediums over the loss of their beloved son to Typhoid fever. After Lincoln’s assassination, Mary Todd Lincoln was clearly disrespected, judged harshly, regarded as deranged, and nearly forgotten by the American public. A presidential directive was necessary to grant her a modest pension.
The Booth’s were a large lively creative family, popular through acting and theater. John Wilke’s was highly intelligent, the most articulate, congenial, charming and very handsome. Peculiarities, obsessiveness, superstitions, and mania dominated this family dynamic in numerous and unusual ways. Once, John was fired from his acting Troupe when he left without notice to witness the historical hanging of abolitionist John Brown (1800-59). Alford easily illustrated comparisons between the Lincoln’s and the Booth’s throughout the book, demonstrating how John Wilke’s mania and conservative radical political views led to a national tragedy.
The additional cultural events, people, places and things surrounding the turbulent historical times were remarkable: a large, cursed glittering emerald/diamond ring was linked to the deaths of numerous individuals. The Ford Theater (est.1862-) where Lincoln was assassinated seemed to be haunted by a series of accidents.
Lincoln’s law partner William Herndon (1818-91) had valuable letters, papers, artifacts and property aspired to become a Lincoln’s official biographer, instead many of these priceless articles were lost, sold, or given away.
Adam Badeau (1831-95) author, war correspondent, passed out rations and supplies post-Civil War-- grateful recipients included Robert E. Lee. Badeau successfully released official war volumes of Ulysses Grant, and assisted Grant in writing his memoir. Later, he successfully sued Grant’s estate for non-payment of services.
There were brief stories about the numerous spiritualists and famous mediums that visited the Lincoln white house: Charles Bartlett, “The Salem Seer” – the poet John Pierpont, Nathan Daniels, Charles Colchester, Nettie Colburn retired in 1892 and produced a memoir denouncing the practice. The renowned medium that toured worldwide and gave credible readings, Charles Henry Foster (1833-85) died of “Brain Fever” as a patient of the Lunatic Asylum in Danvers, MA. This book is so entertaining it reads more like a novel rather than historical informational text, and should not be overlooked. The audio version is superb!
The national interest in spiritualism began in the 1840’s, and with the tragedy of the American Civil War, spiritualism soared in popularity as American’s sought a greater understanding of the those departed and the afterlife. The Lincoln’s and the Booth’s were no exceptions, this been historically researched and documented in thousands of observations and articles. Alford portrayed the Lincolns in a realistic and sympathetic manner. As deeply grieving parents they consulted with famous spiritualists and mediums over the loss of their beloved son to Typhoid fever. After Lincoln’s assassination, Mary Todd Lincoln was clearly disrespected, judged harshly, regarded as deranged, and nearly forgotten by the American public. A presidential directive was necessary to grant her a modest pension.
The Booth’s were a large lively creative family, popular through acting and theater. John Wilke’s was highly intelligent, the most articulate, congenial, charming and very handsome. Peculiarities, obsessiveness, superstitions, and mania dominated this family dynamic in numerous and unusual ways. Once, John was fired from his acting Troupe when he left without notice to witness the historical hanging of abolitionist John Brown (1800-59). Alford easily illustrated comparisons between the Lincoln’s and the Booth’s throughout the book, demonstrating how John Wilke’s mania and conservative radical political views led to a national tragedy.
The additional cultural events, people, places and things surrounding the turbulent historical times were remarkable: a large, cursed glittering emerald/diamond ring was linked to the deaths of numerous individuals. The Ford Theater (est.1862-) where Lincoln was assassinated seemed to be haunted by a series of accidents.
Lincoln’s law partner William Herndon (1818-91) had valuable letters, papers, artifacts and property aspired to become a Lincoln’s official biographer, instead many of these priceless articles were lost, sold, or given away.
Adam Badeau (1831-95) author, war correspondent, passed out rations and supplies post-Civil War-- grateful recipients included Robert E. Lee. Badeau successfully released official war volumes of Ulysses Grant, and assisted Grant in writing his memoir. Later, he successfully sued Grant’s estate for non-payment of services.
There were brief stories about the numerous spiritualists and famous mediums that visited the Lincoln white house: Charles Bartlett, “The Salem Seer” – the poet John Pierpont, Nathan Daniels, Charles Colchester, Nettie Colburn retired in 1892 and produced a memoir denouncing the practice. The renowned medium that toured worldwide and gave credible readings, Charles Henry Foster (1833-85) died of “Brain Fever” as a patient of the Lunatic Asylum in Danvers, MA. This book is so entertaining it reads more like a novel rather than historical informational text, and should not be overlooked. The audio version is superb!
August 22, 2022
In the Houses of Their Dead, The Lincolns, the Booths, and the Spirits by Terry Alford was an audiobook for me and narrated by Danny Campbell. DC did a good job and thought he was a good fit for this.
I’ve read a lot about Abraham Lincoln and know a lot about his assassination. I’ve even read about Mary Lincoln. But I didn’t know anything about Spiritualism. I had know idea how popular it was. If you’re a Lincoln fan then I highly recommend listening to this.
Thanks HighBridge Audio via NetGalley.
I’ve read a lot about Abraham Lincoln and know a lot about his assassination. I’ve even read about Mary Lincoln. But I didn’t know anything about Spiritualism. I had know idea how popular it was. If you’re a Lincoln fan then I highly recommend listening to this.
Thanks HighBridge Audio via NetGalley.
August 25, 2022
IN THE HOUSE OF THEIR DEAD
Terry Alford
The book was well written and I did find it interesting, but like some other readers, I found the book about the Booths and the Lincolns, NOT about the Booths and Lincolns, if that makes sense to you. I thought there was going to be more connection between the two families beyond a shared common belief and culture.
Other than that small gripe, I did enjoy the book and found it very informative. It is nonfiction, so to speak. This took me longer than normal to plow through it and I had to drop back a couple of pages whenever I had time to read on. So I would judge it not something that is so engaging that you can't put it down.
4 stars
Happy Reading!
Terry Alford
The book was well written and I did find it interesting, but like some other readers, I found the book about the Booths and the Lincolns, NOT about the Booths and Lincolns, if that makes sense to you. I thought there was going to be more connection between the two families beyond a shared common belief and culture.
Other than that small gripe, I did enjoy the book and found it very informative. It is nonfiction, so to speak. This took me longer than normal to plow through it and I had to drop back a couple of pages whenever I had time to read on. So I would judge it not something that is so engaging that you can't put it down.
4 stars
Happy Reading!
July 1, 2022
I fel a bit cheated. The book contained mostly biographical information on Edwin Booth and some of the other family members. There were longer pieces on a couple of clairvoyants/mediums, but very little about their interactions with either the Lincolns or Booth.That said, there were a couple of things I hadn't encountered before, like a meeting between Tad and Booth and a story about booth and a gypsy, almost certainly apocryphal.
July 5, 2022
A lovely piece of narrative nonfiction that attempts to further entwine the fates of the Lincoln and Booth families through the practice of Spiritualism.
Three cheers for the structure of this book, which is an excellent example of the right way to do narrative nonfiction in the History genre. The pacing and design make the book read like a novel without sacrificing the conveyance of accurate and detailed information.
As a narrative biography of both families, the text is excellent. It’s a great refresher and fleshing out of details for those who are already knowledgeable about the era and easily digestible for those who only know the basics.
The attempt to tie in spiritualism was less successful, though not particularly damaging to my enjoyment of the book. It’s a stretch to link the two families via this particular craze of the era, because while both families did have ties to the practice, neither has an especially unusual link to it, and the practice doesn’t really provide any kind of direct connection between the families, as the book sets out to do.
The attempt to do so is the usual new spin on an old topic to freshen a story we’re largely familiar with, at least in terms of the bones of it. And while I didn’t think the link worked convincingly, I can appreciate the attempt to approach the history of the murder of Lincoln from a different perspective.
For audiobook readers: Like a lot of narrative nonfiction, this book translates well to the medium if you enjoy reading with your ears. And the narrator is excellent.
*I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.*
Three cheers for the structure of this book, which is an excellent example of the right way to do narrative nonfiction in the History genre. The pacing and design make the book read like a novel without sacrificing the conveyance of accurate and detailed information.
As a narrative biography of both families, the text is excellent. It’s a great refresher and fleshing out of details for those who are already knowledgeable about the era and easily digestible for those who only know the basics.
The attempt to tie in spiritualism was less successful, though not particularly damaging to my enjoyment of the book. It’s a stretch to link the two families via this particular craze of the era, because while both families did have ties to the practice, neither has an especially unusual link to it, and the practice doesn’t really provide any kind of direct connection between the families, as the book sets out to do.
The attempt to do so is the usual new spin on an old topic to freshen a story we’re largely familiar with, at least in terms of the bones of it. And while I didn’t think the link worked convincingly, I can appreciate the attempt to approach the history of the murder of Lincoln from a different perspective.
For audiobook readers: Like a lot of narrative nonfiction, this book translates well to the medium if you enjoy reading with your ears. And the narrator is excellent.
*I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.*
June 15, 2022
Advanced Reader’s Copy provided by NetGalley and HighBridge Audio in exchange for an honest review.
Based on the title and synopsis, I was expecting a Spiritualism-centered nonfiction about the Lincolns and the Booths. But that's not exactly what we get. There is some Spiritualism in this, but mostly, this is a complicated narrative about the history of the Booth family and how Lincoln became POTUS. I appreciate what Alford attempted to do with IN THE HOUSES OF THEIR DEAD, but felt like the final result falls victim to the same pitfalls of many nonfictions - in many parts it's an onslaught of names and dates that bombard the reader and make it difficult to follow the plot. A lot of focus was given to side players and this novel is very Booth family heavy (going into a lot of detail on the acting experience of more than one Booth).
I think this might be one of those books best read and not listened to. Not that Danny Campbell does a bad job with the audiobook narration, but their tone and delivery made the muddled bits of the plot even harder to follow. This is a great concept for a novel, and I can see how this would be a good read for some people, it was just a miss for me. I was hoping for this to take the Spiritualism to a level it never got to. This is much more a Booth family history with Lincoln as a side story than it is a novel about Lincoln AND Booth.
Based on the title and synopsis, I was expecting a Spiritualism-centered nonfiction about the Lincolns and the Booths. But that's not exactly what we get. There is some Spiritualism in this, but mostly, this is a complicated narrative about the history of the Booth family and how Lincoln became POTUS. I appreciate what Alford attempted to do with IN THE HOUSES OF THEIR DEAD, but felt like the final result falls victim to the same pitfalls of many nonfictions - in many parts it's an onslaught of names and dates that bombard the reader and make it difficult to follow the plot. A lot of focus was given to side players and this novel is very Booth family heavy (going into a lot of detail on the acting experience of more than one Booth).
I think this might be one of those books best read and not listened to. Not that Danny Campbell does a bad job with the audiobook narration, but their tone and delivery made the muddled bits of the plot even harder to follow. This is a great concept for a novel, and I can see how this would be a good read for some people, it was just a miss for me. I was hoping for this to take the Spiritualism to a level it never got to. This is much more a Booth family history with Lincoln as a side story than it is a novel about Lincoln AND Booth.
July 28, 2022
Excellent! I have read Alford before and he did a great job with this book too. With as many books about Lincoln as printed over the years, none I know of focus on this unique part of American culture and history. Interweaving stories about the families and those close to them, Alford presents a fascinating view of how spiritualism affected many, even some in leadership positions. For some no doubt these were parlor games but to many they were very serious and a source of comfort at a time with child mortality was high and many lost loved ones in the Civil War. It is amazing too to learn how often the two families' lives intertwined in unusual ways. I had a hard time putting this one down. Highly recommended!
June 22, 2022
Another book on The Lincolns and The Booths with the twist being seven degrees of separation.
Alford has taken personal quirks, beliefs, heart aches, and superstitions and put them in a book. He explains the rationale behind many of the decisions the Lincolns and Booths made, again personally.
I felt from the very beginning that I had read this before. At one point I did a cursory search looking for this to have been published under a different title, and didn't find anything.
This was an audiobook, and Danny Campbell did a good job narrating.
Thank you NetGalley and HighBridge Audio for accepting my request to read and review In the Houses of Their Dead.
Alford has taken personal quirks, beliefs, heart aches, and superstitions and put them in a book. He explains the rationale behind many of the decisions the Lincolns and Booths made, again personally.
I felt from the very beginning that I had read this before. At one point I did a cursory search looking for this to have been published under a different title, and didn't find anything.
This was an audiobook, and Danny Campbell did a good job narrating.
Thank you NetGalley and HighBridge Audio for accepting my request to read and review In the Houses of Their Dead.
January 10, 2023
Read this book as part of the Civil War Breakfast Club’s Book Club reviewing tomorrow…
I did not think I was going to like this book, but I really enjoyed it. Surprised me how many and how much spiritualists existed and were used back then. Interesting to see the folks integrate these folks into their belief systems and decision making.
My favorite thing about this was the tangential characters such as Booth’s brother Edwin and his wife Molly, the friends of Mary Lincoln such as the gardener, Isaac Newton,and of course the fraudulent spiritualists.
Learned some thing I hadn’t known before. Good book.
I did not think I was going to like this book, but I really enjoyed it. Surprised me how many and how much spiritualists existed and were used back then. Interesting to see the folks integrate these folks into their belief systems and decision making.
My favorite thing about this was the tangential characters such as Booth’s brother Edwin and his wife Molly, the friends of Mary Lincoln such as the gardener, Isaac Newton,and of course the fraudulent spiritualists.
Learned some thing I hadn’t known before. Good book.
April 21, 2022
I won an advanced copy of this book on Goodreads. I was hoping for more on the spiritual side of both the Lincoln and Booth families. Although the book did touch on the spiritual nature and how seances where conducted by mediums for both the Lincolns and Booths I was looking for something a little more deeper into the paranormal aspects of their beliefs. It was a good book and I liked it overall. The history is very interesting, and I enjoyed reading about the lives of these famous people.
July 1, 2022
I don't know exactly what this book was, but it is most definitely not a book on spiritualism. Oh, it's mentioned a time or two per chapter. But only in the context of a random medium that someone met sometime somewhere.
September 19, 2022
I learned a lot about the Lincolns and the Booths, so I’m glad I read this. Going by the title, I was thinking there would be more in the book about spiritualism than there was. The author made a good point at the end of the book about why spiritualism was so popular at the time (so much death due to war/disease/living conditions=lots of grieving people ready to believe they could get in touch with their loved ones). In that light, it’s really no surprise these two families had their adherents. Other coincidental connections were just as interesting to me, if not more so, such as Edwin Booth saving Robert Lincoln when he fell off a train platform, or 10-year-old Tad Lincoln going backstage to meet John Wilkes after a performance and the actor giving him a rose.
The writing is easy to follow in terms of the author’s ability to draw the reader in and bring these historical figures to life. Less easy to follow was the way it was organized and how many people were mentioned because they had something to do with both families. Here’s an example: by the time I got to the epilogue and read several paragraphs about Joe Jefferson, I couldn’t remember why he was even in the book. Luckily there’s an index, so I found where he was mentioned earlier in the book in an anecdote about Lincoln (when he was a lawyer) helping out Jefferson’s family of actors with some fine they were supposed to pay. Now, that may be down to me—my aging brain not retaining as much, or how long it took me to get through the book. That aside, there was a lot of jumping back and forth between Lincoln family members, Booth family members, and a host of folks connected with both. It was an interesting collection of bits and pieces, but the lack of cohesion (or my failure to perceive it) was distracting and made it harder to follow and remember who was who.
The writing is easy to follow in terms of the author’s ability to draw the reader in and bring these historical figures to life. Less easy to follow was the way it was organized and how many people were mentioned because they had something to do with both families. Here’s an example: by the time I got to the epilogue and read several paragraphs about Joe Jefferson, I couldn’t remember why he was even in the book. Luckily there’s an index, so I found where he was mentioned earlier in the book in an anecdote about Lincoln (when he was a lawyer) helping out Jefferson’s family of actors with some fine they were supposed to pay. Now, that may be down to me—my aging brain not retaining as much, or how long it took me to get through the book. That aside, there was a lot of jumping back and forth between Lincoln family members, Booth family members, and a host of folks connected with both. It was an interesting collection of bits and pieces, but the lack of cohesion (or my failure to perceive it) was distracting and made it harder to follow and remember who was who.
January 17, 2024
In this book, the author takes a look at the relationships and similarities between the Lincolns and the Booths, but from a very different perspective than other authors. This work specifically looks at the Lincolns and Booths in relation to their connections to the world of spiritualism. The author discusses seances, ghostly encounters, and times of grief that the families experienced in their own worlds, as well as the spiritualist leaders that had active relationships with both the Lincoln family and the Booth family.
This new perspective was so refreshing! I learned a lot about both families and their thoughts on death and the afterlife that I have never considered before! This was such a unique read!
This new perspective was so refreshing! I learned a lot about both families and their thoughts on death and the afterlife that I have never considered before! This was such a unique read!
December 25, 2022
Absorbing Story
The author provides an absorbing account of the rise of Spiritualism in the 1850s which both the Lincoln and Booth family participated in and their connections crossed paths several times. Many people knew of Booth’s obsession and hate of Lincoln but didn’t believe he’d actually harm him. One was a Medium who counseled both men. The author’s account of the assassination is really exciting. He tells it in real time and it gave me a better picture of how it occurred and what happened. This is a great book.
The author provides an absorbing account of the rise of Spiritualism in the 1850s which both the Lincoln and Booth family participated in and their connections crossed paths several times. Many people knew of Booth’s obsession and hate of Lincoln but didn’t believe he’d actually harm him. One was a Medium who counseled both men. The author’s account of the assassination is really exciting. He tells it in real time and it gave me a better picture of how it occurred and what happened. This is a great book.
March 2, 2024
I actually think if you want a good history of the Lincolns and the Booths, this is a good one. It’s well written and thorough. I do feel a bit undersold, as I really hoped the book would be more so centered around a stronger thesis about the role of spiritualism in the time of Lincoln and Booth. However, spiritualism felt only summarized by the key events and descriptions of the players in the field.
June 15, 2022
Originally posted on my blog: Nonstop Reader.
In the Houses of Their Dead is a meticulously researched and annotated history of the Lincoln family, their interaction and common themes and the relationship of both families to spiritualism written by Dr. Terry Alford. Released 14th June 2022 by W.W. Norton on their Liveright imprint, it's 320 pages and is available in hardcover, audio, and ebook formats.
This was a fascinating look at the general social and economic realities of the USA in the mid to late 19th century. The author has written a much more extensive biography of the wider families and contemporaries of Lincoln, John Wilkes Booth, and the relatively newly minted "scientific" study of spiritualism and how it informed their fateful decisions.
The book is layman accessible and extensively annotated. The chapter notes and bibliography will provide many hours of further reading.
The text is liberally annotated and illustrated with line drawings, facsimiles of period documents, and an impressive number of photos. Although the treatment is admittedly academic, there's enough annotation and chapter notation and bibliography to satisfy the staunchest pedant - at the same time, there's a clear and compelling biographical narrative. I'm amazed that there's enough period record to reconstruct the stories of these families after all this time (despite their fame, and in the case of the Booths, their notoriety).
The unabridged audiobook has a run time of 9 hours and 14 minutes and is capably narrated by Danny Campbell. The narrator has a rich and rugged voice and reads clearly and distinctly. Sound and production quality are high throughout the recording. The down-side of the audiobook format is the lack of photos and reference notes.
Four and a half stars. It's an interesting synergistic look at a mostly unfamiliar facet of Lincoln and his wife. I would recommend this book to readers of American history, war history, American culture, as a support text for classroom instruction on Civil War history, or allied subjects.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.
In the Houses of Their Dead is a meticulously researched and annotated history of the Lincoln family, their interaction and common themes and the relationship of both families to spiritualism written by Dr. Terry Alford. Released 14th June 2022 by W.W. Norton on their Liveright imprint, it's 320 pages and is available in hardcover, audio, and ebook formats.
This was a fascinating look at the general social and economic realities of the USA in the mid to late 19th century. The author has written a much more extensive biography of the wider families and contemporaries of Lincoln, John Wilkes Booth, and the relatively newly minted "scientific" study of spiritualism and how it informed their fateful decisions.
The book is layman accessible and extensively annotated. The chapter notes and bibliography will provide many hours of further reading.
The text is liberally annotated and illustrated with line drawings, facsimiles of period documents, and an impressive number of photos. Although the treatment is admittedly academic, there's enough annotation and chapter notation and bibliography to satisfy the staunchest pedant - at the same time, there's a clear and compelling biographical narrative. I'm amazed that there's enough period record to reconstruct the stories of these families after all this time (despite their fame, and in the case of the Booths, their notoriety).
The unabridged audiobook has a run time of 9 hours and 14 minutes and is capably narrated by Danny Campbell. The narrator has a rich and rugged voice and reads clearly and distinctly. Sound and production quality are high throughout the recording. The down-side of the audiobook format is the lack of photos and reference notes.
Four and a half stars. It's an interesting synergistic look at a mostly unfamiliar facet of Lincoln and his wife. I would recommend this book to readers of American history, war history, American culture, as a support text for classroom instruction on Civil War history, or allied subjects.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.
June 20, 2022
This book covers the life of Abraham Lincoln and that of John Wilkes Booth. It tells the things the men had in common their beliefs in the mystical and so much more. It covered different relationships the men head it told the story of how Mary Todd Lincoln like to spend money and I found this also interesting. This isn’t what I expected but much much more. I think Danny Campbell did an outstanding job Narating this book. There was so much in this book I hadn’t heard anywhere else and that tells me this book was well researched and put together expert lake. I really enjoyed the part where it spoke of Abraham Lincolns prophetic dream and as far as John Wilkes booth goes my favorite part with him with his relationship with the dandy Mr. John Adams of course in the book with John Wilkes Booth and Abraham Lincoln is going to end on a sad note but I think the saddest note was that hardly no one came to see Mrs. Lincoln off when she left the White House. I don’t know why but that made me sad for her and the boys she had left. Either way I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves history you’re not only learn New things in the book is so good you won’t even notice she did. I gave this book 5 stars in it deserves everyone of them. Please forgive any mistakes as I am blind and dictate my review but all opinions are definitely my own I was given this book by Net Galley but I am leaving this review voluntarily. #Hybrid audio, #and the houses of their dead,
April 22, 2022
I won this book through Goodreads and very glad I did. I enjoyed reading about the history of The Lincolns , The Booths and so much more . The author shares photos and captures the history that will keep you reading and learning more and more with each page.
Interesting for sure!
Interesting for sure!
August 21, 2022
I found the writing to be muddled and rambling. As much as I love reading about Lincoln, I couldn't finish this book.
October 17, 2022
The connection was tenuous. Very boring.
October 9, 2022
Large portions of this book revisits familiar history -- Booth's assassination of Lincoln, surrender of the Army of Northern Virginia to Grant. Less prominent history is covered in Edwin Booth's rise to fame. Biographies within the book covers the life of Adam Badeau -- a friend to both Booths, adjunct to the staff of Ulysses S. Grant. Wisely, the author, Terry Alford, makes only passing reference to Badeau's closeted gay life and its brief manifestations. Lincoln and Mary Todd Lincoln are given considerable print. The actual confluence of common spiritualists in the lives of Edwin, John Booth and the Lincolns is given less proportion to print than expected (considering this the theme of the book). That the Booths and Lincolns both resided in Washington for a time, and that Lincoln attended the theater 83 times in his four years in office makes this less surprising than it sounds. Still, the author offers some coincidences. One of John Wilkes Booth compatriots slept in the very bed in which Lincoln died cannot help but oblige our attention. Fort Theater where Lincoln was shot was cursed when the then church was sold to John Ford who rebuilt it to the Ford Theater. On the day of Edwin Booth's funeeral, three floors of the Ford theater -- now rebuilt to government offices -- collapsed, killing 20 people. A number of the spiritualists were exposed as charlatans -- no surprise. Charles Colchester is given prominent print for his tactics. Mumler, the spirit photographer, stands dubious for his photo of Lincoln standing over his widowed wife. Alford offers an implied correlation between Mary Todd Lincoln's later insanity and her immersion in the spiritualist life style. My limit of three stars is relfected in the tedium in some of the details in the lives. We are given a detailed list of items sold off after Adam Badeau's death. To be fair, some of these details are significant. Badeau -- litiginous thorughout his life -- sued Grant's family for reimbursement as the editor of Grant's memoirs. This is a detail we want to be appraised about -- it shed light on Badeau's nuanced and complex character. Though gay, Badeau later entered a marriage where it is implied that profit was the motivation. One qualifier to this book. The author, in writing about the confluence in the lives of the Booths and Lincolns, offers a factual account of the life and death of John Wilkes Booth. In doing so, he gives a not unsympathetic account of the most notorious assassin in our history. Even the soldiers who captured and killed Booth declared him to be uncommonly courageous. We are left to run with our own spectulation when we read how John Wilkes descends into delusion about his misperception that Lincoln intended to become a dictator -- based on Lincoln getting a second term("don't change horses in the middle of the stream," as the campaign delcared at the time). Alford misses a significant opportunity when he fails to ask the question: Had John Wilkes Booth acted the part of Brutus so often that, combined with his southern sympathies, he fell into the delusional reality of Lincoln the Ceasar, and he the hero, Brutus. And yet, when a freed African-American, Randall, who had accompanied Bandeau from New Orleans to New York was in danger from the draft rioters, Booth offered to hide with Randall in the cellar and defend him with his life if necessary. Yet Lincoln's delcared intent to give the franchise to recently freed African-Americans seemed to lock Booth into his decsion to assassinate the 16th preisdent. Upshot. Booth was not an all-or-nothing evil character. He possessed the same nuance and complexity as most realities and most lives, current right-left political dogma to the contrary. If nuance and complexity is a reality you, the reader, are comfortable to navigate, the book is worth the reading, especially if you are interested in Lincoln and his times
February 14, 2023
The premise is interesting, but the book tries to do too much with too little. The "tie" between the Booths and the Lincolns isn't spiritualism. It is the fact that John Wilkes Booth, prominent scion of America's acting royal family, assassinated Abraham Lincoln because he sought revenge for the Confederacy's defeat. As for spiritualism, Alford gives a rather cursory history of the general phenomenon that swept across the United States in the mid-19th century. But it was Mary Lincoln who truly believed and found comfort through "communication" with her dead sons. Lincoln himself is presented as more bemused by the procession of crackpots who "channeled" Tad after his premature death in the White House. Edwin Booth was the spiritualist, not Wilkes. Alford doesn't add anything to our understanding of Lincoln. He remains opaque as far as religious "beliefs" are concerned. And I think he misses the mark on Booth. As Alford (accurately) presents him, Booth was a racist spurred on by the horror of black equality raised by their newfound freedom and citizenship. But there is a telling anecdote presented that Alford elides over. John Wilkes Booth was known for torturing/killing cats when he was a child. It's the sort of behavior that now would be a red flag for severe psychological issues. Alford mentions young Wilkes' propensity for animal torture, but the impression he gives is that the child grew out of it.
The basic criticism I have is that this book attempts too much for its size. We need a decent biography of John Wilkes Booth less because of his theatrical achievements than the fact that his only action of historical importance led to an America that botched Reconstruction. There are several good biographies of Mary Lincoln, but we are also overdue for a fresh look at Edwin and Junius Booth, and 19th century American theatre in general. Lincoln biographies, like Jefferson's, tend to be defeated by either their subject's Sphinxlike personality or the prejudices of their various authors. The most interesting character depicted by In the Houses of the Dead is Adam Badeau, who was known briefly by Lincoln, was Edwin Booth's chief confidant and close friends with U.S. Grant until they fell out over Badeau's assistance with Grant's memoirs. As Alford describes him, Badeau is an improbable person as a "confidant" or friend of the former President. He seems closer to a stalker. In any event, if Alford turns out a bio of Badeau, I would read it.
History gfven the once-over-lightly, but well-written enough to be enjoyable.
The basic criticism I have is that this book attempts too much for its size. We need a decent biography of John Wilkes Booth less because of his theatrical achievements than the fact that his only action of historical importance led to an America that botched Reconstruction. There are several good biographies of Mary Lincoln, but we are also overdue for a fresh look at Edwin and Junius Booth, and 19th century American theatre in general. Lincoln biographies, like Jefferson's, tend to be defeated by either their subject's Sphinxlike personality or the prejudices of their various authors. The most interesting character depicted by In the Houses of the Dead is Adam Badeau, who was known briefly by Lincoln, was Edwin Booth's chief confidant and close friends with U.S. Grant until they fell out over Badeau's assistance with Grant's memoirs. As Alford describes him, Badeau is an improbable person as a "confidant" or friend of the former President. He seems closer to a stalker. In any event, if Alford turns out a bio of Badeau, I would read it.
History gfven the once-over-lightly, but well-written enough to be enjoyable.
September 13, 2022
This book was a disappointment. From the title and the publisher summary of the book it was supposed to be about Spiritualism and how it linked the Lincoln and Booth families. I felt that the author had a hard time trying to figure out what the book was supposed to be about. There were sketches about Lincoln, the various members of the Booth family and a number of the hangers on.
First what was good about the book. There was an excellent summary of the John Wilkes Booth assasination of the Lincoln. It was fast paced and contained quite a bit of interesting detail. However, what did this have to do with Spiritualism and how this linked the Lincoln and Booth families? The other thing that was good was the information of some of the people who were on the periphery of history. This includes Adam Badeau, Joseph Jefferson and Charles Colburn.
My criticism of the book.
The narrative was all over the place and I found it hard to follow. The author outlined events many times without any logic and in particular chronologically. It jumped many times ten years back and forth without any connection.
The main subject matter of the book, Spiritualism and the Lincoln and Booth families, really only warrants an essay not a full book. The book is mostly about things other than Spiritualism.
The author seems to believe in many of the Spiritualists and Spiritualism. At the beginning of one of the chapters there is an extended descripttion of Lincoln and John Wilkes Booth together in the afterlife. And they are friends! This was presented as a fact.
If if was not for some of the positive points that I outlined earlierr, my rating would have been one or two stars. I do not recommend this book
First what was good about the book. There was an excellent summary of the John Wilkes Booth assasination of the Lincoln. It was fast paced and contained quite a bit of interesting detail. However, what did this have to do with Spiritualism and how this linked the Lincoln and Booth families? The other thing that was good was the information of some of the people who were on the periphery of history. This includes Adam Badeau, Joseph Jefferson and Charles Colburn.
My criticism of the book.
The narrative was all over the place and I found it hard to follow. The author outlined events many times without any logic and in particular chronologically. It jumped many times ten years back and forth without any connection.
The main subject matter of the book, Spiritualism and the Lincoln and Booth families, really only warrants an essay not a full book. The book is mostly about things other than Spiritualism.
The author seems to believe in many of the Spiritualists and Spiritualism. At the beginning of one of the chapters there is an extended descripttion of Lincoln and John Wilkes Booth together in the afterlife. And they are friends! This was presented as a fact.
If if was not for some of the positive points that I outlined earlierr, my rating would have been one or two stars. I do not recommend this book
August 9, 2023
DNF at 35%
This book lost me 40 pages in with its attempt at narrative nonfiction. The feelings and thoughts of historical figures are stated without sources, which feels wildly unprofessional for a history book; the only time the author mentions sources is when quoting directly. Even then, there is very little explanation of if that source should be considered trustworthy or any inherent bias. The narrative itself is rambling, jumping from person to person within the Booth and Lincoln families with no warning, and entire years and major historical events glossed over. I understand that the author needed to introduce and familiarize the reader with all the major characters, but the way he chose to do so didn’t do a great job. Seemingly random and unrelated figures are also thrown into the mix, I suppose as set dressing for the wider Civil War society, but there was so much focus on people like Joseph Jefferson and Adam Badeau that felt unnecessary.
Finally, for a book supposedly about spiritualism, there is practically no mention of the movement at all in the first third of the book. No description of how the movement began or gained popularity, no explanation of its context in the Civil War and antebellum era, barely any mention of famous mediums or how they worked. Maybe the author was saving that for the latter half, but I don’t think you can write a book about spiritualism and not have introduced the concept to the reader early on. From what I read, I basically got a very basic explanation of the Booth and Lincoln family’s early years in the lead up to the war. Ultimately, I’m pretty disappointed in this book.
This book lost me 40 pages in with its attempt at narrative nonfiction. The feelings and thoughts of historical figures are stated without sources, which feels wildly unprofessional for a history book; the only time the author mentions sources is when quoting directly. Even then, there is very little explanation of if that source should be considered trustworthy or any inherent bias. The narrative itself is rambling, jumping from person to person within the Booth and Lincoln families with no warning, and entire years and major historical events glossed over. I understand that the author needed to introduce and familiarize the reader with all the major characters, but the way he chose to do so didn’t do a great job. Seemingly random and unrelated figures are also thrown into the mix, I suppose as set dressing for the wider Civil War society, but there was so much focus on people like Joseph Jefferson and Adam Badeau that felt unnecessary.
Finally, for a book supposedly about spiritualism, there is practically no mention of the movement at all in the first third of the book. No description of how the movement began or gained popularity, no explanation of its context in the Civil War and antebellum era, barely any mention of famous mediums or how they worked. Maybe the author was saving that for the latter half, but I don’t think you can write a book about spiritualism and not have introduced the concept to the reader early on. From what I read, I basically got a very basic explanation of the Booth and Lincoln family’s early years in the lead up to the war. Ultimately, I’m pretty disappointed in this book.
April 15, 2024
John Wilkes Booth entered a theatre the fourteenth of April in 1865 and shot Abraham Lincoln, forever linking both his name and his family members to that of the President. Beyond this connection, however, were smaller threads that enmeshed the two families, from shared acquaintances (Lincoln worked to get Joe Jefferson’s family, a theatre troupe, fair treatment, for example, and Edwin was great friends with Joe Jefferson as an adult).
Interwoven through all that was spiritualism, a movement that unsurprisingly ran through the country like wildfire. People lost children to illness and accidents at such a high rate, and the war that split the country in two took hundreds of thousands of lives, cut short in their prime. The loved ones left behind were desperate to connect to those they lost, and both the Booths and the Lincolns had their fair share of grief to wallow through with so many children and siblings dying young.
I think even if you know a great deal about the Lincolns or Booths, you can still find something new or interesting here as the author branches off into other people, like Jefferson and Adam Badeau, known for being an aid to Grant and acquainted with both Lincoln as well as Edwin Booth, one of his closest friends. There are lots of fascinating titbits to sink into, and I think both families are evenly covered; sometimes there’s an imbalance in multiple subjects with the author favouring one over the other.
This is a quick read, and sad, too. I personally happened to pick it up at a great time—I finished it now, on the 159th anniversary of Wilkes shooting Lincoln.
Interwoven through all that was spiritualism, a movement that unsurprisingly ran through the country like wildfire. People lost children to illness and accidents at such a high rate, and the war that split the country in two took hundreds of thousands of lives, cut short in their prime. The loved ones left behind were desperate to connect to those they lost, and both the Booths and the Lincolns had their fair share of grief to wallow through with so many children and siblings dying young.
I think even if you know a great deal about the Lincolns or Booths, you can still find something new or interesting here as the author branches off into other people, like Jefferson and Adam Badeau, known for being an aid to Grant and acquainted with both Lincoln as well as Edwin Booth, one of his closest friends. There are lots of fascinating titbits to sink into, and I think both families are evenly covered; sometimes there’s an imbalance in multiple subjects with the author favouring one over the other.
This is a quick read, and sad, too. I personally happened to pick it up at a great time—I finished it now, on the 159th anniversary of Wilkes shooting Lincoln.
December 26, 2022
I enjoyed this history of the personal lives and odd coincidences of the Lincoln family and the Booth family. What sparked my interest was the description of the Lincolns and the Booths hiring and confiding in some of the same spiritualists and mediums. Abraham and Mary Lincoln lost two young sons, Edward and Willie. Junius Booth, the father of notorious John Wilkes, had lost a 4-year-old daughter. Spiritualism was a new invention in the mid-1800s. But the young women who popularized seances were proven to be fraudsters. Unfortunately, all of the spiritualists and mediums discussed in this book were also, disappointingly, were fraudsters. The best parts of this book were in reading about the peripheral characters to the Abraham Lincoln and John Wilkes Booth dramatic tragedy. I learned a lot about John Wilkes Booth's actor father and brothers. I liked learning about the friends and relatives of the Booth family. I knew a lot about Abraham Lincoln and Mary Todd Lincoln's personal lives. I didn't know, until reading this book, that Mr. Lincoln wasn't a believer in organized religion. I also learned that he was very skeptical of the mediums that his wife consulted to contact their dear son Willie. This is a very good and well researched history of two families on a collision course in history.
January 8, 2023
I really like the idea behind this book, but not so much the end result.
The book itself mostly revolves around Edwin Booth and, to a lesser extent, Mary Todd Lincoln. If a book was written about Abraham Lincoln's and John Wilkes Booth's beliefs and involvement in spiritualism, it would be a very short book indeed. (A. Lincoln attends some seances and seems to find a modicum of comfort in the possibility of an afterlife, but he remained a skeptical man. J.W. Booth barely makes an appearance except for a few vague recollections about fortune telling and the actual assassination itself.)
In fact, Adam Badeau, who was neither a Booth nor a Lincoln (although a friend of Edwin Booth and in the US Army, having been given a captaincy by Lincoln), makes more of an appearance than J.W. Booth. If he had played more of a role in spiritualism it might make sense, but a great deal of pages are spent going on about his post-war conflicts and the fact that he was a gay (or perhaps bisexual) man living in very queer-unfriendly times.
Spiritualism, although mentioned with somewhat frequency, still feels like it takes a backseat in this book. A lot of what was mentioned was SUPERSTITION, not spiritualism.
I learned some things from this book, but I really didn't feel like I learned much about spiritualism.
The book itself mostly revolves around Edwin Booth and, to a lesser extent, Mary Todd Lincoln. If a book was written about Abraham Lincoln's and John Wilkes Booth's beliefs and involvement in spiritualism, it would be a very short book indeed. (A. Lincoln attends some seances and seems to find a modicum of comfort in the possibility of an afterlife, but he remained a skeptical man. J.W. Booth barely makes an appearance except for a few vague recollections about fortune telling and the actual assassination itself.)
In fact, Adam Badeau, who was neither a Booth nor a Lincoln (although a friend of Edwin Booth and in the US Army, having been given a captaincy by Lincoln), makes more of an appearance than J.W. Booth. If he had played more of a role in spiritualism it might make sense, but a great deal of pages are spent going on about his post-war conflicts and the fact that he was a gay (or perhaps bisexual) man living in very queer-unfriendly times.
Spiritualism, although mentioned with somewhat frequency, still feels like it takes a backseat in this book. A lot of what was mentioned was SUPERSTITION, not spiritualism.
I learned some things from this book, but I really didn't feel like I learned much about spiritualism.
October 29, 2023
This sounds like a spooky book from the title but I assure you it's not. It's a look at the Spiritualism movement that was popular around the time of the Civil War where Spirit Mediums would perform seances for a wide variety of people so they could communicate with departed loved ones. Some of the Mediums appear to have been sincere while there were a good many who were out & out charlatans just out to make a buck.
The book follows the Lincolns and the Booths from their beginnings to the fateful night at Ford's Theater & beyond. It included a detailed description of how John Wilkes Booth carried out the assassination of Lincoln, his get away & death when he was trapped in the barn.
Mary Lincoln was very involved with the Mediums while Lincoln himself seemed to be more of an amused observer & not a true believer although he did draw some comfort from a young woman who frequently came to the White House.
Edwin Booth, older brother of the infamous John W, used Mediums to comfort him after the death of his first wife. John didn't seem to believe in anything other than getting revenge for the defeat of his beloved south.
I found the book interesting & easy to read. I recommend it to anyone interested in a different look at a period in our nation's history & families that crossed paths in a Washington DC theater in April, 1864.
The book follows the Lincolns and the Booths from their beginnings to the fateful night at Ford's Theater & beyond. It included a detailed description of how John Wilkes Booth carried out the assassination of Lincoln, his get away & death when he was trapped in the barn.
Mary Lincoln was very involved with the Mediums while Lincoln himself seemed to be more of an amused observer & not a true believer although he did draw some comfort from a young woman who frequently came to the White House.
Edwin Booth, older brother of the infamous John W, used Mediums to comfort him after the death of his first wife. John didn't seem to believe in anything other than getting revenge for the defeat of his beloved south.
I found the book interesting & easy to read. I recommend it to anyone interested in a different look at a period in our nation's history & families that crossed paths in a Washington DC theater in April, 1864.
June 7, 2022
Engaging, thoroughly researched and smoothly-written book weaving Abraham Lincoln's family, John Wilkes Booth's family and their associates together through theater, war, and spiritualism. Highly recommended to those interested in behind-the-scenes looks at these families and those interested in the history of the American theater. Terry Alford reveals surprising interactions between the families before the assassination and many more fascinating facts. He is able to help readers move toward an understanding of the mindsets of the characters, especially illustrating how the loss of many cherished family members during this time led to the rise of spiritualism by those wishing to communicate with those who had awoken "in the upper world."
July 29, 2022
Not very good. Endless, unnecessary detail on the lives of the endless Lincoln and Booth clans and friends, and their friends, and their families, and the war, and the times, and the fashions, and horses, and .... We don't actually get any spiritualism until the end of chapter 4!
I very much liked his bio of Booth; he's bitten off more than he can chew here. Very light on spiritualist detail; even lighter on explanations. While it's good, even essential, to have more background than you need, that doesn't mean it belongs in your book. This would have worked better as a long article. Where was the editor? Where was the copyeditor? What, exactly, did Alford want to accomplish here?
I gave up around chapter 6.
I very much liked his bio of Booth; he's bitten off more than he can chew here. Very light on spiritualist detail; even lighter on explanations. While it's good, even essential, to have more background than you need, that doesn't mean it belongs in your book. This would have worked better as a long article. Where was the editor? Where was the copyeditor? What, exactly, did Alford want to accomplish here?
I gave up around chapter 6.
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