James L. Swanson
James L. Swanson was an American author and historian famous for his New York Times best-seller Manhunt: The 12-Day Chase for Lincoln's Killer, focusing on the biography of John Wilkes Booth and his plot to kill Lincoln and other cabinet members. For this book he earned an Edgar Award. He was a Senior Fellow at the Heritage Foundation and appeared on C-SPAN on behalf of the Koch-affiliated Libertarianism in [the United States|libertarian] CATO Institute think tank.
Early life and education
Swanson was born on February 12, 1959. He graduated from the University of Chicago with a bachelor's degree in history and from the University of California, Los Angeles School of Law with a J.D. degree. He held a number of government and think-tank posts in Washington, D.C., including at the United States Department of Justice. He served on the advisory council of the Ford's Theatre Society.Career
Swanson was an Abraham Lincoln scholar and a member of the Lincoln Bicentennial Commission. His main area of research was on the Lincoln assassination. He also served in the U.S. United [States Department of Justice|Department of Justice].His book Manhunt was to be adapted by David Simon and Tom Fontana for a mini-series in 2008. It was finally adapted into a miniseries without Simon and Fontana's involvement in 2024, created by Monica Beletsky.