Description
Drawing on her diaries from 1858 to 1866, the author presents a biography of Fanny Seward (1844-1866), the daughter of Abraham Lincoln's Secretary of State William Seward, who survived an assassination attempt by John Wilkes Booth's conspirator Lewis Powell on the night of Lincoln's assassination. The biography relates the events and activities of the family prior to and during the Civil War, including the events of the war, the family members who served in it, Fanny's close relationship with her father, his bid for the presidential nomination, the assassination attempt and how she met Booth's brother beforehand, visits and events with the Lincolns and other politicians, her play and novel writing, her feminism, the death of her mother, and her own early death. Annotation ©2015 Ringgold, Inc., Portland, OR (protoview.com)
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On April 14, 1865, the night of President Lincoln’s assassination, Booth’s conspirator Lewis Powell attempted to assassinate Secretary of State William Seward in his home just blocks from Ford’s Theatre. The attack, which left Seward and his son seriously wounded, is recounted in poignant detail in Fanny Seward’s diary. Fanny, the beloved only daughter of Seward, was a keen observer, and her diary entries from 1858 to 1866 are the foundation of Krisher’s vivid portrait of the young girl who was an eyewitness to one of the most tumultuous periods in American history.Fanny offers intimate observations on the politicians, generals, and artists of the time. She tells of attending dinner parties, visiting troops, and going to the theater, often alongside President Abraham Lincoln and his wife Mary. Through Fanny’s writings, Krisher not only skillfully brings to life the events and activities of a progressive political family but also illuminates the day-to-day drama of the war. Giving readers a previously unseen glimpse into the era, Fanny Seward: A Life broadens our understanding of Civil War America.
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