Twenty Days

by Dorothy Kunhardt and Philip B. Kunhardt III

Book Overview

Containing more than 300 illustrations and based on firsthand eyewitness accounts, this book tells the story of twenty fateful days in America's history: from the night of Abraham Lincoln's assassination in 1865, to the arrest, trial, and execution of conspirators, and to the dramatic funeral in Lincoln's hometown of Springfield, Illinois.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0878770798
• ISBN13: 9780878770793
• Release Date: January 1985
• Publisher: Newcastle Publishing Company
• Length: 312 Pages
• Weight: 1.95 lbs.

Customer Reviews

The Ultimate Lincoln Classic

I respectfully disagree with the other reviewers of this book that it was written in honor of the centennial of Lincoln's death, or at least it was not so advertised. I purchased this first edition book in 1968, three years following its publication, and, as a college student at the time, I never paid full price for a book. The demand for this relic must have been very limited because I only purchased books that ended up in the bargain book section of my local book store. It was immediately dated by me, fitted out with a dust jacket cover and included it in my library. The price printed on the dust jacket is $11.95 but I probably got it for about half price. This book is one of the jewels of non-fiction American history. Its value lies in the expertise of the authors, the daughter and grandson of Mr. Frederick Hill Meserve, born in 1865, and an avid life-long collector of photographs relating to Lincoln and the era in which he lived. The exclusive collection of photographs in this book that add to the impressive detail of the narrative come from the collection of Mr. Meserve that includes approximately 200,000 period photos and, among them, about 10,000 produced by the legendary photographer of Lincoln, Matthew Brady. The detailed narrative of each aspect of Lincoln's death was taken from the first hand accounts of the participants and observers in and of these events. It includes every detail known to history including the fact that Lincoln's coffin was made by an unknown mortuary assistant, undoubtedly of Irish descent, who decorated it with the Shamrocks and stars of the Irish national emblem. Also included are photographs of the clothes Lincoln was wearing when he was shot, the contents of his pockets, his boots and probably most of the relics of the assination. And it chronicles in detail the travails of William T. Clark, the border of the room to which Lincoln was taken and later died. Both his room and his possessions were ultimately ransacked by scavengers who, even then, battled each other for anything relating to Lincoln, particularly if the item was covered in his blood. Eventually, even Clark's bed and matress were stolen and the wallpaper stripped from his walls. Mary Lincoln was very generous in giving away her husband's property. She was fully aware of the value of these objects and often wrote notes of gift to the recipients authenticating their prizes. One hundred and forty-four years following Lincoln's death many of these relics can be found in Sotheby's and other well known auction houses up for sale. And, for the many collectors of Linconia, the finite detail of Twenty Days has made it the bible for the high-stakes collectors who deal in or collect Lincoln mementos. When the Abraham Lincoln presidential library opened in Springfield, IL, a few years ago, many Linconia collectors donated or loaned to it a treasure trove of memorabelia that even includes a number of Mary Lincoln's famous dresses. Whoever owns

Incomparable.

This marvelous book is not only unique for being a centennial tribute, but as one of the most thoughtfully and lovingly prepared books about Lincoln ever made. It deserves to be reprinted on the fifth year of every decade. Make no mistake: Twenty Days is not simply a profusely illustrated documentation of Old Abe's sorrowful funeral procession, but includes every sort of detail pertaining to the assassination, the hunt for Booth and his accomplices, their trial, and so much more - particularly Lincoln's background and career. Superbly presented contemporaneous drawings, photographs and eyewitness accounts. Includes much that is surprising and heart-rending, even to those of us who believe we already know all that is important about "Father Abraham". For those truly devoted to the study of this magnificent man's life, I promise this book will earn a special place in your heart and on your bookshelf. And even after it has been thoroughly read you will while away many hours browsing through its photographs, imagining what it was must have been like to have lived through those days - so like and unlike our own.

Great, great, great book

This is the book that started my lifelong fascination with the Lincoln assassination story, at age 7! I couldn't read much then, but the many, many photographs are so evocative that they managed to convey the tragic, haunting story all on their own. This book was originally published in 1865 (the centennial of the assassination) and is probably the prototype for serious overviews of this topic. The authors were renowned Lincoln scholars and archivists, and their love and expertise for the subject is reflected not only in the moving collection of images but also in the intelligent, well written text. If you're at all interested in this topic, this is the best book out there!

So helpful! The photographs and information are AMAZING!!!

If you are looking for a wonderful way to do a project or are just interested in Lincoln and America's reaction to his assassination, this is the book to look at. It was wonderful to read, and the pictures earned me an A on my presentation!

Best Photo-History of Abraham Lincoln's Assassination

This book has hundreds of photographs related to Abraham Lincoln's assassination and funeral train. Its written description of events from April 14, 1865, to May 4, 1865, is outstanding. This book is by far the best of its kind.