Reviews (4)

All the Way with LBJ
Craig I. Zirbel read almost every book, article, or newspaper dealing with the JFK assassination for 25 years. This book is the result of his studies. If it happened in a foreign country, 11/22/1963 would be viewed as a coup d'etat. If finding a motive for murder exposes the killer, then motive could explain why JFK was killed. This book explains why the Warren Commission and others are not credible. The most likely solution may be the most obvious, not the most complex (p.4).

After JFK's death LBJ refused to leave Dallas until JFK's body was placed on the plane. The Warren Commission decided there was no conspiracy; Oswald was a lone gunman. Page 17 tells of the faults in the autopsy of JFK. The Warren Commission was created to investigate the crime (p.23). They would examine the evidence developed by the FBI. LBJ was never called as a witness (p.27). Chief Justice Warren would not listen to Jack Ruby (p.29)! LBJ created and controlled this Commission, when he was one of the logical suspects (p.33).

Page 35 explains why political assassinations occur, and why some are covered up. Page 37 explains why Oswald did not fit the pattern of assassins (not insane, no motive). His quick elimination hints at a wider conspiracy. Page 43 tells of the problems in that mail-order rifle. Page 47 tells of the failures with a stationary target. (A telescopic sight adjusted to shoot "high and to the right" would have the built-in lead exactly needed for the shots fired that day! But was this done before that day?)

Chapter 7 analyzes various assassination theories, and tries to discredit them all in a few pages. (You may not agree with it once you've read other books.) Does the photograph on page 82 resemble the villain in "From Russia With Love"? Chapter 8 discusses his theory of "right hand man assassinations". I don't think his examples prove his theory. Chapter 9 announces that he will try to pin it on LBJ alone (p.95). The big problem in this is the lack of any defender who may dispute his charges. Being dead, there is no way LBJ can defend himself. So his arguments are one-sided. Is that fair?

Chapter 11 tells of LBJ's moral rules. Chapter 12 tells of his support by Big Business, page 113 tells how the NASA Space Center was built. How did LadyBird buy those radio stations? See pages 117-8. Page 122 tells of the crash of LBJ's airplane. Chapter 18 hints at the reason why LBJ didn't run in 1968: a strenuous campaign could cause a heart attack (he died in 1973). Chapters 22-23 describes the three major scandals of the Vice-President. Chapter 27 explains how the unsafe detour past the Schoolbook Depository was done against Secret Service wishes. Chapter 29 list the mistakes and problems in Oswald's capture. Chapter 31 tells of Oswald's activities; these may be explained as that of a secret agent who is controlled by others. Could the failure to record Oswald's interrogation be explained by the knowledge that he was doomed? Chapter 35 relates various strange acts: LBJ bought "presidential china" (p.256) in the fall of 1963! Chapter 37 lists 9 reasons for a conspiracy (p.282). Chapter 38 provides a parallax view to the events. Chapter 39 asks you to form your own conclusion. Do this after reading other books. You may find that Mark North's "Act of Treason" is the better book.

Very Enlightening!
I bought this book with some skepticism, however, Zirbel, an attorney, does an impressive job of making his case. Although some time has passed since its writing, and it could use a new edition, Zirbel makes a VERY convincing case for LBJ's involvement in the JFK assasination. I left with a feeling that Zirbel is onto something, and he certainly convinced me. Definately a worthwhile book. It even inspired me to so my own research into this!

Very informative but not without flaws.
This is an excellent account as far as conspiracy theories go. Well researched and very readable, Zirbel's version of the Kennedy assassination makes some huge leaps and cites many sources that he did not document. It did convince me that LBJ had a hand in it anyway.

Outstanding! The most enlightening book I've ever read.
Craig Zirbel's insight into the assassination of President Kennedy is uncanny. Providing a fresh look into one of the greatest mysteries of all time, Zirbel digs deep into the thoughts of the Johnson administration and President Johnson's premature rise to power. Reading this book lead me to better understand the twisted thoughts of both L.B.J and the world of politics. The only bad thing about "The Texas Connection" is that it's out of print. Zirbel's well founded assassination premise leaves me believing even more stongly in X-Files, Area 51, and that Elvis lives. ... Read more

Book Description

Book Description

Book Description

tells the compelling story of the pastor theologian scholarorator civil rights leader and martyr. Similar to Gandhi King led afreedom movement of the oppressed through the way of nonviolencespiritually grounded and firm in its renunciation of violence butradical in its pursuit of justice. King preached prayed lectured wroteand marched in living out his faith. Arrested 29 times he and hisfamily faced death threats many times. It was in support of thesanitation workers' strike in Memphis that he was gunned down by anassassin's bullet. the nation and the world mourned the death of the 39year old martyred prophet.contains extensive passages from King'swritings that illustrate his nonviolent faith and how he lived it outin his ministry ... Read more

Book Description

The very best of the famous JFK WIT is featured in this special audio collection.Highlights from 24 speeches from 1960 - 1963. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

JFK RULES !
Well, I just got the CD in the mail a few days ago. As a big Kennedy fan..I really enjoyed this CD as it had a lot of his greatest moments. As we all know, one of his most amazing talents was his carisma and wit...it all shows in this CD. I do recommend this for die hard JFK fans...but the "average joe" most likely would not like it. ... Read more

Book Description

Now in Dragonfly--from the acclaimed creator of the Caldecott Honor Book Tar Beach comes a personal and captivating portrait of the life of Martin Luther King, Jr. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Facinating book on Martin Luther King Jr.!
Students were very absorbed in this book. They found the story exciting and it stimulated a great discussion. The idea that someone could dream about Martin Luther King Jr. and see him as a child and then as an adult allowed students to think about how different dreams are from reality. Students were anxious to borrow the book and share it with their families.

Beautifully illustrated and well written
This beautifully illustrated and well written book was a must have for my daughters library. She's a new teacher and a lover of good books. What a delight to buy this book for her!

Outstanding!
This is the best picture book I've come across concerning the Civil Rights movement of the 60's. The previous reviewer is correct in that the abstractness of the imagery is difficult for younger children, but that is precisely the beauty of the book. With a little explaining, my third grade class was still touched by the struggle of African Americans in this country. My class consisted of numerous minorities (Asian & hispanic) and they were able to come to see that MLK was fighting for them also. The way it is told is very moving and makes the book excellent for older children as well.

I still get choked up whenever I read it.

a unique approach to telling the story of MLK, Jr.
I'm a huge Faith Ringgold fan. This book is very good as expected, but my only complaint is that it is a little too abstract for the target age group (ages 4-8). For example, the kids were confused at the picture of MLK in jail as an infant and the people burning their "baggage". BUT, unique it is... just definitely in need of adult commentary. ... Read more

Book Description

This unique book presents a compelling look at our 35th president's final days through narrative, history and personal stories from a cross section of the population. The shared grief of a nation is remembered in vivid detail and, as Walter Mirisch said, "will move you, horrify you and sometimes bring you to tears." Contributors include Robert McNamara, Senator John Kerry, Dominick Dunne, Jerry Lewis, Liz Smith, Wally Schirra, Scott Carpenter, Janet Leigh, Billy Dee Williams, Aaron Spelling and over 100 more. Powerful narrative and a running timeline of other world events completes this capsule view of one of the most unforgettable weeks in history. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

A compelling, collective human testimony
The collaborative effort of Chuck Fries, Irv Wilson, and Spencer Green, "We'll Never Be Young Again": Remembering The Last Days of John F. Kennedy combines history, narratives, and personal testimonies of the final days of America's 35th President. Over 125 letters written by notable individuals such as Senator John Kerry, Jerry Lewis, Dominick Dunne, Liz Smith and more offer a compelling, collective human testimony to the loss of a charismatic, strong-willed and truly unforgettable and martyred "Camelot" era political leader. "We'll Never Be Young Again" is a superb and highly commended contribution to the growing library books on and about JFK.

Best JFK book ever
I was moved and emotionally caught up in the great memories of JFK and Camelot from the thoughts and stories of the many great people interviewed here. The selections here are terrific, and rather than the oft-told, dry history of our greatest president, the personal reflections that are recounted in the excellent book reflect who what and where we were as a country then, what we lost, and what we can aspire to be in the future. An amazing book.

Thoughtful Remembrances, Good Gift
This isn't really my kind of book, but it's nicely crafted and attractive to flip through. I bought copies for my grandparents for Christmas.

I know what I'm buying my loved ones for Christmas!
Growing up I remember two prominent portraits on the wall of my home. Jesus and JFK. I almost didn't read this book. I felt I already knew everything there was to know about that fateful day and I didn't want to remember the painful details. But I did and I don't regret a minute of it. This book is filled with vivid recollections from a cross-section of people that moved me from tears to laughter with a flip of a page. I found the narrative fresh and the timeline helpful. I know what I'm buying my loved ones for Christmas -- this book!

A Kennedy book with a different perspective
I thoroughly enjoyed the many comments by people great and small on their remembrances of November 22, 1963. This well-written narrative of the last days of JFK also provided some unusual comments and insights from friends of JFK from Robert McNamara to Jerry Lewis that I had not read before, as well as the the feelings of shock and despair that prevailed with ordinary people on hearing the horrific news of the assasination. This book has certainly supplemented my information on this well documented tragedy. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Quick easy interesting read
I enjoyed the layout of the book.Almost like a compilation of quick factoids. Please don't misconstrue this statement as it being boring and/or technical.It is simply laid out in a way that makes the reading easier.As a fan of biographies, I have mulled over many that linger on and on with out substance.This book is just the opposite.It has plenty of substance and is presented in a way you can read the facts, enjoy them and also recall what you have read.A good job by Mr. Signesi.

I really admired John Junior for his way of handling his place in American culture.This book is a great insight into the man.I don't agree with the comments that it sets him on a pedestal as a god-like figure, quite the opposite for me.I think it painted him in a very humanistic way.Well worth the price and certainly if you were endeared to John F. Kennedy Jr.Again, good job Mr. Signesi.

A refreshing perspective
So much information has been released on John Jr. but really only focussed on his "celebrity" side.This book though it touched on the celebrity, really displayed the "regular" side of John.It waswell put together, easy to read, and was a fast read.It was such a lossfor our nation but it will be nice to have this book as a keepsake forrememberances.

My most treasured book on a wonderful man
After much waiting I finally received my copy of this wonderful book.I must admit, it is better than I had expected.I primarily bought this book to keep as a memento of the late JFK Jr. but I was pleasantly surprised byhow interesting the book is.It covers JFK Jr's life from a totallydifferent angle-one that is refreshing & different from all the otherbooks and tribute magazines out there. I also liked how it contained notthe standard photographs that every other book or magazine has published inthe last few weeks. This book reads like a yearbook.It personalizes Johnunlike any other publication and captures your interest from page one.Itis the ultimate memento of a much missed and much loved person.

tribute to a fine man
the best book written about the late,great,john kennedy,jr.we will never know now what might have been,but this book stands as a fine record of what was.

This book is not an objective biography of the subject
Tragedy aside, this book is sheer puffery. This turns the subject into a god-like idol and provides no objectivity about the trials and tribulations of being the son of two very public figures. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Letitia Baldrige's dedication reads, "For all those who have heard about the grace and charm of the Kennedy White House and wondered, was it really that extraordinary? The answer is 'Yes.'" The vibrant couple who moved into the White House in January 1961 were unlike anything that venerable home had ever seen.They were young, attractive, and cosmopolitan, and they were intent on putting their own indelible stamp on American culture. During the next three years, John and Jacqueline Kennedy wrote an entirely new chapter in the annals of presidential entertaining. Baldrige, Jackie's social secretary, and René Verdon, the White House chef, worked with them behind the scenes to bring off state dinners that are still talked about today (like the famous "Nobel Laureate Dinner").Alas, the Kennedy days are over, but Baldrige and Verdon bring back the memories in this marvelous book, which pairs Baldrige's fun, gossipy recollections of each star-studded social occasion with Verdon's sophisticated pre-nouvelle cuisine menus (including recipes simple enough for today's home cook).It's the photographs of the glittering guests, Jackie's ravishing gowns and perfect collarbone, and Kennedy--tan and handsome in black tie--that invoke the most wistfulness for that "one brief shining moment" that for some represented the pinnacle of American cultural history. After all the dirt, this book is like a long drink of cool water.END ... Read more

Reviews (10)

A truely beautiful look at Camelot - and a great cookbook!
I already own Rene Verdon's White House cookbook which is an enjoyable read as well as a great reference. Many of his great, classic recipes from that collection re-appear in this wonderful, picture-filled book that recreates the magic of Jackie's style that made Camelot. Rene Verdon and Letitia Baldridge show that they have not lost their touch and guide us through a host of beautiful occasions. My personal highlight is the famous state dinner at Mount Vernon. We find out many intriguing details about entertaining at the highest level and are able to take a little of the glamour to our own table. Rene Verdon's recipes are great classics that are meant to be enjoyed over and over again. They can be reproduced by the capable home cook with highly satisfying results.

Kennedy Magic Transforms The White House
The Kennedy administration was before my time--but just barely, and I grew up interested in Jackie and her kids, but never really understood the mystique until I read this book. Tish Baldrige's book lays out the effort to update The White House for two young, modern parents who inhabited it. She also makes a case for the art of entertaining--a dying or even lost art--and makes me want to throw a dinner party. The Kennedy's lived like royality, it's true. I don't know if The White House would ever get away with the extravagance and glamour today (now that we spend all our money on defense and security), but the more innocent time of the Kennedy administration was ripe for the kind of magic a handsome rancouteur and his well-bred wife could generate. Every page of this book is fascinating, and it's the most delicious slice of history I've ever read. And with the recipes, you too can throw the same luncheon the Kennedys served Prince Ranier and Princess Grace!

When USA was close to royalty!
Letitia Baldridge's book is unquestionably "un coup de maitre". We are most grateful to her for allowing us to take a peek into that atmosphere of class, sophistication, grace and good taste that once was the Kennedy White House. Reading this fascinating book is like going back into this elegant and refined world created by Jacqueline Kennedy where culture, arts and good conversation were a main priority. I so enjoyed reading that book!!

magical
whatever your political affiliation, you can't help but be amazed at the graciousness the kennedy family brought to the white house during his term of office. down to minute details, jackie emerges as the quintessential first lady. i especialy enjoyed the personal comments and special moments shared with the first couple. this makes a wonderful gift

A thorough pleasure!
In this small book there is a surprising amount of information on Jackie and Letitia's entertaining style, in stories, beautiful photographs, recipes and anecdotes. I especially like how she includes descriptions of the table settings (tablecloths etc) and menu choices, with short explanations of why they were chosen, and how they parted with tradition in many cases. It also provides a peak at the highly talented guests outside of politics whom they entertained, and how they entertained them! As other reviewers said, the recipes are mainly classics. Some I wouldn't dare serve today but it's nice to know what to do if I ever wish to! ... Read more

Book Description

An intimate photo essay of John and Jacqueline Kennedy's first year of marriage in their Georgetown home.

"I have just seen McCall's and so has Jack and we are so happy . . . They are the only pictures I've ever seen of me where I don't look like something out of a horror movie. If I'd realized what a wonderful photographer you were . . . I never would have been the jittery subject I was. Poor Orlando! Remember I wouldn't even eat a Good Humor.I was so lens-shy."—Jacqueline Kennedy, in a letter to Orlando Suero

In January 1954, the handsome junior senator from Massachusetts and his glamorous wife moved into a three-story townhouse at 3321 Dent Place in Georgetown.Although they would live here for only five months, the house was their first home after their wedding— the society event of the decade—and a place from which they could begin to prepare for the next step in their lives, one that would take John and Jacqueline Kennedy to the White House.In May of that year, Orlando Suero, a photographer with the Three Lions Picture Agency on his first major assignment, spent five days with the Kennedys.He enjoyed their full cooperation and the intimate access that would later, as Jacqueline became more anxious about her family's privacy, be denied to all but a few.

In more than twenty photo sessions, Suero documented a typical week in the young couple's life: Jack at his Senate office, catching up on work at home, and painting in the back garden; Jackie attending classes at Georgetown, gardening, and preparing for an evening of dinner and dancing; and the couple reading the morning papers around the breakfast table, looking through their wedding photos, hosting both casual and formal dinner parties, and tossing the football around with neighbors Bobby and Ethel Kennedy.

Suero's photographs capture the idyllic quality of the young couple's lives during their months in Georgetown.Not yet hounded by the media, John and Jacqueline in these images seem happier and more at ease than they would ever be again.Surprisingly, no magazine ever published Suero's complete photo essay.McCall's ran a few of his photographs that fall, but most of them have not been seen until now.In 1989, Three Lions Picture Agency owner Max Lowenherz donated the photographs to the Johns Hopkins University's Peabody Institute.For Camelot at Dawn, the Peabody Institute's Anne Garside has selected nearly one hundred of the most evocative and affecting pictures Suero took during his week in Georgetown.This remarkable document of John and Jacqueline Kennedy's first year of marriage recalls the romance and the promise embodied by their life together in America's last age of innocence. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Photographs that today are stunning in their meaning
As someone who grew up in the Kennedy era, these images had a profound effect on me. They are images that shortly after they were made, could never have been made again. Can you imagine seeing Jack and Jackie Kennedy strolling alone down the streets of Georgetown (in DC), her wearing shorts and him wearing sneakers and a plain t-shirt? Or playing football in a public park with absolutely NO gawkers hanging around? The great impact of these pictures comes from their innocence and irony, because of what came after and what we now know. If you remember the Kennedy era, you might stare at some of the images in this book for many minutes in wonder, about the people in the picture, about yourself, and about how we were then and are now. I gave this book to my brother-in-law--a recognized expert on the Kennedy assination--and he said he almost cried. It's that good.

in the crowd of Kennedy books published, this is a STANDOUT!
Can the Kennedys ever have a bad photograph taken of them? It is appears not, as this book illustrates. CAMELOT AT DAWN is kind of an artsy photojournalism feast for the eyes, and although at first glance the text will seem to have general information that we all know about, it too is a treat.

Orlando Suero had his first big assignment taking pictures of Jacqueline Kennedy for McCall's magazine for an article. It would turn out that most of his shots would not be used because the press felt that the Kennedys had been overexposed in the media due to their wedding--so it is only now in this book that most of the pictures taken for that assignment have been published.
Suero says that JFK manages to sneek himself into most pictures, and so the final result became as much as about him as Jackie...but we also see the Bobby Kennedys as well as the former President Trumans.

Some of these pictures have been published in other books, so not all of them are seen here for the first time, but seeing them within the context that they were shot makes the photos that have been seen before all the more interesting. However, it is only a few--most of these are just being seen for the first time.

As for the text, some of it is "well duh" text because it is known by everybody:"Jackie was a silver-and-Sevres kind of girl, whereas Jack was a milkshake-and-hamburger kind of guy." (I am not cutting on Anne Garside's writing--because the book is actually quite good, I am just trying to point out that some of the information that she writes everyone knows in their sleep...as that is how famous Jack and Jackie have become.) Now don't take this sentence of Garside's alone--you have to read the whole book before you dare judge her writing, and in my estimation she has succeded in the overall scheme in making two well known sujects seem like new again. How does she do this?
For example, there is information about the renting of Dent Place--where these photographs are taken as well the Kennedys first home--which is interesting because we get to see excerpts from Jackie's letters to the Childs (the people who the Kennedys were renting the house from.)
Also information about Evelyn Lincoln's calender is given as to what the Kennedy's were doing the week the photos were taken, as well as little details spread out throughout the text that make the book an interesting read.

I believe that this is a standout book published on the Kennedys. It is informative and orginal in text, and the pictures easily give Lowe, Avedon, and Shaw a run for their money. You can and will enjoy this book if you give it a chance--don't get stuck on the information about the JFKs that we all know or the pictures that we have all seen--read the entire book and appreciate the entire book! ... Read more

Book Description

Mary Eloise is disappointed that the part she gets in the school play is that of Black History narrator--but two storytellers visit her school and change how she views her heritage. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

A Good Book
The book has an ok plot it is about a girl, Mary Elouise who wants to be the narrator in the President's Month play but got the part in the Black History Month Play.

Mary is also embarrassed about her race. She hates it when other people talk about black history or even mentions the name slave.

Mary wants to have lighter skin. Like this girl Brandy in her class who is white and rich. Mary wants to be Brandy's friend because she is rich and white. Brandy does not like Mary. Brandy thinks Mary is annoying and does not want to be around her or be her friend. Mary is jealous of Brady's best friend, Kenyetta because she also wants to be Brandy's best friend.

One weekend when Mary was visiting her grandma, Big Momma, she tells Mary to be proud of her background and race, And that you should not ever want to be someone else.

I really liked the book because it taught people to be proud of their ancestors and heritage. I really like the plot also. It might also deal with someone else's life. This book teaches a very good life lesson.

Thank You Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.! Book Review
This is a touching book for all ages. There is a very valuable lesson that is in this story. That is don't ever judge a person by how they look or how they act, you have to get to know the person first. The main character in this book is Mary Elouise. She is a bright young girl and she badly wants to be the narrator in the Presidents month school play. She ends up getting the part as the narrator for the Black history segment instead and is very offended because she thinks that the only reason her teacher her teacher Miz Vereen picked her because she is black. In the end a storyteller visits Mary's school and teaches her a very valuable less that she will cherish forever. She realizes a lot of things after this, like she was thought she would probably be the best for the narrating part in the Black history segment. Most importantly she becomes a lot happier for herself, and realizes who her real friends are and what they are really worth.

Thank You, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.!
Thank You, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.! is a very good book. It is about a young girl who is African-American. She is embarrased about her race. Whenever the subject comes up she slides down in her seat. She is in her school's play. She is picked to be a speaker. There is a Valentine's Day speaker, a President's Month speaker, and a Black history speaker. She gets picked to play the Black history speaker. She talks to her Mother, sister, Grandmother 'Big Mamma', and an African-American author that comes to talk to her class. At the same time she is trying to become friends with a girl in her class. She thinks that the girl hates her. By the time the school play comes around she is becoming friends with the girl with the help of Big Mamma and she is proud of being an African-American. This is a tactful way of teaching us not to be prejudice. I think everyone should read this. You can find another review by me by reading the Good Night, Mr. Tom reviews.

Thank you, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
I rate this book a five (on a scale from 1-5) because this story has a very good lesson and there were times that I would laugh and times that I would feel very badly for some of the characters. The moral I like a lot because of the way that the author describes in the feeling of her words. I like this book because it has very good characters and I like the way the author described this book. She used lots of verbs and nouns. I think that this book deserves a newberry award. She has the qualifications of a famous newberry award-winning author. This book contains similarities from other struggles of the times where black and white people were in a war so to speak. This book has lots of things that deal with it like when she has to try to read a part of a black African American when her friends are all against that because they are white. She feels very disappointed when she finds out that they are turning against her on that issue. She feels disclosed from her world. The books that I have read about these issues sometimes bring me to tears. This book has brought on a new subject to my life individuality. I love this book. ... Read more

Book Description

A fascinating portrait of two giants of twentieth-century politics locked in a conflict that defined their era. Lyndon Johnson and Robert Kennedy loathed each other. Politics, of course, is full of heated rivalry, and the nature of the game is more often defined by power and personality than by ideas. But the animosity between these two was of a different order, marked by a bitterness so acute and abiding that they could barely speak in each other's presence. After the death of John Kennedy, they were the dominant political personalities of the 1960s. Each spent the decade listening for footsteps, looking over his shoulder, making few important decisions without first considering the feud. Their antagonism spawned political turf battles across the United States, and it captivated the newly powerful media, which portrayed their every disagreement as part of a deliberate battle to claim the legacy of the fallen president. Memoirs, biographies, previously unexamined documents, and scores of interviews have provided threads of this story, and Jeff Shesol weaves them into a gripping and coherent narrative that reflects the profound impact of this relationship on politics, civil rights, the war in Vietnam, and the war on poverty. Like a Greek tragedy played out on a nation's center stage, this book provides a prism through which to view two men, their times, and the nature of power.

"Our President [JFK] was a gentleman and a human being; this man [Johnson] is not. . . . He's mean, bitter, vicious--an animal in many ways."--Robert F. Kennedy, 1964

"Johnson and Kennedy's battle is the white noise in the background, the political education of their successors in the White House and Congress. It is a textbook on the impact of personality on politics. It is great reading, and great history."--from the Introduction ... Read more

Reviews (21)

Clearly the best of the recent JFK/LBJ/RFK/White House books
Recent months have seen the publication of a spate of books regarding presidential politics in the turbulent decade that was the 1960s. Taking Charge, The Kennedy Tapes, Shadow Play, LBJ's War, Kennedy and Nixon, The Walls of Jericho, The Living and the Dead, Guns and Butter, Dereliction of Duty, The Other Missiles of October---all these books offered some insight into the thoughts, beliefs, actions and geopolitical decisions of the men (and they were all men) who ran our country during that difficult and often painful period. Many of them are well-researched, some are well-written, a few have become best-sellers, but all of them are missing a vital piece of the puzzle, a flaw which leaves each of them, for all af their research and erudition, strangely unsatisfying and incomplete. This magnificent new book supplies that vital missing piece and, in doing so, paradoxically renders each of the others both more valuable and at the same time obsolete.

Shesol's thesis, which he amply substantiates with tapes, documents and personal interviews, is that the feud between RFK and LBJ was pivotal not only in the later stages in their respective political careers, but also in a wide range of policy decisions taken by Johnson, as President, and Kennedy, as Attorney General and then as Senator from New York. He enlivens his book with commentary and anecdote from a variety of important figures of the time, inclding Arthur Schlesinger, who is also quoted approvingly on the dust jacket. This is both an important piece of historical research and a thoroghly enjoyable read.

This delightfully written, important, book is essential reading for anyone who wishes to understand the Vietnam War, the Johnson Presidency, the catastrophic results of the Great Society which we are still living with today, or, indeed, the 1960s in general. It should certainly be read in preference to any of the other books mentioned above.

An excellent study of the effect of power on personality.
What comes to the fore in this book is that power influenced both LBJ and RFK negatively -- especially with respect to their treatment of each other. During the 1960 presidential campaign and then during the JFK administration, Robert Kennedy's innate dislike and scorn of LBJ was put into practice by his uniquely powerful position within JFK's cabinet. Clearly, RFK held the upper hand from 1960 through 1963, and he used his influence to shut LBJ out of important meetings and events and to make sure that LBJ's role was little more than that of "water boy." LBJ, for his part, fumed at the repeated slights from RFK during JFK's tenure, and -- as Shesol well demonstrates -- allowed the hurt and resentment that had built up during those three years to play much too large a role in his decision-making calculus during his own administration. If anything, LBJ's well-documented personal insecurities (which may have reached the level of clinical paranoia by the time he left the presidency) and mastery of the political game made his ostracism of "all things RFK" even more effective than RFK himself had ever been able to manage.

What all this means is that the personal animosity that these two important men felt toward one another was best effected by each during his own time of greatest power and influence. As a result, the talents and resources that each of these two great public servants had available to contribute were underutilized (at best) or squandered (at worst) at a time when the country desperately needed both men to help see it through some of its most difficult times. To the largest extent, Shesol does not ascribe greater fault or worse judgment to either man, and indeed he cannot, as each took advantage of his own personal power to minimize the influence of the other. That is the sad theme underlying Shesol's important and fascinating book.

I wish I had written this book
This was a wonderful book. Having recently read Master of the Senate, by Robert Caro, and Robert Kennedy and His Times by Arthur Schlesinger, this seemed the natural next read. I was not disappointed. The author presents a balanced account of both men. It is not a biography of either man, instead telling of the years in which their lives ran together. Their disagreements are told in great detail, through the eyes of participants on both sides. One advantage to this is that the reader sees not only the character of RFK or LBJ, but of their staffers, like Dick Goodwin or George Reedy. I would recommend this book to anyone with an interest in politics or history, and a great follow up to reading a full scale biography of either man.

AT SWORDS' POINTS
Robert Kennedy and LBJ were truly at political, ideological and philosophical swords' points. As one reviewer aptly noted, was their "feud" really one that defined the 1960s? That point is questionable at best, doubtful at worst. The very position these men occupied during that period (Attorney General and later Senator/President respectively) certainly does command the world's interest and attention.

Both men are drawn in stark relief to each other. One point I think is worth mentioning is that they really did have a lot in common. Both men were very bright, very aggressive and very determined. Both men had strong convictions and personalities to match. As has been duly recorded over time, one major point of contention was the Vietnam War.

I agree with one reviewer who questioned the harsh description of Johnson's character. I happen to believe that Johnson was a good, effective administrator. As for the Vietnam War, he inherited that headache and as an unfortunate consequence, followed bad advice about that war instead of bailing out sooner. RFK seemed to feel LBJ was wholly responsible for the war escalation. He neglected to note in his arguments and criticisms of President Johnson that the Vietnam conflict began in the late 1950s! (ca 1957, under Eisenhower's administation). During President Kennedy's tenure in office, the Vietnam conflict was well underway, but it is interesting to note that this author does not really point out that fact.

In this reading, one gets the feeling that Robert Kennedy was still working to protect the interest and reputation of his late brother. Since President Johnson assumed office after President Kennedy's death, one could sympathize with the Attorney General's resentment of anyone assuming that office.

The whole description of the "feud" is really a clashing of ideologies; it is really the parting of ways over issues. This author, to his credit does a thorough job in researching this subject and portrays historical events accurately.

It is hoped that in time, the general perception of LBJ will be softened; LBJ was by far and away the most progressive administrator on domestic issues since FDR. LBJ had more bills enacted during his tenure in office than any other president to date. He took a strong stand on environmental, education and civil rights issues that have positive impacts to this day. He was the president who negotiated and succeeded in securing public/subsidized housing, Head Start programs for underprivileged school children; MediCaid/MediCare and the 1965 Voters' Rights Acts which have today a positive impact on the large number of minorities who vote today. It is the opinion of this reviewer that President Johnson was a good and decent man whose many bills, budgets and proposals have had many positive impacts on the world as we now know it.

Robert Kennedy, the tireless worker who actively became involved in Civil Rights after the death of his brother, provided a parallel view of the work Johnson was already immersed in. Both men shared a vision and a quest for a better world with more advantages extended to all persons and with the rights of all persons more fully protected and enacted.

Robert Kennedy was in many ways not too different from President Johnson in objectives.

An interesting argument taken a touch too far
After reading this book, one can hardly contest the author's assertion that Johnson and RFK disliked, feared and resented each other even more than is the case in most political relationships. That no doubt arose largely because of the exceptional circumstances created by JFK's assassination. But did their feud really "define a decade"? No, because the political and social canvas on which their rivalry was played out was far greater than the author allows. That said, the book is extremely well researched, and the wealth of primary sources that are used enables the reader to reach his own conclusions. My main complaint is that the author seems unduly influenced by the views of some of the young "radical" advisors who surrounded RFK. The book also seems to tilt in a slightly bitter manner against Johnson toward the end. Was Johnson really that bad? Looking at what came after him, one is permitted to think not. ... Read more

Book Description

She was the definition of White House style for too brief a time. And as a private citizen, we couldn't seem to get enough of her. Here is the inside, outside, upside and downside of our own American princess. Tragic, heroic, private: the image of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis remains the image of an American icon that will never lose its ability to charm and fascinate.
... Read more

Reviews (4)

Not as good as you may have heard
When Jackie Oh! came out it shot Kitty Kelley to fame. It was considered vicious trash by the critics but the public ate it up. Reading it almost 30 years later I'm struck with the feeling that the hype was more than the book. There have been allegations that Kelly relied on backstairs gossip and a lot of what's in here can't be proven. Then there is the fact that Jackie was alive when the book was published. Kelly's decision to write about Jackie's treatment for depression (The woman lost a son and a husband within months. Who wouldn't be depressed?) seemed simply cruel for the sport of it.

Reading Jackie Oh is kind of like finding your old high school year book and being embarrased by the clothes, the hobbies and the sentiments written therein. You look at it and are chagrined at how important such sillines seemed at the time.

Reads Like Harold Robbins
Trashy, gossipy biography written by an author known for digging up the dirt. I laughed at some of the situations that were described because I couldn't believe all of them. Good for an afternoon's read while lying on the beach or taking a long bath.

A REAL TREASURE
Great tidbits on Jackie. A book that you cannot possibly put down. Very entertaining. FOR QUESTIONS OR DISCUSSIONS ON JACKIE ONASSIS, PLEASE E-MAIL ME AT MellissaLD@aol.com. HOPE TO HEAR FROM YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

ok
This is readable stuff. I did read that Kelly made some of it up, so....But the big revelations are that John F. Kennedy smoked pot in the White House, and that Jackie had electric shock treatment to treat depression. I thought Kelly's biography of Frank Sinatra much better. ... Read more

Book Description

"MARVELOUS . . . BREATHTAKING."
--The New York Times Book Review
"MAILER SHINES . . . Explaining Kennedy's assassination through the flaws in Oswald's character has been attempted before, notably by Gerald Posner in Case Closed and Don Delillo in Libra. But neither handled Oswald with the kind of dexterity and literary imagination that Mailer here supplies in great force. . . . Oswald's Tale weaves a story not only about Oswald or Kennedy's death but about the culture surrounding the assassination, one that remains replete with miscomprehensions, unraveled threads and lack of resolution: All of which makes Oswald's Tale more true-to-life than any fact-driven treatise could hope to be. . . . Vintage Mailer."
--The Philadelphia Inquirer
"FASCINATING . . . A MASTER STORYTELLER . . . Mailer gives us our clearest, deepest view of Oswald yet. . . . Inside three pages you are utterly absorbed."
--Detroit Free Press
"MAILER AT HIS BEST . . . LIVELY AND CONVINCING . . . EXTREMELY
LUCID . . . Mailer is fierce, courageous, and reckless and nearly everything he writes has sections of headlong brilliance. . . . [He] has found a way to make the dry bones of KGB tapes and his own interviews stand up and perform. . . . From the American master conjurer of dark and swirling purpose, a moving reflection."
--Robert Stone
The New York Review of Books
"THIS IS A NARRATIVE OF TREMENDOUS ENERGY AND PANACHE; THE AUTHOR AT THE TOP OF HIS FORM."
--Christopher Hitchens
Financial Times
"Mailer has written some pretty crazy books in his time, but this isn't one of them. Like its predecessor, Harlot's Ghost, it is the performance of an author relishing the force and reach of his own acuity."
--Martin Amis
The London Sunday Times
... Read more

Reviews (17)

A fascinating and exhaustive study.
If you are,like me,intrigued with every aspect of the Kennedy assassination,this book will add a mass of information on one of the lesser known aspects.The facts of Oswald's life raise more questions than answers,and little is straight forward.Mr.Mailer,however,has produced a plausible,scholarly though entertaining biography of a man who will forever stand at the centre of the 20th century's greatest mystery.Exhaustive but essential stuff,infused with Norman Mailer's unique voice.

decent book from a decent writer
Mailer is a skilled writer and thanks to him being allowed access to thousands of KGB surveillance files compiled on Lee Oswald he is able to paint an almost human picture of Oswald's time in Russia and one almost forgets the crime he is accused of commiting.

I do believe though that the charting of Oswald's life when he returns to the USA is perhaps tainted by the opinions of people who did not have any respect for him prior to his infamousy and this may be why the book cannot be wholly trusted as a truthful study.

Furthermore, he relies too heavily on the work of Pricilla Johnson, the biographer who had met Oswald in Moscow and became a so-called confidante to Marina Oswald after the assasination, a friendship she exploited to write a best selling story of Marina's time with Oswald.

Clearly, Marina does not know what she believes as over the years her account of life with Oswald has changed as often of as the weather.

Mailer himself does try to keep away from the controversy surrounding Oswald's possible guilt and gives little away as to what his own opinion is in this matter.

For this reason he does redeem the book coming across as a genuine story teller in this regard.

In Mailer's own words the subject remains as great a mystery as it was all those years ago.

Worth buying to read about Oswald's time in Russia.

Lee Harvey, We Hardly Knew Thee
Mailer exorcises Lee Harvey Oswald's ghost in this in-depth journey through the adult life of a man whose very name haunts our memories with confusion and dismay. Oswald, heretofore a seemingly uninteresting fool, is shown to be familiar in many respects and even forgivable in his distorted perception of the world. Along the way, Mailer fills us in on rationally consistent explanations of many interesting facts which have been construed variously by numerous conspiracy theorists. Curiously, Oswald seems more of a tragic character than an evil conspirator. Ironically, what he destroyed seems to be the starry-eyed American dream that was no more real to begin with than his prey's burnished public image.

Blending background from his preceding novel about the CIA, Harlot's Ghost, Mailer spins out a chronology of facts, quotes, and opinions in a gripping, sultry tale which pulls the reader easily through hundreds of pages. The author's comprehension of this vast topic is incredible. To share in such wealth of knowledge is truly a privilege, clarifying this monstrous mystery in uncountable ways.

Revealing Information
Like most folks who read this book, I've read countless books on the JFK assassination. I have not read one like this though; it's in-depth, detailed study of Lee Harvey Oswald is unmatched anywhere. During the course of my own study and conclusions on the killing of our president, I am appalled by the number of people who believe Oswald was some poor innocent bystander who was framed. Mailer's analysis reveals Oswald for what he was: a legendary liar, thief, scum and murderer.

An interesting take on LHO
Mailer is always entertaining -- no matter whether you agree or disagree with him.

Oswald's Tale presents a new take on Lee Harvey Oswald. Here is the approach: What if Lee Harvey Oswald was not some incomprehensible (no-talent) societal outcast, but rather, a somewhat talented loser who had great skill in jerking around bureaucratic systems? As evidence of this thesis -- LHO was able to defect to the USSR and then get back to the U.S. Not really an easy task.

Could such a man successfully kill a president and NOT be part of a larger conspiracy? Perhaps...

And what about those conspiracy theories? Mailer gives a few plausible insights into why some the of the evidence of conspiracy may be happenstance and wishful thinking.

It is completely unfulfiling and base to think that our president was killed by some dispossessed nobody. From this springs our need to find a dark conspiracy. Perhaps LHO was of large enough stature (be it negative) to be considered man enough to have done it alone. Perhaps...

Entertaining and worth reading. Mailer does not answer the questions, he just asks them. And quite well.

The profile of Marina Oswald is to die for. You read about her and wonder what it would be like to actually be the world's most notorious bystander. ... Read more

Book Description

The doctors who tried to save President John F. Kennedy at Parkland Hospital in November of 1963 agreed--either out of respect or fear--not to publish what they had seen, heard, and felt. Then in 1990, one of the Dallas surgeons who worked on JFK in Trauma Room One, Dr. Charles Crenshaw, decided after much deliberation that the American people ought to know the truth.

"The wounds to Kennedy’s head and throat that I examined were caused by bullets that struck him from the front, not the back, as the public has been led to believe," says Crenshaw. When the first edition of this book was published in 1992, under the title JFK: Conspiracy of Silence, Crenshaw revealed what he never had to opportunity to tell the Warren Commission. In the aftermath, the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) called Crenshaw’s book "a fabrication." But JAMA’s claim did not hold up in court and Crenshaw subsequently prevailed in a defamation suit against JAMA. In the process, a number of new medical disclosures and discoveries have emerged on the startling medical cover-up of the JFK assassination. ... Read more

Reviews (10)

Sensational updated book by Drs. Crenshaw & Aguilar!!!!!!!!
The medical evidence is THE most important aspect of any homicide case,
and, as with any such case, this vital factor is THE keystone to
demonstrating a conspiracy to murder President John F. Kennedy. In this
regard, I HIGHLY recommend this newly-updated and greatly-expanded
edition of the original best-selling version of Dr. Crenshaw's
"JFK-Conspiracy of Silence." In particular, the lengthy, detailed and
exhaustive NEW chapter from Drs. Gary Aguilar and Cyril Wecht alone is
THE greatest writing ever recorded on this intense subject and worth the
price of admission alone (as well as a Pulitzer Prize)! Although some
have sought to discredit Dr. Crenshaw without a proper knowledge of the
true facts, Aguilar and co. demonstrate that a) there are numerous
Warren Commission (primary source) references to Crenshaw's
participation in saving JFK's life, b) the vast majority of his
colleagues SUPPORT Crenshaw's claims of frontal injuries to JFK (ones
that could NOT have been caused by a lone gunman), and c) the infamous
1992 JAMA articles that attacked Crenshaw have themselves been largely
discredited (the end result: Crenshaw won a hard-fought court settlement
over the damage to his reputation). If you only buy one book on the JFK
assassination, let it be this one. Highly recommended.

Eyewitness account trumps the jet theory
Gary Waltrip and the reader from Scotts Valley, CA can believe what they want. They can talk about shooting watermelons all they want. There are no watermelons in this book, no simulations, no speculations, just a description by a doctor who was among the team that examined Kennedy's wounds immediately after they happened.

As an aside, Stewart Galanor's book, "Cover-up" discusses and destroys the "jet effect." As for Posner's "Case Closed," it is a silly attempt by someone who is either naive to the extreme, or simply an errand boy doing the bidding of others. Research his background and you can come to your own conclusion on his motivations.

In closing, I will paraphrase Fletcher Prouty: "A cover story is like a balloon. It is not necessary to pierce it with dozens of needles to deflate it. Only a single needle will do." Charles Crenshaw provides a single needle with this book. The wounds in the autopsy photos are not those he saw when treating Kennedy moments after the shooting. Thus you have a conspiracy. It's that simple. The convoluted gymnastics that others go through to disprove conspiracy would be comical if the subject were not so serious.

a European perspective
From a European perspective there is nothing new in the fact that John F. Kennedy was murdered by several assassins and that several shots were fired from the front - at least that is what I was taught at school in the seventies, with the cautionary remark that Americans were too naive to be able to accept the truth - the truth being not only the facts of the JFK murder but the much more sinister fact that they were lied at by several successive governments, by the CIA, the FBI, and almost all their mass media. Maybe it was easier to see this truth from a continent that had been ravaged by a horrible war where unbelievable atrocities had been committed in the name of governments. Maybe it was easier because the European nations had had more than their share of "Tyrannenmord" in the past. When I grew up during the "Cold War" I actually did not see that much difference between the Soviet government and the U.S. government. They used somewhat different methods to hush up their dirty secrets but they were both effective up to a point.

Apart from the simple facts which one of the eye-witnesses at last discloses this book strikes me most by the effect it had in its first edition. What is most strange and not a little frightening is the way the American media still dictate the people what to believe and what not. Even now, 40 years after, they are still trying to hide the truth, to distort what cannot be hidden, to spread disinformation, to influence or discredit witnesses, and in this case to shed doubt on the reliability and the reputation of a distinguished surgeon. In an unprecedented act of defamation a scientific(!) journal, the "Journal of the American Medical Association" (JAMA) called Dr Crenshaw's book "a fabrication". Crenshaw sued for "slander with malice" and won in court but the damage to his reputation cannot be undone. The motto of cover-up people has always been "Audacter calumniare, semper aliquid haeret". The courageous author of this book is no exception.

An honest, first-hand account! Read it!
Dr. Crenshaw, and the others, are credible people who present credible evidence and conclusions. Such people are always senselessly attacked by those with ulterior motives. Dr. Crenshaw was present when both JFK and Oswald were brought to Parkland Hospital. His story is corroborated by others who were also present. Initially, critics claimed Crenshaw did not receive a phone call from LBJ while Oswald was on the operating table. A Parkland hospital telephone operator has since supported the fact that a call did come in from LBJ and it was transferred to the room where Oswald lay. In this phone call, LBJ attempted to coerce Crenshaw into "hearing a deathbed confession" from Oswald that he killed JFK. This is an honest, first-hand account of the proceedings at Parkland, and worth a read by all who are interested in the truth of the murder of JFK.

This eyewitness is lying?
How many books on the assassination of John F. Kennedy have been written by the doctors who examined him shortly after he was shot? How can anyone refer to this book as the "usual fiction" about JFK's assassination? I find it hard to believe that Dr. Crenshaw did all this just to make some money, and to risk the kind of ridicule that is given to most "conspiracy buffs." And let's not forget the bullet fragments that remained in Governer Connely's wrist until the day he died. My name is not important. This witness is credible and competent as far as I'm concerned. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

A Cape Cod Life
The Cape Cod Years of John Fitzgerald Kennedy is an interesting narrative of the time President Kennedy spent on Cape Cod. Neither particularly critical nor laudatory, the book presents both an insight into life at the Kennedy compound and on the Cape in general. For a visitor to Cape Cod, this book presents a view into the life of the summer residents of the Cape during the twenties to the sixties. It also provides details of the life of John F. Kennedy and his father, Joseph, which may easily be overlooked by one who studies only the Presidential years. This book is to be recommended to anyone with an interest in the personal and political lives of Joseph and John Kennedy as well as to anyone with an interest in Cape Cod

A Life on Cape Cod
The Cape Cod Years of John Fitzgerald Kennedy is an interesting narrative of the time President Kennedy spent on Cape Cod.Neither particularly critical nor laudatory, the book presents both an insight into life at the Kennedy compound and on the Cape in general.For a visitor to Cape Cod, this book presents a view into the life of the summer residents of the Cape during the twenties to the sixties.It also provides details of the life of John F. Kennedy and his father, Joseph, which may easily be overlooked by one who studies only the Presidential years.This book is to be recommended to anyone with an interest in the personal and political lives of Joseph and John Kennedy as well as to anyone with an interest in Cape Cod. ... Read more

Book Description

As special assistant to the president, Arthur Schlesinger witnessed firsthand the politics and personalities that influenced the now legendary Kennedy administration. Schlesinger"s close relationship with JFK, as a politician and as a friend, has resulted in this authoritative yet intimate account in which the president "walks through the pages, from first to last, alert, alive, amused and amusing" (John Kenneth Galbraith). A THOUSAND DAYS is "at once a masterly literary achievement and a work of major historical significance" (New York Times). ... Read more

Reviews (14)

An excellent read
In A Thousand Days Schlesinger offers us a view of the Kennedy White House that few other authors can provide. He is able to give us his unique perspective on the actual inside workings of the Kennedy administration. This book does have its drawbacks. It is certainly not an objective look at the historical Kennedy, this being an issue that many take with the book. It does not pretend to be one however. Rather the book must be read while keeping in mind who the author is. Schlesinger, a life long admirer and defender of Kennedy, certainly puts his spin on the events mentioned in the book. If this book is read with that in mind it is possible to deepen your understanding of who Kennedy was and what he did, making this a book well worth a read.

Absorbing, Thoughtful and Insightful
This book has won a Pullitzer and National Book Award for good reason. Unlike most political biographers, Schlesinger provides a detailed and interesting analysis of his subject's policy decisions. We don't get a detailed accounting of what Kennedy has for breakfast, but we do get an understanding of Kennedy's decision making process and how it related to the numerous issues with which he was confronted.

Many of the customer reviewers criticized Schlesinger for his bias in Thousand Days. It is true that nothing that Kennedy do