New on our bookshelf:
Lincoln’s Greatcoat: The Unlikely Odyssey of a Presidential Relic
Reignette G. Chilton
Brooks Brothers crafted Abraham Lincoln’s greatcoat in honor of the president’s second inauguration. The coat’s wool was “finer than cashmere” and its silk-embroidered lining read, “One Country, One Destiny.” Lincoln was wearing the garment when he was assassinated on April 14, 1865. After her husband’s death, Mrs. Lincoln gave the greatcoat to a faithful White House doorkeeper. More than a century after her bequest, the coat was returned to Ford’s Theatre, but not before it underwent a mysterious and exciting journey. This book recounts that journey as a reminder of the 16th president and his call to “bind up wounds” and care for others.
