The Last Days Books in Order

The Last Days books adapt material from Bill O'Reilly's adult Killing histories for younger readers. Their subjects include Abraham Lincoln, John F. Kennedy, Jesus, Adolf Hitler and Ronald Reagan. Each book concentrates on a life-changing event or final period, placing the central figure within the political and historical pressures surrounding it. The printed editions use illustrations and other visual material alongside the narrative, making the books an introduction to their subjects for readers approaching them for the first time.

Lincoln's Last Days follows the close of the American Civil War, Lincoln's assassination and the pursuit of his assassin. Adapted from Killing Lincoln, it brings together the national situation and the immediate events surrounding the president's death. Kennedy's Last Days draws on Killing Kennedy, describing Kennedy's public life, the crises of his presidency and the events leading to the Dallas assassination. Both books connect an individual death to the larger experience of a nation, with attention to the people involved before and after the attack.

The books share a format and historical approach, but each stands on its own.

The Last Days of Jesus, adapted from Killing Jesus, turns to the ancient world. It presents Jesus's life within the setting of Roman rule and the historical forces surrounding his execution. Hitler's Last Days uses material from Killing Patton to describe the collapse of Nazi Germany in 1945. Allied advances, the situation of German leaders and Hitler's retreat to his bunker give that volume its immediate setting. These two subjects widen the collection beyond American presidents while retaining its interest in the circumstances surrounding a decisive ending.

The Day the President Was Shot focuses on an assassination attempt rather than a death. Adapted from Killing Reagan, it follows the shooting of Ronald Reagan in Washington in 1981 and the response that saved his life. The account includes the Secret Service's actions, the FBI's questioning of the attacker, medical treatment and Reagan's recovery. This broader view of an emergency shows how several people and institutions took part in the events surrounding the central figure.

The series can be read by topic, without following a required sequence. Its narratives are shaped around individuals and dramatic events, while maps, photographs and illustrations help younger readers situate those events in a wider world. Readers interested in the American presidency may begin with Lincoln, Kennedy or Reagan; those interested in ancient history or World War II can choose the corresponding volumes. Across the collection, the emphasis falls on the choices, pressures and immediate consequences surrounding moments of historical change.