From Abraham Lincoln (1865) to Russian poet Nikolai S. Gumilev (1920) to Beatle John Lennon (1980): this book provides reference to political assassinations, political executions, and unsuccessful attempts against major figures. Entries detail the manner, the motive, the assailant (when known), brief biographical information on the victims, the immediate effects on the political climate of the day, and in some cases, the final fate of the assassins.