Just wanted to fill in a little for the other posters.

In the book Conger, et al are portrayed as minor characters. Up until the time they set out aboard the John S. Ide on their way to find Booth, no one had heard of any of them, other than Lafayette Baker (who oversaw the operation from the friendly confines of Washington). But in terms of the manhunt itself Conger (more so than Byron Baker-who is Lafayette’s cousin-and to a lesser extent Edward P. Doherty, who had command of the detachment of the 16th New York Cavalry) was a major character. I believe he was put in charge because of several reasons, not the least of which is his familiarity with the Virginia countryside which he got as commander of the First District of Columbia Cavalry as well as the confidence that Lafe Baker had in him. It should be noted that of all the people on the manhunt Conger had the least business being there because he had been shot through the hips twice and almost had his left arm cut off with a Confederate saber during the war. I don’t want to make this a book but Conger’s role in the manhunt was so great he was given the bulk of the reward money ($15,000). Swanson’s book is tripe, but given the reception it has garnered, unfortunately we will be hearing of it for years to come.

Best wishes
Rob Wick

Books on Tape is about the best thing for a book that lacks depth, as this does.

Matt LeBlanc is too old. I vote for Orlando Bloom. He’s actually about the right age.

Eric

My approach for an enjoyable book like Manhunt, which runs swiftly but not too deep, is to purchase the audio version and listen to it on my long Atlanta commute. That way I can enjoy the narrative flow without being troubled by the lack of references, etc.

I agree with the Harrison Ford/Conger concerns expressed above–not just the age difference, but unless they are going to change the script a good deal from what actually happens (and Hollywood NEVER does that, right?), then Conger is a minor character at best. The main character, of course, is Booth. And who plays him? Someone said Johnny Depp–hmmm. Too bad C. Thomas Howell is too old now . . . Or how ’bout Joey from “Friends”? [insert smiley face thingie here]

LOL. For your sake, I’m very glad to hear that you’re better looking than Kil-Cavalry. Then again, that doesn’t take much. 🙂

Eric

Boy, I sure would love to sell the rights to one of my books before I went to the bother of writing it…..

Eric

Yeah, I know we are supposed to suspend disbelief when it come to age, but I agree that Ford playing Conger is ridiculous…like that guy in his 60s (or at least he looked that old) playing John Bell Hood in the Turner Gettysburg movie.