James L. Swanson
James L. Swanson (born February 12, 1959) is an American author and historian famous for his "New York Times" best-seller "Manhunt: The 12-Day Chase for Lincoln's Killer", for which he earned an Edgar Award. Education. Swanson 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. Swanson also has degrees in history and law from the UCLA and the University of Chicago. He has held a number of government and think-tank posts in Washington, D.C. , including at the United States Department of Justice. He serves on the advisory council of the Ford's Theatre Society. Career. Swanson is an Abraham Lincoln scholar and is a member of the Lincoln Bicentennial Commission. His main area of research is on the Lincoln assassination. He has also served in the U.S. Department of Justice.