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The Killing of a President
More than 650 full-color and quadratone photographs provide a definitive photographic record of the Kennedy assassination, refuting the findings of the Warren Commission and providing a step-by-step chronology of the events of the murder. Reprint. 50,000 first printing.
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First published November 1, 1993
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
August 23, 2011
The saying "a picture speaks a thousand words" certainly rings true when reading this book. Robert Groden uses photographic evidence to examine the complex subject of the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. With more than 630 photographs, maps, drawings and documents, the reader is able to view and analyze the evidence to decide if there was a conspiracy and coverup.
While some of the pictures in this book are horrifyingly graphic, I believe they are necessary to fully examine the evidence of which direction the bullet or bullets came from. It's so shocking and disturbing to see the President's wounds, to view the pictures of the motorcade as it makes its way to that fateful moment in time. It's like a train wreck that you don't want to see, but you have to see, if for no other reason than to try to see how it turns out. The only thing is, the pictures still don't satisfy many people who will never believe anything other than the government's official story. Could people in our own government really have done something this evil? If the Warren Commission really is the truth, then why is there so much evidence that questions their version? I encourage you to read this book to study the pictorial evidence for yourself!
While some of the pictures in this book are horrifyingly graphic, I believe they are necessary to fully examine the evidence of which direction the bullet or bullets came from. It's so shocking and disturbing to see the President's wounds, to view the pictures of the motorcade as it makes its way to that fateful moment in time. It's like a train wreck that you don't want to see, but you have to see, if for no other reason than to try to see how it turns out. The only thing is, the pictures still don't satisfy many people who will never believe anything other than the government's official story. Could people in our own government really have done something this evil? If the Warren Commission really is the truth, then why is there so much evidence that questions their version? I encourage you to read this book to study the pictorial evidence for yourself!
August 9, 2012
An excellent source of material which I used in my book Impossible: The Case Against Lee Harvey Oswald. Many of the photographs you find here you will find no other source. Highly recommended.
November 28, 2014
Robert J. Groden's 'The Killing of a President', was published in 1993 following the release of Oliver Stone's movie 'JFK'. The Foreword in this book is written by Stone. I'm not sure that 'The complete photographic record of the JFK assassination' as the front sleeve purports this to be is something of a misnomer. There are too many instances of confiscated film, both movie and still, to ever provide any complete record. Even so, I feel this is an important collection for historical researchers and is in some way also a commemoration to the events of Dallas '63. Another plus is the size of the work. 9 x almost 11 inches is a generous size to reproduce lots of fascinating images in colour, many from the Zapruder film. Groden writes in his Introduction, "I met Mr.Weitzman in 1969. The owner of a New York-based motion picture optical house that performed postproduction work on motion picture film, he had in his possession a legitimate, first-generation mechanic's copy of Dallas dress manufacturer Abraham Zapruder's film of the Kennedy assassination." I find the above paragraph to be the most stunning statement in the book, but Groden doesn't elaborate further.
There are more than 600 photographs here, expertly reproduced and some that I have not come across in colour before. Groden was not a photographic consultant for the HSCA nor consultant on Stone's movie for nothing. I'm not very good with the blow-ups though. Not fully sold on the 'black dog' or 'badge man' blurs. Even the Altgens Dal-Tex image where a shooter has been fleshed out on the second floor, I can only see a rifle on the third. The best is on p200, an extreme coloured enlargement of the Moorman photo showing 'badgeman', I just get an image of Vincent Van Gogh. I've never been sold on the 'three tramps' either. Rather than Harrelson, Sturgis & Hunt, or the Doyle, Gedney & Abrams i.d. from the La Fontaine 'Oswald Talked' of 1996, I go with Chauncey Marvin Holt, Charles Rogers and Charles Harrelson.
Of course the photo's have the accompaniment of text throughout this book's over two hundred pages, covering Dallas, Bethesda, Warren Commission, HSCA etc.
Certainly a 'must' part of any JFK assassination collection.
There are more than 600 photographs here, expertly reproduced and some that I have not come across in colour before. Groden was not a photographic consultant for the HSCA nor consultant on Stone's movie for nothing. I'm not very good with the blow-ups though. Not fully sold on the 'black dog' or 'badge man' blurs. Even the Altgens Dal-Tex image where a shooter has been fleshed out on the second floor, I can only see a rifle on the third. The best is on p200, an extreme coloured enlargement of the Moorman photo showing 'badgeman', I just get an image of Vincent Van Gogh. I've never been sold on the 'three tramps' either. Rather than Harrelson, Sturgis & Hunt, or the Doyle, Gedney & Abrams i.d. from the La Fontaine 'Oswald Talked' of 1996, I go with Chauncey Marvin Holt, Charles Rogers and Charles Harrelson.
Of course the photo's have the accompaniment of text throughout this book's over two hundred pages, covering Dallas, Bethesda, Warren Commission, HSCA etc.
Certainly a 'must' part of any JFK assassination collection.
February 28, 2020
I have a very vivid memory of being in elementary school the day that President Kennedy was killed. There was an announcement over the class intercom system of the assassination, and that a man named Lee Harvey Oswald had been responsible. We were then released about a half-hour early. As I walked home, kids were shouting “Death to Oswald” and “Oswald is a killer.” Of course, we were all stunned the next day when the President’s murderer was himself shot and killed on live television.
Many years later, I went to see the Oliver Stone movie, JFK, on the day that it was released. There had been a lot of speculation about it, so my assumption was that it was going to show that others had helped Oswald kill the President years before. Well, it definitely promoted a conspiracy ... but, it also proposed that Oswald had NOTHING to do with the actual killing that day. Once again, I was stunned.
This book, THE KILLING OF A PRESIDENT, was written by Robert J. Groden, the man who had “stabilized” the shaky Zapruder film. Groden was a consultant with Stone’s movie, and I finally saw the assassination footage. I was numb as I watched it, and I started crying. The child I was so many years before had a child’s “hit back at those who harmed you” mental reaction. The young adult who was watching the movie felt the loss that I hadn’t quite comprehended back then. And, if the film was right ... if even 20% of the film was right ... we had been lied to by our government in a much worse way than had occurred during Watergate. Public reaction opened up more speculation and demands for release of material regarding the killing.
About two years after seeing JFK, I saw this book and bought it. I still had an interest, however, it wasn’t of a “I must read this now” nature. So, the book has been unread on my bookshelf until now.
The book cover states that it is “The complete photographic record of the JFK assassination, the conspiracy, and the cover-up.” And that it is. So many memories came flooding back as I read through it, and I had tears in my eyes on two occasions. The photographs are numerous as they point out obscure details. Some of them are gruesome in the extreme.
Groden takes the Reader step-by-step through the events of those days, the immediate impact afterward, the investigations, the attempts at blocking information access or outright falsification of information, the details of the unusually large number of witness deaths, and major milestones in the years since. It also covers speculations of who and what were behind the conspiracies, although it quickly dismisses the shakiest ones.
Having recently seen Martin Scorsese’s movie, “The Irishman,” there is a casual comment made that “The Mob” was behind the President’s assassination. That is explored here, too, although the book was written about 25-years ago.
I, as most Americans, had such a naïveté in my youth about those who hold high government office. Essentially, it was that we elect our Best to public office and we can trust them. I remember hearing my Dad and Mom talking in late 1963 and over the course of the next year, speculating (without all of the discrepancies that were later revealed) that something just didn’t “feel right” about all of this. The JFK assassination was the beginning of their doubts. Mine would wait until the early 1970’s and Watergate.
Near the end of the book, Groden writes, “When I lecture on the Kennedy assassination, I am asked questions about the ‘who’ and ‘how’ of the murder and cover-up. The most startling question has been: ‘After all this time, does the JFK assassination really matter?’ Of course it does! Those directly involved in the crime and cover-up might never be brought forward or confess as a result of any further investigations. But that is, perhaps, of secondary importance. We must be vigilant and take as our primary responsibility a careful scrutiny of the past, taking those measures necessary to ensure that history does not repeat itself.”
I highly recommend this book.
Many years later, I went to see the Oliver Stone movie, JFK, on the day that it was released. There had been a lot of speculation about it, so my assumption was that it was going to show that others had helped Oswald kill the President years before. Well, it definitely promoted a conspiracy ... but, it also proposed that Oswald had NOTHING to do with the actual killing that day. Once again, I was stunned.
This book, THE KILLING OF A PRESIDENT, was written by Robert J. Groden, the man who had “stabilized” the shaky Zapruder film. Groden was a consultant with Stone’s movie, and I finally saw the assassination footage. I was numb as I watched it, and I started crying. The child I was so many years before had a child’s “hit back at those who harmed you” mental reaction. The young adult who was watching the movie felt the loss that I hadn’t quite comprehended back then. And, if the film was right ... if even 20% of the film was right ... we had been lied to by our government in a much worse way than had occurred during Watergate. Public reaction opened up more speculation and demands for release of material regarding the killing.
About two years after seeing JFK, I saw this book and bought it. I still had an interest, however, it wasn’t of a “I must read this now” nature. So, the book has been unread on my bookshelf until now.
The book cover states that it is “The complete photographic record of the JFK assassination, the conspiracy, and the cover-up.” And that it is. So many memories came flooding back as I read through it, and I had tears in my eyes on two occasions. The photographs are numerous as they point out obscure details. Some of them are gruesome in the extreme.
Groden takes the Reader step-by-step through the events of those days, the immediate impact afterward, the investigations, the attempts at blocking information access or outright falsification of information, the details of the unusually large number of witness deaths, and major milestones in the years since. It also covers speculations of who and what were behind the conspiracies, although it quickly dismisses the shakiest ones.
Having recently seen Martin Scorsese’s movie, “The Irishman,” there is a casual comment made that “The Mob” was behind the President’s assassination. That is explored here, too, although the book was written about 25-years ago.
I, as most Americans, had such a naïveté in my youth about those who hold high government office. Essentially, it was that we elect our Best to public office and we can trust them. I remember hearing my Dad and Mom talking in late 1963 and over the course of the next year, speculating (without all of the discrepancies that were later revealed) that something just didn’t “feel right” about all of this. The JFK assassination was the beginning of their doubts. Mine would wait until the early 1970’s and Watergate.
Near the end of the book, Groden writes, “When I lecture on the Kennedy assassination, I am asked questions about the ‘who’ and ‘how’ of the murder and cover-up. The most startling question has been: ‘After all this time, does the JFK assassination really matter?’ Of course it does! Those directly involved in the crime and cover-up might never be brought forward or confess as a result of any further investigations. But that is, perhaps, of secondary importance. We must be vigilant and take as our primary responsibility a careful scrutiny of the past, taking those measures necessary to ensure that history does not repeat itself.”
I highly recommend this book.
August 14, 2016
I first read this book when it came out in 1993--read most of it anyway, frozen solid to my seat at a favorite bookstore for an evening. It's very visual, and undeniable, and it's the first time I ever felt like I was going to throw up from finding something out about the world. Maybe the only time, maybe something hardened in me at the same time. Certainly I became more cynical.
Anyway, I decided to read it again. There's definitely a couple times where it's like: 'Here you can clearly see the outline of a man's arm,'
*insert grainy B&W image of a stack of boxes*
But with the amount of corroborating evidence which accompanies those examples, it's forgivable. And any conspiracy theory-style "stretches" are few and far between compared to the mountain of evidence herein.
Get woke. They killed him. This was fifty years ago. If you can't see it, how will you ever see what's going on around you right now?
Anyway, I decided to read it again. There's definitely a couple times where it's like: 'Here you can clearly see the outline of a man's arm,'
*insert grainy B&W image of a stack of boxes*
But with the amount of corroborating evidence which accompanies those examples, it's forgivable. And any conspiracy theory-style "stretches" are few and far between compared to the mountain of evidence herein.
Get woke. They killed him. This was fifty years ago. If you can't see it, how will you ever see what's going on around you right now?
June 18, 2014
This was an amazing book for anyone interested in the assassination of JFK and the cover up. It has some seriously gruesome photos of the autopsy that support the conspiracy theory of JFK being shot from in front, not from behind as the official story goes. You will need a strong stomach to look at some of the images. Fantastic book!
want-to-obtain
August 31, 2025I bought a few knick knacks from Mr Groden on the Grassy Knoll a few years ago. I hear he still sets up Shop there.
He was there with Dick Gregory when the Zapruder film first was unsuppressed to John Q Public, by Geraldo Rivera.
He was there with Dick Gregory when the Zapruder film first was unsuppressed to John Q Public, by Geraldo Rivera.
February 18, 2018
"The text is a mish-mash of conspiracy factoids, but the pictures are a treasure in this large-format volume." (John McAdams).
I agree with Mr. McAdams.
I agree with Mr. McAdams.
April 12, 2021
The main draw of this book is the plethora of JFK assassination photographs contained within. Many of these had never been seen before this book was published. The accompanying text is good but the photographs are the star. Many are in color. The author was involved with the Oliver Stone film "JFK" and that is covered toward the end of the book. I don't really think there is any new ground covered in the text, but any JFK assassination buff would delight in perusing all of the photographs in the book.
June 22, 2013
A nice visual book for all conspiracy buffs.
May 25, 2015
Very interesting for sure, but also definitely comes to some shaky conclusions about some things.
April 1, 2024
A MARVELOUS VISUAL COLLECTION OF MATERIAL
Robert J. Groden is an author and photo-optics technician who has written extensively about the assassination of U.S. President John F. Kennedy. He wrote in the Introduction to this 1993 book, “I met Mr. [Moses] Weitzman in 1969… [who was] The owner of a … motion picture optical house that performed postproduction work on motion picture film. He had in his possession a … first-generation … copy of … Abraham Zapruder’s film of the Kennedy assassination. I went to work for Mr. Weitzman… [who] gave me the film, also granting me access to an optical printer… I created the first optically enhanced copies of the Zapruder film… which pointed to… the evidence of at least four shots fired… As a result of this media attention, I gave the first national showing of the Zapruder film… on ‘Goodnight America.’ … Since March 1975, I have received thousands of requests for copies of the photographic evidence in the Kennedy case; the photo collection contained in this book is the response to those requests.”
By and large, Groden adheres to most elements of common ‘JFK assassination conspiracy’ theories: “those in … U.S. intelligence agencies and in organized crime hated Kennedy’ (Pg. 5); “There were at least two other shots fired … perhaps even four more” (Pg. 40); “even a SINGLE SHOT fired from the Knoll proves a conspiracy in the killing of the President” (Pg. 49); “The autopsy photographs … were poorly done, tampered with, and forged (Pg. 74); “It is possible that a man who resembled Oswald drew attention to himself by sneaking into the theater without paying for a ticket” (Pg. 101); “Oswald was given nitrate tests to his cheeks… The cheek test proves his innocence” (Pg. 103); “I asked the … [House Select] Committee to allow the Dallas doctors to review the autopsy photographs for accuracy. My requests were ignored or denied.” (Pg. 161).
He DOES make one deviation from the conspiracy theories; namely, the Altgens’ photograph of a man standing in the doorway of the Book Depository: “I applied a technique I have developed to the original Altgens photograph. I was able to prove that, contrary to my own original opinion, the man was not Oswald, but a remarkable look-alike, Billy Lovelady… he---not Oswald---was standing in the doorway at the time of the shooting.” (Pg. 186)
He concludes, “Those who conspired to kill John Kennedy were successful in doing so, but the conspirators’ efforts to cover up the crime were less successful… This powerful collusion… is the shadow enemy we … must continue to fight. Important evidence is still being suppressed or obscured through governmental stonewalling and through misinformation and disinformation tactics… It is our collective responsibility to not, even unwittingly, participate in a continuing cover-up… we must continue to keep watch, insisting on accountability from our elected officials and institutions.” (Pg. 202-203)
He also cautions, “We have no means to regulate those who purport to be serious critics, nor is there an open forum to challenge all of the disinformation and misinformation. Let the buyer beware, for not everyone who says the assassination and its cover-up was the result of a conspiracy is a champion of the truth.” (Pg. 216)
But the REAL value in this book consists in its near-exhaustive photos, drawings, and photocopies of documents it contains. From a frame-by frame enlargement of the critical Zapruder frames, to the autopsy photos and drawings, to subjects such as the ‘Figure in the Dal-Tex Window,’ ‘Umbrella Man,’ ‘Black Dog Man,’ ‘Uniform Man,’ etc., Groden’s book includes them all. (And it’s certainly not Groden’s fault that many of these images are of such relatively low quality.)
This book will be “must reading” for nearly anyone (‘conspiracist’ or not) interested in the JFK assassination and controversy.
Robert J. Groden is an author and photo-optics technician who has written extensively about the assassination of U.S. President John F. Kennedy. He wrote in the Introduction to this 1993 book, “I met Mr. [Moses] Weitzman in 1969… [who was] The owner of a … motion picture optical house that performed postproduction work on motion picture film. He had in his possession a … first-generation … copy of … Abraham Zapruder’s film of the Kennedy assassination. I went to work for Mr. Weitzman… [who] gave me the film, also granting me access to an optical printer… I created the first optically enhanced copies of the Zapruder film… which pointed to… the evidence of at least four shots fired… As a result of this media attention, I gave the first national showing of the Zapruder film… on ‘Goodnight America.’ … Since March 1975, I have received thousands of requests for copies of the photographic evidence in the Kennedy case; the photo collection contained in this book is the response to those requests.”
By and large, Groden adheres to most elements of common ‘JFK assassination conspiracy’ theories: “those in … U.S. intelligence agencies and in organized crime hated Kennedy’ (Pg. 5); “There were at least two other shots fired … perhaps even four more” (Pg. 40); “even a SINGLE SHOT fired from the Knoll proves a conspiracy in the killing of the President” (Pg. 49); “The autopsy photographs … were poorly done, tampered with, and forged (Pg. 74); “It is possible that a man who resembled Oswald drew attention to himself by sneaking into the theater without paying for a ticket” (Pg. 101); “Oswald was given nitrate tests to his cheeks… The cheek test proves his innocence” (Pg. 103); “I asked the … [House Select] Committee to allow the Dallas doctors to review the autopsy photographs for accuracy. My requests were ignored or denied.” (Pg. 161).
He DOES make one deviation from the conspiracy theories; namely, the Altgens’ photograph of a man standing in the doorway of the Book Depository: “I applied a technique I have developed to the original Altgens photograph. I was able to prove that, contrary to my own original opinion, the man was not Oswald, but a remarkable look-alike, Billy Lovelady… he---not Oswald---was standing in the doorway at the time of the shooting.” (Pg. 186)
He concludes, “Those who conspired to kill John Kennedy were successful in doing so, but the conspirators’ efforts to cover up the crime were less successful… This powerful collusion… is the shadow enemy we … must continue to fight. Important evidence is still being suppressed or obscured through governmental stonewalling and through misinformation and disinformation tactics… It is our collective responsibility to not, even unwittingly, participate in a continuing cover-up… we must continue to keep watch, insisting on accountability from our elected officials and institutions.” (Pg. 202-203)
He also cautions, “We have no means to regulate those who purport to be serious critics, nor is there an open forum to challenge all of the disinformation and misinformation. Let the buyer beware, for not everyone who says the assassination and its cover-up was the result of a conspiracy is a champion of the truth.” (Pg. 216)
But the REAL value in this book consists in its near-exhaustive photos, drawings, and photocopies of documents it contains. From a frame-by frame enlargement of the critical Zapruder frames, to the autopsy photos and drawings, to subjects such as the ‘Figure in the Dal-Tex Window,’ ‘Umbrella Man,’ ‘Black Dog Man,’ ‘Uniform Man,’ etc., Groden’s book includes them all. (And it’s certainly not Groden’s fault that many of these images are of such relatively low quality.)
This book will be “must reading” for nearly anyone (‘conspiracist’ or not) interested in the JFK assassination and controversy.
December 11, 2024
The billing on the cover of this important book says it all, "The Complete Photographic Record of the JFK Assassination, the Conspiracy, and the Cover-up." With this book, author Robert J. Groden, noted assassination researcher, solidifies the conspiracy surrounding the death of JFK. Loaded with tons of info and photos it is an enjoyable, easy read. My only negatives are the blurred photos that are to show a gun-man behind the Knoll fence line or in the trees...I'm sorry, I just don't see it, at least in the photos presented. And...the book winds back to Oliver Stone's JFK film, which Groden has a bit part in...It felt a little bit of promotion. But..those points are minor, it's a great book and reference...-a very strong 4.0 outta 5.0...-Oh yeah, Groden followed this book up with two more, The Search For Lee Harvey Oswald & JFK: Absolute Proof. All three are out-of-print (Surprise!) and are pricey...
April 2, 2020
Absolutely fascinating...
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