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The Rest Is HistoryAugust 13, 2025
591. The Assassination of Abraham Lincoln: Manhunt for the Killer (Part 2)
About This Episode
How was President Abraham Lincoln murdered on Good Friday 1865, at Ford’s Theatre, just five days after Robert E. Lee’s surrender? Who was John Wilkes Booth, the racist actor with southern sympathies, who assassinated him? How did he escape before the shocked eyes of the packed theatre, and evade his captors to go on the run? Would they get him in the end? And, what were the long term repercussions of Lincoln’s assassination for the future of race relations in the USA? Join Dominic and Tom as they discuss, in remarkable detail, the assassination of Abraham Lincoln, the man who did it, and the thrilling manhunt that ensued, the impact of Lincoln’s death upon the future of America. Go to https://surfshark.com/TRIH or use code TRIH at checkout to get 4 extra months of Surfshark VPN! The Rest Is History Club: Become a member for exclusive bonus content, early access to full series and live show tickets, ad-free listening, our exclusive newsletter, discount book prices on titles mentioned on the pod, and our members’ chatroom on Discord. Just head to therestishistory.com to sign up, or start a free trial today on Apple Podcasts: apple.co/therestishistory. For more Goalhanger Podcasts, head to www.goalhanger.com _______ Twitter: @TheRestHistory @holland_tom @dcsandbrook Producer: Theo Young-Smith Assistant Producer: Tabby Syrett + Aaliyah Akude
Book Mentions
3 book mentions in this episode.
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Books Mentioned

“As Michael Kaufman says in his book, he's trapped like a wild animal, kind of darting around looking for a place to escape.”
ASIN: N/A
Search on AmazonClick the book cover image to open the affiliate link.

American Brutus
Michael Kaufman
“This book that I mentioned by Michael Kaufman, American Brutus, is brilliant. He thinks the key to Booth is that he was an actor.”
ASIN: B008KGCFOA
Buy on AmazonClick the book cover image to open the affiliate link.

Lincoln
Michael Burlingame
“Michael Burlingame in this book that I've mentioned a few times, brilliant biography. He says Lincoln had a personality that you very rarely find in politics.”
ASIN: N/A
Search on AmazonClick the book cover image to open the affiliate link.