John Wilkes Booth was the man who killed Abraham Lincoln. Edwin Booth was the brother of the man who killed Lincoln. While this may be historically true, it is also incomplete shorthand. James Cross Giblin spells out the lives of these two fascinating brothers in this captivating volume. Both were actors, the sons of a legendary figure in American theater. One would follow his father’s footsteps and become a theater legend in his own right; the other would become one of the greatest villains in U.S. history. Giblin follows each of the brothers across America as they pursued their acting careers. While both displayed dramatic and sometimes impulsive behavior in their youth, Edwin, much older than John, went from generally reliable to steadfast as he aged. John went from impulsive to hotheaded to irrational as tensions between the North and South mounted prior to and during the Civil War. While not political, Edwin was a quiet supporter of Lincoln and the North; John a vehement defender of the South. How did two brothers turn out so differently? Giblin doesn’t answer what is, perhaps, an unanswerable question, but through his exhaustive research that draws on many primary sources, he does give some insight into the lives and minds of these two influential men. (Ages 12–17)

On April 14, 1865, five days after the end of the Civil War, John Wilkes Booth fired a single shot and changed the course of American history. His infamous deed cost him his life and brought notoriety and shame to his family-particularly his elder brother, the renowned actor Edwin Booth. From that day forward, Edwin would be known as "the brother of the man who killed President Lincoln." In many ways, the Booth brothers were two of a kind. They were among America's finest actors, having inherited from their father, Junius Brutus Booth, a commanding stage presence and a rich, expressive voice. They also inherited Junius's penchant for alcohol and impulsive behavior. In other respects, the two brothers were very different. Edwin's introspective nature made him the perfect actor to play Hamlet, while John, with his dashing good looks and passionate intensity, excelled in romantic roles. They also stood at opposite poles politically. Edwin voted for Abraham Lincoln; John was an ardent advocate of the Confederacy. Award-winning author James Cross Giblin draws on first-hand accounts of family members, friends, and colleagues to create a vivid image of John Wilkes, the loving son and brother who became an assassin. Equally clear is the picture of Edwin, who battled his own weaknesses and emerged a pivotal figure in the development of the American theater. Comprehensive and compelling, this dual portrait illuminates a dark and tragic moment in the nation's history and explores the complex legacy of two leading men-one revered, the other abhorred. Book jacket.