Booth: A Novel | Karen Joy Fowler | Used Historical Fiction Book

An Intimate Historical Novel About the Family of John Wilkes Booth

Booth by bestselling author Karen Joy Fowler is an ambitious historical novel about the troubled theatrical family behind one of the most infamous figures in American history: John Wilkes Booth.

Beginning in 1822, the story follows the Booth family as they settle on an isolated farm near Baltimore. The household grows to include ten children, led by celebrated Shakespearean actor Junius Brutus Booth—a gifted performer whose brilliance is accompanied by instability and destructive behavior.

As the Booth children grow and establish themselves within America’s theatrical world, the country moves toward secession and Civil War. Family loyalties, rivalries, ambitions, secrets, and tragedies unfold against the growing national conflict that will ultimately connect the Booth name forever to the assassination of Abraham Lincoln.

The Family Behind a Historic Tragedy

Rather than centering the story solely on John Wilkes Booth, Fowler explores the lives of his parents, brothers, and sisters. The novel considers how one person’s choices can affect an entire family and how those closest to a notorious historical figure must confront love, responsibility, grief, and guilt.

The Booth family’s private struggles are presented alongside a nation increasingly divided by slavery, politics, violence, and war.

Themes Include

• The Booth family and American theater

• John Wilkes Booth’s siblings and parents

• Family loyalty and rivalry

• Fame, ambition, and instability

• Slavery and abolition

• The approach of the American Civil War

• Political division and extremism

• Personal responsibility and collective guilt

• Abraham Lincoln’s assassination

• The lasting effects of political violence

Key Features

• Written by Karen Joy Fowler

• Historical fiction based on the Booth family

• Blends documented history with carefully imagined family life

• Explores nineteenth-century American theater

• Set against the background of slavery, secession, and Civil War

• Longlisted for the 2022 Booker Prize

• A strong choice for historical-fiction readers and book clubs

• Previously owned copy

Book Details

• Title: Booth

• Author: Karen Joy Fowler

• Publisher: G.P. Putnam’s Sons

• Original publication year: 2022

• Language: English

• Genre: Historical fiction and literary fiction

• Hardcover pages: Approximately 480

• Hardcover ISBN-10: 0593331435

• Hardcover ISBN-13: 9780593331439

This title has been published in hardcover, paperback, large-print, and other formats. Please review the listing photographs for the binding, ISBN, page count, and edition of the exact copy being offered.

Used-Book Condition

This is a previously owned book. It may show ordinary evidence of handling, shelving, storage, and prior reading, including wear to the dust jacket, cover, spine, corners, edges, or pages.

Previous-owner names, inscriptions, bookplates, stickers, labels, highlighting, underlining, or other markings may be present unless specifically stated otherwise. Please examine the listing photographs carefully for the condition and edition of the exact book being sold.

This listing includes one used book only.

Historical novel by David Robertson exploring the life and motives of John Wilkes Booth leading up to Lincoln's assassination. Softcover in Very Good condition with clean pages and light shelf wear.