Finding Something New in an Old Story

A talk by Michael W. Kauffman, Author of "American Brutus"

How is it possible that well over a century after it occurred, the assassination of Abraham Lincoln could still be considered an unexplored topic? Though many books, movies and documentaries had focused on it, none had penetrated the tangle of conspiracy theories to get at the heart of the plot and the people involved. Then came "American Brutus: John Wilkes Booth and the Lincoln Conspiracies."

Working exclusively with primary sources and an innovative, full-immersion approach to history, Kauffman studied the conspiracy and its players using techniques from modern criminology, behavioral science, legal reasoning, and information technology to produce a book like no other. Acclaimed as a thorough, honest, and superbly reasoned account, "American Brutus" has opened the door to a new way of studying history.

As historian William C. Davis once wrote, "no one has studied [John Wilkes] Booth longer or more in depth than Michael W. Kauffman, a well-known figure and voice of reason in the field of Lincoln assassination studies."

For more than forty years, Kauffman has been a fixture at assassination-related symposia, tours, and news events. He has written numerous articles on the subject, and his bus tours of the John Wilkes Booth Escape Route, long a staple of feature publications throughout the U.S., inspired the Washington Post to call him "legendary" in this field.

Kauffman has lectured throughout the United States and the U. K. He has also appeared in more than sixty television and radio programs, including documentaries on A& E, the History Channel, the Travel Channel, and the Discovery Channel.

His is the author of "American Brutus: John Wilkes Booth and the Lincoln Conspiracies," which was named by the New York Times, The Washington Post, and almost every major media outlet in the U. S. as one of the best non-fiction books of 2004. This all-encompassing account of the Lincoln conspiracy is based entirely on primary sources and was named by The Wall Street Journal as one of the five best books ever written about political violence. As the late historian David Herbert Donald said, "There are many books on [the assassination] but this is by all means the best."

"American Brutus" was once optioned for a 9-part miniseries on HBO, and its companion documentary, "The Hunt for John Wilkes Booth," still appears regularly on the History Channel. It has spawned a cottage industry in assassination-related books and tours.

For accessibility accommodations, please contact us at least 2 weeks before the event. 410-535-0291.

Photo credit Jay Henson, Capital Gazette

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