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David O. Stewart

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History, Historical Fiction, Mystery

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March 2007

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Because I read Impeached directly following Team of Rivals, I thought I had a decent grasp on Seward. Why do you think he was so supportive of Johnson? I understand that he felt the South should be dealt with liberally, but I'm more than a little surprised he didn't feel the need to protect the Southern blacks and Unionists more. It makes me wonder if his assassination attempt impacted his actions somehow.

David O. Stewart You ask an excellent question! My editor asked it also. In fact, she put me in touch with Doris Kearns Goodwin to see if we could cook up a more satis…moreYou ask an excellent question! My editor asked it also. In fact, she put me in touch with Doris Kearns Goodwin to see if we could cook up a more satisfying explanation, and we agreed that it was tough to explain. This morning, prompted by your question, I looked at Walter Stahr's recent bio of Seward, which came out after IMPEACHED. He writes (p. 529): "Although Seward's relations with Johnson will always involve some mystery, the main reasons he supported the president are clear enough. . . . he agreed with Johnson that the southern states should be allowed to govern themselves, and to rejoin the union, without undue delay or onerous conditions. Seward was especially reluctant to desert a president under attack, and he saw impeachment as an improper and dangerous attack, . . . and be believed, perhaps immodestly, that he was the best secretary of state available to Johnson." Walter also notes that Seward lost his wife and daughter to illnesses during the Johnson administration -- truly, his sufferings were Job-like -- which made his official position that much more precious to him. And I think the terrible wounds Seward suffered in the assassination attempt (as you suggest) made him cling to work he found meaningful. By remaining in the Johnson administration, serving an unworthy president, Seward damaged his historical reputation. It's rather sad. (less)

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How much research goes into your historical novels, like THE BABE RUTH DECEPTION?

David O. Stewart I need to know as much as possible about any true historical figures in the book -- such as Babe Ruth, or the gambling kingpin Arnold Rothstein who fi…moreI need to know as much as possible about any true historical figures in the book -- such as Babe Ruth, or the gambling kingpin Arnold Rothstein who fixed the 1919 World Series -- so I read widely about those figures. And for any actual event that I will portray, I research deeply. For this book, that included the Babe's baseball games, the Black Sox scandal, the terrorist bombing of Wall Street. I also like to go to the places I'm writing about. Though the world has changed a lot in the 95 years since the events in the book, I still can get a feel for what the feel of the location is, which includes its slope, the views around it, and so on. I'll use Google images to find photos of what it looked like before.

But there's another layer of research, which involves getting a feel for the language of the times. I try to read some novels and newspaper stories from the era, or listen to recordings of people speaking if I can find them. I can pick up slang that was in use at the time and try to figure out how formally people spoke. For this book, there were a number of recordings of the Babe speaking, and I also found a movie that the Babe made in 1920, which allowed to me see what he looked like and how he moved as a young, world-champion athlete. The details can make all the difference in presenting a compelling portrait of a character.(less)

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Average rating: 3.96 · 8,805 ratings · 822 reviews · 17 distinct works • Similar authors

	Impeached: The Trial of President Andrew Johnson and the Fight for Lincoln's Legacy 4.02 avg rating — 3,728 ratings — published 2009 — 3 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The Summer of 1787: The Men Who Invented the Constitution 4.04 avg rating — 2,571 ratings — published 2007 — 17 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The Lincoln Deception (A Fraser and Cook Historical Mystery, #1) by David O. Stewart (Goodreads Author), William Martin (Goodreads Author) (Foreword) 3.39 avg rating — 790 ratings — published 2013 — 12 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Madison's Gift: Five Partnerships That Built America 4.06 avg rating — 647 ratings — published 2015 — 13 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	American Emperor: Aaron Burr's Challenge to Jefferson's America 3.92 avg rating — 626 ratings — published 2011 — 14 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	George Washington: The Political Rise of America's Founding Father 4.35 avg rating — 211 ratings — published 2021 — 5 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The Wilson Deception (Dr. Jamie Fraser & Speed Cook, #2) 3.58 avg rating — 121 ratings — published 2015 — 13 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The Babe Ruth Deception (A Fraser and Cook Mystery Book 3) 3.40 avg rating — 81 ratings — 10 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The New Land 4.24 avg rating — 21 ratings — 5 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The Burning Land (The Overstreet Saga Book 2) 3.86 avg rating — 7 ratings — 4 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

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Growing a Fictional Family Tree

I should have thought of it earlier – for a family saga that sprawls over three volumes and three centuries, readers would welcome a family tree that sets out who was connected to who, when, and how!

I didn’t think of it until we were finishing corrections for Book 2 of the Overstreet Saga, The Burning Land, which will launch on April 4, 2023. Happily, the ever-helpful production whizzes at Knox P

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“As Dr. Franklin progressed through Philadelphia’s republican streets, his regal trappings drove home the message that honor in America grew from talent, not birth.”
― David O. Stewart, The Summer of 1787: The Men Who Invented the Constitution

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“by better information or fuller consideration to change opinions…which I once thought right, but found to be otherwise. It is therefore that the older I grow, the more apt I am to doubt my own judgment, and to pay more respect to the judgment of others.”
― David O. Stewart, The Summer of 1787: The Men Who Invented the Constitution

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“The laws of necessity, of self-preservation, of saving our country when in danger, are of higher obligation. To lose our country by a scrupulous adherence to written law, would be to lose the law itself, with life, liberty, property and all those who are enjoying them with us; thus absurdly sacrificing the end to the means.”
― David O. Stewart, American Emperor: Aaron Burr's Challenge to Jefferson's America

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The History Book ...: THOMAS JEFFERSON: THE ART OF POWER - BIBLIOGRAPHY ~ (SPOILER THREAD)	38	119	Mar 05, 2013 08:12AM
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“If Men were angels, no government would be necessary. If angels were to govern men, neither external nor internal controls on government would be necessary. In framing a government which is to be administered by men over men, the great difficulty lies in this: you must first enable the government to control the governed; and the next place, oblige it to control itself.”
― James Madison

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