March 23, 2006 James Swanson to Discuss His Best-Selling Book "Manhunt" on April 18

Attorney and Lincoln scholar James L. Swanson will discuss his best-selling book “Manhunt: The 12-Day Chase for Lincoln’s Killer” at the Library of Congress at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, April 18, in the Mumford Room on the sixth floor of the James Madison Building, 101 Independence Ave., S.E., Washington, D.C.

A book signing will follow the presentation, which is part of the Books & Beyond author program organized and hosted by the Center for the Book in the Library of Congress. The Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Commission is co-sponsoring the event. The program is free and open to the public; no tickets or reservations are required.

“Manhunt” (Morrow, 2006) has received outstanding reviews and is now on both the New York Times and Publishers Weekly best seller lists. According to historian James McPherson, “this riveting hour-by-hour account of Lincoln’s assassination, Booth’s escape and the pursuit that finally ran down and killed him is a truly remarkable narrative.” Library Journal called the book “ably researched and seamlessly written.”

Swanson, an attorney and Lincoln scholar, is a member of the advisory committee of the Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Commission. He has written about history, the Constitution, popular culture and other subjects for the Wall Street Journal, the Los Angeles Times, American Heritage and other publications. He is the co-author of “Lincoln’s Assassins: Their Trial and Execution” (2001).

The Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Commission (ALBC) was established by Congress to plan a “fitting and proper” national celebration of the 16th president’s 200th birthday in 2009. Its members, who are appointed by the president and congressional leaders, include political leaders, jurists, historians and collectors. The ALBC aims to renew Americans’ appreciation of Lincoln’s ideals of freedom, democracy and equal opportunity, and to encourage all people to “live that legacy.” For further information, visit www.lincoln200.gov.

Established in 1977 as a public-private partnership, the Center for the Book uses the resources of the Library of Congress to stimulate public interest in books, reading, literacy and libraries. For further information, visit www.loc.gov/cfbook.