Status
Available
Genres
Publication
Scholastic Press (2015), 224 pages
Description
A biography of the Scottish immigrant barrel-maker whose side line detective work developed into the oldest and most famous detective agency in the United States.
User reviews
LibraryThing member ewyatt
An exploration of the life and work of Allan Pinkerton. The beginning of the book focuses on Pinkerton's move into detective work, a second part explores his spy work during the Civil War, and finally the work of the Pinkerton Agency chasing down early gangs and evolution into a security service
I started with the audiobook, it didn't hook me. I had a more engaged experience reading the text and like the original images.
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company. I started with the audiobook, it didn't hook me. I had a more engaged experience reading the text and like the original images.
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LibraryThing member GeoffHabiger
I picked up this title as an audio book through my library because the title intrigued me and I have an interest in history in general, and Civil War history. When I checked it out I did not know that this was a title written for a younger audience. While the target audience meant that Samantha
Lincoln's Spymaster focuses on Allan Pinkerton, the man behind the most famous detective agency ever in the United States: Pinkerton's Detective Agency. Samantha does a good job of showing us who Allan Pinkerton was, from his assistance during the Civil War in not only keeping Lincoln safe (Pinkerton and his operatives were instrumental in foiling an assassination attempt before Lincoln was inaugurated) to sending out spies for the Union during the war. We also learn about how Pinkerton got started as a detective - he was originally a barrel maker - as well as some of his more famous exploits after the war catching train robbers and murderers. The writing is simple and Samantha sets a good pace. My 12-year-old son really loved the book as we listened in the car, and he's much more interested in fiction than non-fiction, so kudos for writing that captures the imagination and interest of a pre-teen boy.
My quibbles stem more from my perceptions. While knowing that this is a book written to a younger audience I would have liked to have known more about the people in Pinkerton's life. Samantha mentions that Pinkerton was the first (and only) man to hire women as detectives, finding them a valuable asset in his ability to fight crime, but we are not shown any of the exploits of these women in great detail. We also learn very little about Pinkerton's family life or relationship with his wife. Finally, the title of the book suggests more focus on the Civil War period, however Pinkerton's work as Lincoln's Spymaster is covered in just a few chapters. All of these bring my rating down a bit, but I am balancing my own expectations with my understanding that I am not the target audience for the book.
Certainly, if you have children who are interested in history, or even if they aren't and you want to get them interested, Lincoln's Spymaster is a great hook to do that. My son is a voracious reader, but mostly of fiction, so knowing that this book peaked his interest shows that Samantha's book does hit its mark with the target audience. And even though I wanted more, I learned a lot that I didn't know about America's First Private Eye.
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couldn't go into the greater depth and detail that an "adult" book would have offered, I was very happy with the information provided. Lincoln's Spymaster focuses on Allan Pinkerton, the man behind the most famous detective agency ever in the United States: Pinkerton's Detective Agency. Samantha does a good job of showing us who Allan Pinkerton was, from his assistance during the Civil War in not only keeping Lincoln safe (Pinkerton and his operatives were instrumental in foiling an assassination attempt before Lincoln was inaugurated) to sending out spies for the Union during the war. We also learn about how Pinkerton got started as a detective - he was originally a barrel maker - as well as some of his more famous exploits after the war catching train robbers and murderers. The writing is simple and Samantha sets a good pace. My 12-year-old son really loved the book as we listened in the car, and he's much more interested in fiction than non-fiction, so kudos for writing that captures the imagination and interest of a pre-teen boy.
My quibbles stem more from my perceptions. While knowing that this is a book written to a younger audience I would have liked to have known more about the people in Pinkerton's life. Samantha mentions that Pinkerton was the first (and only) man to hire women as detectives, finding them a valuable asset in his ability to fight crime, but we are not shown any of the exploits of these women in great detail. We also learn very little about Pinkerton's family life or relationship with his wife. Finally, the title of the book suggests more focus on the Civil War period, however Pinkerton's work as Lincoln's Spymaster is covered in just a few chapters. All of these bring my rating down a bit, but I am balancing my own expectations with my understanding that I am not the target audience for the book.
Certainly, if you have children who are interested in history, or even if they aren't and you want to get them interested, Lincoln's Spymaster is a great hook to do that. My son is a voracious reader, but mostly of fiction, so knowing that this book peaked his interest shows that Samantha's book does hit its mark with the target audience. And even though I wanted more, I learned a lot that I didn't know about America's First Private Eye.
Show Less
LibraryThing member Diana_Long_Thomas
This was a great book for young adults that explain how private eyes started in America. It goes into the history of why President Lincoln needed Allan Pinkerton's help for various things during the Civil War and follows with some of the issues the agency had in the years that followed. I actually
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learned quite a bit from reading this and highly recommend it. Show Less
Awards
Junior Library Guild Selections (Selection — 2015)
Language
Original language
English
Physical description
224 p.; 8.3 inches
ISBN
0545708974 / 9780545708975