No one talks about Abraham Lincoln’s days as a vampire hunter. Perhaps they don’t believe it could be true. Perhaps they are afraid to raise the subject in polite company. Perhaps they are just afraid. Such is the premise of the new novel by Seth Grahame-Smith.
I must admit this book is rather more bizarre than any of the other books I have read on Abraham Lincoln. Grahame-Smith takes the well-known icon of history and weaves a story that almost seems plausible at times. Not surprising from a man who also is the best-selling author of a book called “Pride and Prejudice and Zombies.” I first heard of this book on February 12th (Abe’s birthday) from Sophie S. I must admit it is a rarity for me to read a novel, especially a contemporary one, but I now have a first edition inscribed and signed to me by the author.
I won’t give away too much of the book. Suffice to say that the title accurately describes the premise. It turns out that the death of Lincoln’s mother when he is nine years old, previously thought to be “milk sickness,” was really at the hands of a vampire to whom Lincoln’s father owed money. Which, of course, explains why Lincoln didn’t get along too well with his father for the rest of his life. What follows is a visit from “Henry” and a lifetime pursuing vampires while also flat-boating down the Mississippi, serving in the Illinois state legislature and the US House of Representatives, building a law career, and eventually becoming President of the United States. The book seems a lot like the movie Forrest Gump in the sense that vampires seem to appear alongside well-known events and people as Lincoln moves through his life. And death.
The book probably won’t be as spell-binding as the latest Michael Connelly or Stephen King thrillers unless you are an Abraham Lincoln fan. But it is well worth the read in my opinion.
More book reviews at Abraham Lincoln Quote of the Day
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Comments: 64 ( 3 removed by David K. )
Very interesting review. Did you notice if his historical background is factual?
And of course he takes some liberty with the fact as needed to help create the storyline, as do all novels.
Overall I would say he did a pretty good job. You'll recognize the major events in his life.
Sounds very interesting. I'd love to read it sometime.
Old Abe the way he was not in such a way as this though. sorry
I don't know, is he a better vampire hunter than Jesus Christ?
Interesting review.
Have a great day.
I'm expecting to start posting again to this group as I work on my own Lincoln book project. I'll keep everyone posted.
Review of the movie opening today, by the Hollywood Reporter.
I'll likely drag myself to the theater to see the movie - despite the vampires. I got into the Anne Rice books but have avoided the current teeny-bopper vampire fad. I'll keep an eye out for the two actors you mention.
On the whole, I find vampires boring, but as a history buff, I love Lincoln.
The book and movie are obviously intended as fiction. You, on the other hand, come here with the sole intention of offering fiction to be offensive. Your hateful fantasy is not welcome on my posts.
Please do not comment unless you can do so based on fact, on intellectual honesty, and on common decency.
Goodbye.
Unfortunately, to assuage his rather infantile ego he returned to leave an even less informed and even more paranoid ranting, divorced from fact and entirely for the purpose of harassment and disparagement.
Both of his comments have been removed to protect the rights of other readers to be free from the hostile intentions of those who cannot act responsibly.
Any further comments will be deleted. Any further harassment is in violation of both Gather TOS and common decency, and will not be tolerated.
It's embarrassing to see such puerile behavior.
-- Joanne Jacobs
I suppose there is the possibility that this movie would trivialize Lincoln's name, though I'm not really sure that it would other than for the least informed. I hope I'm not giving too much credit to today's youth (and adults) by assuming they can tell the difference between history (Abraham Lincoln) and creative fantasy (vampires, with or without Lincoln). Perhaps the movie will stimulate some interest and more people will find they want to know more about Lincoln.
As a Lincoln scholar I was very hesitant to read the book, but that was probably the reason I was so curious as well. Besides reading the usual biographical books on Lincoln I found it incredibly insightful to read the many books that dissect specific events (e.g., Gettysburg Address or his meetings with Frederick Douglass) and his psyche (e.g., his occasional melancholy or death of loved ones). Through hundreds of books and articles I've seen sides of Lincoln that most people didn't know exist.
So the "vampire hunter" thing was a chance for me to have a little fun while also picking apart the historical inconsistencies that most people wouldn't catch. In the end, it's only a novel and movie.
Best wishes Bruce.
I hadn't heard of that one until you mentioned it. But apparently there is one out this year.
Seems Abe Lincoln is hot stuff right now.
He certainly has a larger than life place in history. Not that that stops people from trying to rewrite his life and legacy.
I like the hors de classé idea. Thanks.
I have a 1000 DVD personal collection of movies of all types … they do share one thing in common, I think most of them are pretty good. I am not a big fan of the corporate movie making process wherein the sole motivation for making a movie is to maximize return on investment.
Any venture has to pay for itself and if it is good show a profit, but the perversion of keeping everything opaque and using marketing technology to sell the movie with product placements and perverted historical references … not just this movie by the way … is just a joke that creates the kind of world where our citizens minds of so full of garbage they do not have the room or the time for anything nourishing … a paradigm we see all throughout American culture now.
We know what people look like on the outside when they live on this from the obesity epidemic, that we are also exporting to the world, but imagine if we could see people's minds visibly what a person whose sole diet of this garbage would look like?
Just to save you time David, don't bother asking me what my favorite brand of gasoline to sniff is, I don't, I was being sarcastic! ;-)
Like everything, it's up to us to take responsibility for what we choose to put in our minds as much as it is for what we choose to put in our bellies. Needless to say, there are a lot of people making questionable choices.
Guess it is our month to disagree. The whole myth of personal responsiblity has really worked in favor of companies that have done all kinds of neurological testing and research on how to bypass people's will, so I'd have to say, and channel the real Abe Lincoln a little, a culture divided cannot long stand, that is a culture that talks about freedom but does everything it can to subliminally enslave its citizens will not prosper.
You might be interested to read a couple of books by Dan Ariely. His main theme is that people are "predictably irrational," i.e. that they (us) often act irrationally but in ways that are predictable. It's that kind of predictable irrationality that allows us to be used by those who choose to use us.
Fascinating stuff.
I swear it's like we're a species of babbling baboons.
I'll have a review of Bill Bradley's new book "We Can All Do Better" going up later today. You might find that one more to your liking.
Best regards