Elizabeth Mitchell - Lincoln’s Lie

PRAISE FOR LINCOLNS LIE

Elizabeth Mitchell has woven together some of my favorite subjectsnineteenth-century New York City, early newspapermen, the Civil War, secrets, gold, Americas iffy history with alternative factsinto a riveting and delicious work of nonfiction that could pass for a novel. Its contemporary resonances are remarkable.

KURT ANDERSEN , author of Fantasyland: How America Went Haywire: A 500-Year History

Lincolns Lie exemplifies the very best of narrative nonfiction: an intriguing, long-forgotten slice of Civil War history, a rogues gallery of devious characters, meticulous research and dazzling prose, and a stranger-than-fiction tale that will stay with you long after you turn the last page. Elizabeth Mitchell has written a classic that will appeal to history buffs and fiction fans alike. I couldnt put it down.

KAREN ABBOTT , New York Times bestselling author of The Ghosts of Eden Park

In this meticulously researched and carefully argued study, Elizabeth Mitchell makes a strong case [about the culprit] behind one of the greatest hoaxes of the Civil Warthe publication of a bogus presidential proclamation that rocked the North . . . Vividly and thoroughly described.

MICHAEL BURLINGAME , author of Abraham Lincoln: A Life and The Inner World of Abraham Lincoln

Lincolns Lie is a delicious, suspenseful, exquisitely well-researched, and cleverly written romp through a dramatic and forgotten moment of American history. Mitchells thorough examination of a strange example of nineteenth- century fake news brings Lincoln back to life in all his subtlety, contradictions, and savvy. This is a wonderful read, as well as a fascinating history lesson. I loved it.

ELIZABETH GILBERT , author of City of Girls and The Signature of All Things

Lincolns Lie is a delightful, fun, and easy read full of colorful characters. Mitchell combines a journalists talent for storytelling with a historians knack for intensive research. The book reads more like a suspense novel than a work of history. I did not want to put it down. I turned each page searching for new clues to who leaked the proclamation and why Honest Abe lied about it.

STEVEN M. GILLON , scholar in residence at the History Channel and author of the New York Times bestseller The Pact: Bill Clinton, Newt Gingrich, and the Rivalry That Defined a Generation

This historical thriller takes us into some of the darkest days of the Civil War and the dramatic tension between Abraham Lincoln and the reporters covering him. How Lincoln navigated the fake news of his day makes a compelling story, and Elizabeth Mitchell handles it beautifully, with deep research, careful attention to detail, and the flair of a novelist. Highly recommended.

TED WIDMER , author of Lincoln on the Verge: Thirteen Days to Washington

Elizabeth Mitchells excellent Lincolns Lie is a wild ride into one of the strangest episodes of the Civil War era. Mitchell is a gifted storyteller, and this book about greedy profiteers is loaded with narrative horsepower. I was stunned by the revelations. Highly recommended!

DOUGLAS BRINKLEY , author of American Moonshot: John F. Kennedy and the Great Space Race

LINCOLNS LIE

A TRUE CIVIL WAR CAPER THROUGH
FAKE NEWS, WALL STREET, AND
THE WHITE HOUSE

Elizabeth Mitchell

COUNTERPOINT

Berkeley, California

Lincolns Lie

Copyright 2020 by Elizabeth Mitchell

First hardcover edition: 2020

All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission from the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.