History Decoded: The 10 Greatest Conspiracies of All Time - Hardcover

Brad Meltzer

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0761177450 ISBN 13: 9780761177456

Publisher: Workman, 2014

Synopsis

Everyone loves a good mystery. And the only thing people love more than a good mystery? A real mystery. History Decoded, based on the popular History Channel show Brad Meltzer's Decoded, explores history's ten greatest conspiracies. In each chapter, a famous historical mystery will be explored in depth - like Was Lincoln's Assassin Apprehended? Unanswered Questions of the Kennedy Assassination, The Spear of Destiny, Lost Confederate Gold, UFO's and Da Vinci among others. Sometimes the mystery proves to be true, sometimes a hoax-and sometimes not quite provable. Each chapter is profusely illustrated in colour and includes an envelope containing removable facsimile documents (like John Wilkes Booth's alleged unsigned will!)-all keys to unravelling the mystery in question.

About this title

From the Back Cover

It's an irresistable combination: master storyteller Brad Meltzer, counting down the world's top ten most intriguing stories'the great conspiracies, from Leonardo da Vinci's stolen prophecy to the Kennedy assassination. Adapted from Metlzer's hit series on HISTORY®, the book explores those fascinating, unexplained questions that nag at history buffs and conspiracy lovers: Why was Hitler so intent on capturing the Roman "Spear of Destiny"? Where did all the Confederacy's gold go? What is the government hiding in Area 51? And did Lee Harvey Oswald really act alone?

Richly illustrated in full color'and every chapter has removable facsimile documents, so you can examine the evidence yourself.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

John Wilkes Booth: Was Lincoln's Assassin Apprehended?

WHAT IF I TOLD YOU that after murdering President Abraham Lincoln, the most famous assassin in American history lived for 40 more years?

We all know the story: In 1865, on a Friday night at Ford's Theatre, John Wilkes Booth killed our 16th president with a single bullet to the back of his head. Instantly becoming America's most wanted man, Booth jumped from the presidential balcony and fled on horseback across Maryland and Virginia. But some speculate that the history books'which tell us that Booth was shot 12 days later at Garrett's farm near Port Royal, Virginia'are flat-out wrong.

Some believe Booth didn't die that night. They claim he was actually acting on behalf of the Confederate Secret Service, who then aided him in his escape. They argue the man killed at Garrett's barn was actually a look-alike, a patsy used to throw off Union soldiers. What's even more amazing: This is just one of three plausible theories of Booth's escape. If there's even the slightest possibility John Wilkes Booth was able to escape the law and live as a fugitive for another 40 years, I want to know what happened.

It's time to decode John Wilkes Booth.

Edition details

• Publisher: Workman
• Publication date: 2014
• ISBN 10: 0761177450
• ISBN 13: 9780761177456
• Binding: Hardcover
• Language: English
• Number of pages: 160