How does this book assess the mind of John Wilkes Booth? What did he believe? How did his beliefs drive his actions?

Consider the book’s treatment of smaller human details of Booth’s life and death. Why does Swanson focus on these minutiae to the degree he does? How do they add or detract from the narrative?

Why does Swanson include verbatim quotations from telegraphs, newspapers, and personal letters throughout the text? How do these quotations contribute to the narrative?