What do you think?
Rate this book
Dead Wrong: Straight Facts on the Country's Most Controversial Cover-Ups
Dead Wrong is a study of the scientific and forensic facts of four assassinations of the 1960s (President John F. Kennedy, Senator Robert F. Kennedy, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Black Panther leader Fred Hampton), as well as an examination of new and incriminating evidence indicative of murder, not suicide, in the deaths of Marilyn Monroe, White House Counsel Vincent Foster, U.N. Weapons Inspector Dr. David C. Kelly and bioweapons expert Frank Olson. It also examines the cases of two murders directly linked to Lyndon B. Johnson, 36th President of the United States.
For more information, please go to www.BelzerBook.com
100 black & white illustrations
For more information, please go to www.BelzerBook.com
100 black & white illustrations
336 pages, Hardcover
First published August 1, 2012
258 people are currently reading
2136 people want to read
About the author
Richard Belzer
18 books68 followersRichard Jay Belzer was an actor, a stand-up comedian, and author. He is best known for his role as Detective John Munch on Homicide: Life on the Street and Law and Order: SVU.
Belzer authored four books, the last two of which were a crime fiction series co-written with Michael Black that featured Belzer as the mystery-solving protagonist. I’m Not a Cop, the first of the two, was published in 2008, followed by the sequel, I’m Not a Psychic, in 2009. Belzer penned UFOs, JFK and Elvis: Conspiracies You Don’t Have to Be Crazy to Believe in 2000, and co-authored How to Be a Standup Comic in 1988 with “Borat” director and writer, Larry Charles, and Catch a Rising Star owner Rick Newman.
Belzer authored four books, the last two of which were a crime fiction series co-written with Michael Black that featured Belzer as the mystery-solving protagonist. I’m Not a Cop, the first of the two, was published in 2008, followed by the sequel, I’m Not a Psychic, in 2009. Belzer penned UFOs, JFK and Elvis: Conspiracies You Don’t Have to Be Crazy to Believe in 2000, and co-authored How to Be a Standup Comic in 1988 with “Borat” director and writer, Larry Charles, and Catch a Rising Star owner Rick Newman.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 113 reviews
June 7, 2012
MOST INTERESTING BOOK I EVER READ
This is literally the most interesting book that I have ever seen. I got to see an advance copy of it. There are many charts that contain fascinating information on why these so called suicides appear to be murders and also on why the official versions of the assassinations of the Kennedys and Martin Luther King are definitely incorrect.
There is a great Timeline that details almost every minute of the last day of Marilyn Monroe. There is another totally fascinating Timeline for the last day of Doctor David Kelly. Doctor Kelly saw through the lies of the Iraq War and he tried to tell the world and had to be eliminated. They prove a lot and explain how the pieces of the puzzles fit together. Plus the forensic information and scientific details overwhelmingly support the authors claims of murder. I mean it when I say that I could not put this book down. I was totally enchanted by the excellent material and the incredibly logical and persuasive arguments.
They also prove with facts that President Kennedy was killed by a conspiracy involving more than one assassin. And they really do prove it too. They prove the exact same thing on the assassination of Senator Robert Kennedy. On Martin Luther King they prove that the man who was convicted of the crime literally could not have been the killer. Amazing stuff. And it is all very factual and backed up by supporting evidence.
After reading the information in this book there is no other conclusion that is logical except that Marilyn Monroe was murdered and that it is simply not even possible logically to conclude otherwise. I was honestly skeptical at first myself. But now I see it. They absolutely and totally prove it by taking it step by step medically as far as the actual evidence. It is absolutely amazing information.
The other chapters are just as interesting. They prove each case with facts and do not even venture into the field of opinions. Vince Foster who was the White House attorney during President Clinton was also murdered. I never understood that case before but now I do.
Get this book. I am dead serious and no pun intended. I am sure that you will find it as fascinating as I did. I am buying it for everyone I know!
THAT IS HOW GOOD IT IS.
August 6, 2012
I don't have any theories. All I have are the facts.
The above quote is from the book and it tells you a lot about how serious their research was for this book. It is a quote by a former FBI special agent who was one of the sources for their research and it describes this book very well because they really just lay out all of the evidence and follow it no matter where it leads.
I got to read a pre-release draft of this book and it is a very cool compilation of actual evidence. The cases are fascinating when you look at the real scientific facts. There is an amazing chart in the chapter on John F. Kennedy that absolutely PROVES that even one professional sniper could not have done the shooting that the government says that Oswald did. It is called SNIPER SNAPSHOT and it is worth getting the book just to see that.
The above quote is from the book and it tells you a lot about how serious their research was for this book. It is a quote by a former FBI special agent who was one of the sources for their research and it describes this book very well because they really just lay out all of the evidence and follow it no matter where it leads.
I got to read a pre-release draft of this book and it is a very cool compilation of actual evidence. The cases are fascinating when you look at the real scientific facts. There is an amazing chart in the chapter on John F. Kennedy that absolutely PROVES that even one professional sniper could not have done the shooting that the government says that Oswald did. It is called SNIPER SNAPSHOT and it is worth getting the book just to see that.
December 23, 2012
Ugh, that was one of the most tedious books to get through. Some of the cases were direct, to the point and enjoyable to read. Some seemed incomplete they were so short. But the ones that really got me (like JFK, MLK and Marilyn Monroe) were way too long. The repetition of the same facts over and over was rediculous. Ok, we get it after the second, maybe third time reading it, the pill bottles on the table next to Marilyn's bed were placed there to make it look like a suicide. That was just one of many. I understand that the authors were trying to show that the government is covering up the true facts of these cases, but it was overkill. It is unfortunate because I did find a lot of the information interesting and unbeknownst to me. Unfortunately trying to get the tidbits of new information in between the repetition of the majority of the information was tiring, and I got to where I was just skimming through rather than really reading it. I will say that the afterward by Jesse Ventura was possibly the most interesting part of the book and something that really made me think. Not sure that alone is worth buying the book for though.
August 19, 2012
The book everyone must read. I'm also sure it will be the book the authorities want to suppress.
March 13, 2020
Dead wrong is the study of the scientific and forensic facts of assignations and so called suicides.
It simply lays out the facts of these mysterious well talked about deaths and how the official rulings contradict the ballistics and eye witness accounts.
The reason I read this was to learn more about Marilyn Monroe who had so many drugs in her system even though she had no pills in her stomach leading to the conclusion she was killed by enema possibly by the mob to create problems for the Kennedy’s. You can read the chain of events of the day leading up to her death.
See the details for JFKs cover up and Martin Luther Kings assignation.
Ten cases in total.
Interesting and thought provoking worth a look.
It simply lays out the facts of these mysterious well talked about deaths and how the official rulings contradict the ballistics and eye witness accounts.
The reason I read this was to learn more about Marilyn Monroe who had so many drugs in her system even though she had no pills in her stomach leading to the conclusion she was killed by enema possibly by the mob to create problems for the Kennedy’s. You can read the chain of events of the day leading up to her death.
See the details for JFKs cover up and Martin Luther Kings assignation.
Ten cases in total.
Interesting and thought provoking worth a look.
August 22, 2012
This book looks at the mysterious deaths of 10 subjects by laying out how the official rulings contradict the ballistics, eye-witness accounts, laws of physics, and reason.
Marilyn Monroe had so many drugs in her system that there was enough to kill 15 people even though she had no access to that amount of pills. She also had no traces of pills in her stomach, leading to the conclusion that she was killed with an enema, possibly by the Mob in order to create scandal for the Kennedys. Read the chain of events of the day and evening leading up to her death and the aftermath of the circus that ensued to cover up the murder.
See the lunacy of the claim that Oswald shot JFK in the front of the head while perched in the school book depository, which was behind the motorcade. Learn how Sirhan Sirhan shot RFK with a gun held three inches from the back of the senator’s head, all while standing 10 feet in front of him. Martin Luther King’s sniper stood much higher and to King's right, not directly across the way where authorities claim James Earl Ray made the shot. Even King’s family didn’t believe Ray to be guilty and in 1999 a jury concluded that King was murdered in a conspiracy “including government agencies.”
Vince Foster, lawyer to the Clintons, was found dead in a park of a suicide in which no gun was found at the scene, and then a black gun turned up in his hand, and then a silver one. His body and the ground under him showing little blood and tissue matter— and impossible feat for such a horrific and graphic death.
Read how eyewitnesses were forced and intimidated into changing their stories in order to match official findings. Learn about LBJ’s hitmen, Oswald’s link to the kill Castro plot, Aristotle Onassis’ claim that he fronted the money for Bobby Kennedy’s assassination– and even more shocking revelations that are neatly presented in this ground-breaking, fascinating account of history and the people who have been subverting the truth for years. "Dead Wrong" is scientific, meticulous and detailed, yet reads like a gripping suspense novel. I look forward to reading more from Richard Belzer and David Wayne. Don't miss the most talked about true crime book of the summer.
Marilyn Monroe had so many drugs in her system that there was enough to kill 15 people even though she had no access to that amount of pills. She also had no traces of pills in her stomach, leading to the conclusion that she was killed with an enema, possibly by the Mob in order to create scandal for the Kennedys. Read the chain of events of the day and evening leading up to her death and the aftermath of the circus that ensued to cover up the murder.
See the lunacy of the claim that Oswald shot JFK in the front of the head while perched in the school book depository, which was behind the motorcade. Learn how Sirhan Sirhan shot RFK with a gun held three inches from the back of the senator’s head, all while standing 10 feet in front of him. Martin Luther King’s sniper stood much higher and to King's right, not directly across the way where authorities claim James Earl Ray made the shot. Even King’s family didn’t believe Ray to be guilty and in 1999 a jury concluded that King was murdered in a conspiracy “including government agencies.”
Vince Foster, lawyer to the Clintons, was found dead in a park of a suicide in which no gun was found at the scene, and then a black gun turned up in his hand, and then a silver one. His body and the ground under him showing little blood and tissue matter— and impossible feat for such a horrific and graphic death.
Read how eyewitnesses were forced and intimidated into changing their stories in order to match official findings. Learn about LBJ’s hitmen, Oswald’s link to the kill Castro plot, Aristotle Onassis’ claim that he fronted the money for Bobby Kennedy’s assassination– and even more shocking revelations that are neatly presented in this ground-breaking, fascinating account of history and the people who have been subverting the truth for years. "Dead Wrong" is scientific, meticulous and detailed, yet reads like a gripping suspense novel. I look forward to reading more from Richard Belzer and David Wayne. Don't miss the most talked about true crime book of the summer.
November 10, 2013
American main stream media is now recognized as a huge propaganda machine, subservient to the ruling corporate class and the Federal government, which itself is subservient to the oligarchy. But there was a time when media outlets were more trustworthy, certainly more trusted.
This book provides a necessary counter-narrative to the "official" stories. Whether you agree with the analysis or not, it's important __ no, absolutely vital __ to look at each of the covered incidents from a different perspective. Had we been more diligent in the past, we wouldn't have the comic book soap opera media/government disinformation machinery we're stuck with today.
This book provides a necessary counter-narrative to the "official" stories. Whether you agree with the analysis or not, it's important __ no, absolutely vital __ to look at each of the covered incidents from a different perspective. Had we been more diligent in the past, we wouldn't have the comic book soap opera media/government disinformation machinery we're stuck with today.
September 25, 2016
3.5-stars
I generally take the claims these kinds of books posit with a grain a salt. But I am actually quite sympathetic to some of this stuff. The Marylin Monroe story, for instance, that’s one I need to know more about. All of it’s a fun read, though. It’s like ghost stories for me: they can be quite fun if you can suspend disbelief and read them in the middle of the night.
I generally take the claims these kinds of books posit with a grain a salt. But I am actually quite sympathetic to some of this stuff. The Marylin Monroe story, for instance, that’s one I need to know more about. All of it’s a fun read, though. It’s like ghost stories for me: they can be quite fun if you can suspend disbelief and read them in the middle of the night.
November 1, 2014
I'll start off by saying I am a huge conspiracy buff. Be it the sinking of the USS Maine to JFK, RFK, MLK, Roswell, John Lennon, Pearl Harbor, 9/11, etc...(and watching X-Files for 9 years) I love a good conspiracy. When I saw this book on the shelf, I nearly threw my arm out of my socket reaching for it.
However, this was a HUGE disappointment.
The material, in some cases, were interesting. However, it appears that the book was never formatted or proof-read. There are numerous typos and for some reason, the authors try to be creative and "cutesy." It didn't work.
Here are several reasons why I found this book frustrating to read--not due to the subject matter but rather due to the printing of it.
1) For some reason, parts of certain chapters are put in a gray box. Not sure why.
2) Quotes from people are separated in a paragraph by themselves, in a dark font. (Just quote the person: so and so was quoted as saying, "....and then...) But these quotes are off by themselves, in a separate paragraph. And many times, the name of the person who said it is not named--so you don't even know who is saying the quote.
3) Formatting/Proofreading: I'm no English major but there are numerous typos in this book. Even though I only read 210 of the 306 pages, I noticed several typos. Twice I noticed the last sentence on the bottom of a page was repeated again at the top of the following page. The next sentence is a direct quote from the book--page 166, the chapter about MLK: "Therefore,theshooterwasabovethevictim;notparallelintheroominghouseacrossthestreetwheretheofficualUSgovernmentversionofeverntsplacesJamesEarlRay.If.."
Yes--the entire sentence jumbled into one word!
4) Repetition: The authors apparently feel that the best way to state their claim and prove their point is by repeating the same phrases over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over again. (Annoying isn't it?) For example, at the outset of the chapter about RFK we are told that there were 14 bullets fired. Yet, Sirhan's gun was only capable of holding 8 bullets--so there definitely was a second shooter. Ok, interesting. However, we are told this same fact (14 bullets fired but his gun that could only hold 8 bullets) a total of 6 times in 4 pages. Okay already--we get it. This style continues throughout the book. In the section about MLK, we are told that the trajectory of the bullet was down and to the right--meaning Dr. King was shot from an elevated position--The rooming house where James Earl Ray supposedly shot him from was level--a straight shot. OK, very interesting. But again, we are subjected to repetition. This fact is told to us a good 8 or 9 times in 6 pages!
5) Style: They point things out, then start giving details. Then go back and point things out again. Another reviewer explained this perfectly, by saying it's like reading a Cliff's Notes version of the very book I'm reading.
The only very interesting chapter was the one about Marilyn Monroe. I've read numerous books on the JFK assassination, all better than this. This one was interesting...but a bit 'all over the place.' The one about MLK provided no real new information. The chapter about RFK points a finger to Aristotle Onassis---but gives no reason why.
The chapter about Marilyn Monroe was fascinating and interesting--but again, due to the format and repetition it was like reading a chemistry text book. Difficult-not to follow facts, but to follow the flow. A good chunk of the chapter about Monroe is actually divided into TWO columns! Yes, two columns! The column on the left hand of each page is a timeline of events, the right hand is the 'book part.' In other words, you read the columns to the left (the timeline) and then flip back 30 pages to read the book part.
Also, on several occasions, the author tried to come off as "cutesy." Several times, when he is about to make a strong point, he says, "Ready for this, folks?" or "Can you believe that, people?" Huh??? I think I did that on a book report in second grade and got a C-.
This was a book I should have loved reading. This was a book I should have polished off in 2 days. However, it was a struggle to get through--due primarily to the way it was formatted and written.
In closing, let me say that even though I am huge conspiracy nut, even I struggled to read this book. Very disappointed.
However, this was a HUGE disappointment.
The material, in some cases, were interesting. However, it appears that the book was never formatted or proof-read. There are numerous typos and for some reason, the authors try to be creative and "cutesy." It didn't work.
Here are several reasons why I found this book frustrating to read--not due to the subject matter but rather due to the printing of it.
1) For some reason, parts of certain chapters are put in a gray box. Not sure why.
2) Quotes from people are separated in a paragraph by themselves, in a dark font. (Just quote the person: so and so was quoted as saying, "....and then...) But these quotes are off by themselves, in a separate paragraph. And many times, the name of the person who said it is not named--so you don't even know who is saying the quote.
3) Formatting/Proofreading: I'm no English major but there are numerous typos in this book. Even though I only read 210 of the 306 pages, I noticed several typos. Twice I noticed the last sentence on the bottom of a page was repeated again at the top of the following page. The next sentence is a direct quote from the book--page 166, the chapter about MLK: "Therefore,theshooterwasabovethevictim;notparallelintheroominghouseacrossthestreetwheretheofficualUSgovernmentversionofeverntsplacesJamesEarlRay.If.."
Yes--the entire sentence jumbled into one word!
4) Repetition: The authors apparently feel that the best way to state their claim and prove their point is by repeating the same phrases over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over again. (Annoying isn't it?) For example, at the outset of the chapter about RFK we are told that there were 14 bullets fired. Yet, Sirhan's gun was only capable of holding 8 bullets--so there definitely was a second shooter. Ok, interesting. However, we are told this same fact (14 bullets fired but his gun that could only hold 8 bullets) a total of 6 times in 4 pages. Okay already--we get it. This style continues throughout the book. In the section about MLK, we are told that the trajectory of the bullet was down and to the right--meaning Dr. King was shot from an elevated position--The rooming house where James Earl Ray supposedly shot him from was level--a straight shot. OK, very interesting. But again, we are subjected to repetition. This fact is told to us a good 8 or 9 times in 6 pages!
5) Style: They point things out, then start giving details. Then go back and point things out again. Another reviewer explained this perfectly, by saying it's like reading a Cliff's Notes version of the very book I'm reading.
The only very interesting chapter was the one about Marilyn Monroe. I've read numerous books on the JFK assassination, all better than this. This one was interesting...but a bit 'all over the place.' The one about MLK provided no real new information. The chapter about RFK points a finger to Aristotle Onassis---but gives no reason why.
The chapter about Marilyn Monroe was fascinating and interesting--but again, due to the format and repetition it was like reading a chemistry text book. Difficult-not to follow facts, but to follow the flow. A good chunk of the chapter about Monroe is actually divided into TWO columns! Yes, two columns! The column on the left hand of each page is a timeline of events, the right hand is the 'book part.' In other words, you read the columns to the left (the timeline) and then flip back 30 pages to read the book part.
Also, on several occasions, the author tried to come off as "cutesy." Several times, when he is about to make a strong point, he says, "Ready for this, folks?" or "Can you believe that, people?" Huh??? I think I did that on a book report in second grade and got a C-.
This was a book I should have loved reading. This was a book I should have polished off in 2 days. However, it was a struggle to get through--due primarily to the way it was formatted and written.
In closing, let me say that even though I am huge conspiracy nut, even I struggled to read this book. Very disappointed.
August 16, 2012
I'm counting the days until I receive this from Amazon -- Belz has advised people this is NOT a conspiracy book, but a FACT book. Check out www.belzerbook.com, as it's not your average website. (The music chosen for each murder victim is amazing!) The book is also on Facebook, as is Belz. (If you want to see Belz's site, it's www.iBelz.com and his Twitter is @MRbelzer. You can always tell him @Glock35Gal sent you!)
Belz's co-author is David Wayne. You'll want to subscribe to him on Facebook. If memory serves, he's @DaveWayne on Twitter. He and Belz make a fantastic team!
Richard Belzer and David Wayne
Belz's co-author is David Wayne. You'll want to subscribe to him on Facebook. If memory serves, he's @DaveWayne on Twitter. He and Belz make a fantastic team!
Richard Belzer and David Wayne
September 15, 2014
As with their follow-up book, this one is too repetitive. I like the format of these books but once something is said, it's said, and doesn't need to be repeated several times. Otherwise, the information is good.
August 26, 2012
one of the most important books to read
January 15, 2020
Picked this up at Heirloom Books on Chicago's Clark Street, having already read another, funnier book by erstwhile comedian Belzer.
This one, however, is deadly serious, being a series of investigations of ten notable assassinations during recent years in the United States and the United Kingdom. In each case the official account appears not to agree with the facts.
While I've little doubt that these matters are important, I was disappointed at how poorly Belzer and coauthor Wayne carried their project out. The text is monstrously repetitive and very poorly edited. No original research was done, this being simply a regurgitation of the work of others--many reputable, some not at all.
This one, however, is deadly serious, being a series of investigations of ten notable assassinations during recent years in the United States and the United Kingdom. In each case the official account appears not to agree with the facts.
While I've little doubt that these matters are important, I was disappointed at how poorly Belzer and coauthor Wayne carried their project out. The text is monstrously repetitive and very poorly edited. No original research was done, this being simply a regurgitation of the work of others--many reputable, some not at all.
October 23, 2012
It is said that facts speak louder than words, and with this book they are certainly screaming louder than you've ever heard them before. The one thing I've learned from this book, which I'll take with me for the rest of my life, is this: Should I ever find myself in the situation that I need to cover-up a political assassination, I should remember 3 things...
(1) When setting up a patsy to take the fall, make sure and give them a weapon that could reasonably be expected to carry out the task (i.e. range-capable and with bullets similar to those that will be found at the scene)... this is important because nobody is going to believe that a boy with a pea-shooter is capable of shooting down a passenger plane!
(2) Make sure the cover-story/shooter is not located at a vantage point that will make the story seem ludicrous (i.e. located on a trajectory 180 degrees from where the actual live bullet will come from).
(3) Don't refer to your patsy with a three-fold name; that's just a dead give-away :D
(1) When setting up a patsy to take the fall, make sure and give them a weapon that could reasonably be expected to carry out the task (i.e. range-capable and with bullets similar to those that will be found at the scene)... this is important because nobody is going to believe that a boy with a pea-shooter is capable of shooting down a passenger plane!
(2) Make sure the cover-story/shooter is not located at a vantage point that will make the story seem ludicrous (i.e. located on a trajectory 180 degrees from where the actual live bullet will come from).
(3) Don't refer to your patsy with a three-fold name; that's just a dead give-away :D
August 31, 2012
Great book! Highly recommend this one! Super research-- super book!
August 31, 2012
A nice break down of the current evidence for a number of high-profile assassinations.
June 23, 2017
too repetitive but interesting
January 23, 2018
Enjoyed reading facts & testimonies of those who were involved in these controversial cover-ups. Very interesting and well worth the read. Vince Fosters suicide? The facts lead you to believe otherwise. Also Oswald acted alone as our govt wants us to believe, or did he? Great facts listed, you decide.
Read
October 15, 2012Completely captivating. Makes me ask the question, "Why aren't people in authority investigating these?" Oh, right... they could be the ones who staged the cover-ups and suppressed the investigations in the first place. It is hard to believe that corruption & murder can be traced to the highest offices of the land... but then that is where there is the most at stake, isn't it? If power is the sole objective, then ruthless power will be used to obtain more of it. The authors do not tell who the murderers are (that would be impossible to prove with the info we have been allowed to have), but they do point out where the official explanations are at complete odds with the evidence and the possibilities of the crime scenes... and who profited politically from the deaths.
July 8, 2014
I'll start off with the positives I noticed in reading this. First of all, it does seem to be well researched, pulling from as many different resources as it can to tell each story. It was also very interesting in it's common sense approach to some of the cases. Now, it did tend to repeat itself quite often. Which made it a little hard to read at times. There was also times when I felt like the authors strayed from the evidence and interjected their own opinions, which just made them seem desperate for the reader to reach the same conclusions they had.
November 9, 2013
Well, I thought it was historically important. But that's why we wrote it!!!
September 5, 2012
poorly written, but still a fun read
July 25, 2019
For someone who is not really a big fan of conspiracy theories I read about them a lot, for one reason or another. There are a variety of insights one gains from a book like this one, even if it could have been about half as long if it had not felt the need to repeat itself so often, not only about the way that a great many people mistrust government, but also some of the ways that governments manage to communicate even to those who do not believe the stories about a given conspiracy. Whether or not you believe that the mafia as well as rogue CIA elements were responsible for JFK's murder, or that the mafia killed Marilyn Monroe in an attempt to blackmail JFK and RFK but that the conspiracy was one of silence on the part of the government, this book does at least provide plenty of reasons why government can attempt to communicate even when it attempts to silence people or silence efforts to embarrass it. As someone who enjoys the darker side of communication, this is the sort of book I can wholeheartedly enjoy and recommend to others of like mind.
This book is about 300 pages long and it begins with a warning as well as introductions by both of its authors (at the end it contains an afterword by Jesse Ventura, who sought to use this book as a way of promoting his populist message, apparently). The body of the book consists of ten chapters that each deal with a different suspicious death which is discussed in great detail to see how the government's cover story does not line up with various forensic evidence that demonstrates something more complex was afoot. The ten people are, in order: Frank Olson, the head of Special Operations for the CIA, defenestrated when he tried to leave the service, bothered by biological warfare during the Korean War and overly brutal interrogations, Henry Marshall, an inspector for the USDA who ran afoul of LBJ and his cronies, George Krutilek, an accountant who had the same problem as Marshall, Marilyn Monroe, JFK, MLK, RFK, Fred Hampton, black activist, Vincent Foster, White House counsel for Bill Clinton, and Dr. David C. Kelly, British weapons expert opposed to the Bush-Blair line for invading Iraq in 2003. The various discussions lead the reader to ponder some patterns and generally decrease trust in government and its operations.
Obviously, this book both depends and traffics in the suspicion of government that is so widespread at the moment. Some patterns are easy enough to see--suspicious deaths are a bipartisan matter and appear in times of crisis like the Cold War and our contemporary period. Additionally, there appears to be a fairly standard decision tree when it comes to suspicious deaths. If they can be made to look like a suicide, they will be labeled as such to protect those involved in the operation, and if they cannot be made to look like a suicide then some patsy will be chosen to take the fall who will be labeled as a lone gunman who definitely was not working with anyone else. All of the cases in this book fall into precisely that pattern, with seven of the deaths labeled as suicides even where the cover story makes zero sense whatsoever, and the other three pinned on line gunmen, when in all cases the story that has been told by official stories has often been doubted by many others. Yet even when the cover-up story is doubted, those who hear the story can pay attention to the communication that is being provided that those whose behavior sufficiently threatens others will be silenced and that the circumstances will be arranged so that the truth is always at least somewhat of a mystery.
This book is about 300 pages long and it begins with a warning as well as introductions by both of its authors (at the end it contains an afterword by Jesse Ventura, who sought to use this book as a way of promoting his populist message, apparently). The body of the book consists of ten chapters that each deal with a different suspicious death which is discussed in great detail to see how the government's cover story does not line up with various forensic evidence that demonstrates something more complex was afoot. The ten people are, in order: Frank Olson, the head of Special Operations for the CIA, defenestrated when he tried to leave the service, bothered by biological warfare during the Korean War and overly brutal interrogations, Henry Marshall, an inspector for the USDA who ran afoul of LBJ and his cronies, George Krutilek, an accountant who had the same problem as Marshall, Marilyn Monroe, JFK, MLK, RFK, Fred Hampton, black activist, Vincent Foster, White House counsel for Bill Clinton, and Dr. David C. Kelly, British weapons expert opposed to the Bush-Blair line for invading Iraq in 2003. The various discussions lead the reader to ponder some patterns and generally decrease trust in government and its operations.
Obviously, this book both depends and traffics in the suspicion of government that is so widespread at the moment. Some patterns are easy enough to see--suspicious deaths are a bipartisan matter and appear in times of crisis like the Cold War and our contemporary period. Additionally, there appears to be a fairly standard decision tree when it comes to suspicious deaths. If they can be made to look like a suicide, they will be labeled as such to protect those involved in the operation, and if they cannot be made to look like a suicide then some patsy will be chosen to take the fall who will be labeled as a lone gunman who definitely was not working with anyone else. All of the cases in this book fall into precisely that pattern, with seven of the deaths labeled as suicides even where the cover story makes zero sense whatsoever, and the other three pinned on line gunmen, when in all cases the story that has been told by official stories has often been doubted by many others. Yet even when the cover-up story is doubted, those who hear the story can pay attention to the communication that is being provided that those whose behavior sufficiently threatens others will be silenced and that the circumstances will be arranged so that the truth is always at least somewhat of a mystery.
June 7, 2018
THE FEEDING AND CARE OF MUSHROOMS
Reading the Assassination of JFK and MLK the author states
many of the identical factors was present in both assassinations,in example, BOTH reportedly shot by lone gunman, Both rifles left at the scene
we’re inexpensive and not for sniper work. NEITHER of the rifles
had been sighted in, therefore, if they had been top of the line sniper rifles they would not have been accurate enough to be credited with what they reportedly accomplished.
forensic inspection of BOTH rifles proved they had not shot the
“ KILLING BULLETS “ into EITHER victim.
EYE WITNESSES at both crime scenes were not interviewed or
interrogated.
In conclusion the author states both Oswald and JAMES EARL RAY are Innocent and was used as “ PATSY’S “.
Should we accept the great similarities in both homicide or did the author like what he wrote about the JFK shooting so
He applied all the same factors to the MLK shooting?
OR does it come directly from the
“ Covert Assassins Handbook “ on how to treat and feed the
general public like mushrooms?
How is it possible to give credibility to any homicide investigation conducted on prominent famous people when
all rules of evidence is changed or ignored by the administration
In Washington regardless of the political party they are consistent in playing it to their advantage with facts be damned.
The alleged alien landing in 1946 at Roswell, NM is a classic
example, Air Force personnel involved were transferred all over
the globe, explanations from Washington was multiple and so
poor they would be beneath and embarrass the average teenager.
Reading the Assassination of JFK and MLK the author states
many of the identical factors was present in both assassinations,in example, BOTH reportedly shot by lone gunman, Both rifles left at the scene
we’re inexpensive and not for sniper work. NEITHER of the rifles
had been sighted in, therefore, if they had been top of the line sniper rifles they would not have been accurate enough to be credited with what they reportedly accomplished.
forensic inspection of BOTH rifles proved they had not shot the
“ KILLING BULLETS “ into EITHER victim.
EYE WITNESSES at both crime scenes were not interviewed or
interrogated.
In conclusion the author states both Oswald and JAMES EARL RAY are Innocent and was used as “ PATSY’S “.
Should we accept the great similarities in both homicide or did the author like what he wrote about the JFK shooting so
He applied all the same factors to the MLK shooting?
OR does it come directly from the
“ Covert Assassins Handbook “ on how to treat and feed the
general public like mushrooms?
How is it possible to give credibility to any homicide investigation conducted on prominent famous people when
all rules of evidence is changed or ignored by the administration
In Washington regardless of the political party they are consistent in playing it to their advantage with facts be damned.
The alleged alien landing in 1946 at Roswell, NM is a classic
example, Air Force personnel involved were transferred all over
the globe, explanations from Washington was multiple and so
poor they would be beneath and embarrass the average teenager.
February 5, 2019
Unfortunate
If you follow the "logic" of the book, every single noteworthy death/murder was a conspiracy. All of them. This is par for the course with conspiracy theorists - it's never a duck even if it walks, quacks and looks like a duck - but I digress. That isn't what cripples the book; there are some legit, compelling insights and theories. It's that way too often things presented as "facts" are really just MORE theories or opinions. There's nothing new. We get it; the government did and does some despicable things and it LIKELY has gone to great lengths to conceal the truth on several occasions. But not ALL the time. It's statistically impossible that ALL of these events were conspiratorial - and that not ONE credible person has come forward and said "yup! I did it/was involved!" Not one drunken or death bed confession... But again I digress. A repetitive, overly-long-yet-short-on-evidence tome that is only for the sensationalist conspiracy buff; this book won't make any converts.
If you follow the "logic" of the book, every single noteworthy death/murder was a conspiracy. All of them. This is par for the course with conspiracy theorists - it's never a duck even if it walks, quacks and looks like a duck - but I digress. That isn't what cripples the book; there are some legit, compelling insights and theories. It's that way too often things presented as "facts" are really just MORE theories or opinions. There's nothing new. We get it; the government did and does some despicable things and it LIKELY has gone to great lengths to conceal the truth on several occasions. But not ALL the time. It's statistically impossible that ALL of these events were conspiratorial - and that not ONE credible person has come forward and said "yup! I did it/was involved!" Not one drunken or death bed confession... But again I digress. A repetitive, overly-long-yet-short-on-evidence tome that is only for the sensationalist conspiracy buff; this book won't make any converts.
February 27, 2023
I like reading biographies and non-fiction, but haven't read too much about the assassinations of JFK, RFK or the material presented in this book before. The author does a great job introducing the official story and trial outcomes, and the actual evidence. Reading the known facts of each situation, it is clear that all these were cover-ups, bending of facts, or murders to remove someone that was in the way of someone's goal. Richard Belzer point out that just because there was a conspiracy involving the murder of a prominent figure, doesn't mean that cover-up was perpetrated by the same group of people. In a few cases, like Fred Hampton, it is clear who did the wrong and wanted things covered up and why. In other situations, the full story isn't known. The author does suggest some of the possible scenarios, but does not state his opinion dogmatically. What is clear is that all the cases in this book were not presented correctly and justice was not served. In some cases, the accused was denied a proper trial and was wrongly incarcerated.
July 9, 2017
I love conspiracy theories, and even more so, I love true crime cover-ups. This book really presents the latter, and the evidence presented within the pages proves why. However, I rated this book low because of the constant repetition that made it feel like the authors were 1) padding the book because they didn't have many cases to include, 2) desperate to prove their cases-- a desperation that undermined the credibility the facts they compiled gave them, and 3) somewhat condescending to the audience, assuming they wouldn't or couldn't remember something from mere pages ago. A tighter presentation would have made this a much more enjoyable read.
Additionally, I read this in e-book form on my Kindle, and it should be noted that whoever transferred the manuscript file did not format it properly for e-books, so there are spacing issues, especially with the overview that starts each case.
Additionally, I read this in e-book form on my Kindle, and it should be noted that whoever transferred the manuscript file did not format it properly for e-books, so there are spacing issues, especially with the overview that starts each case.
May 25, 2022
These authors seem to have repetition on the brain. More than half of this book could be cut and absolutely no information would be lost, and probably most of the typos and editorial mistakes would disappear therein.
That being said, this book does cite numerous sources to back up its claims, even though the claims are laid out in a disorganized and somewhat messy fashion, and the book reads more like a persuasive essay than a presentation of facts. In a condescending tone, the authors present their beliefs in a way that doesn't give any room for backstory or explanations, and definitely doesn't encourage free thinking in the reader.
A somewhat monotonous read but not a complete waste of time as a jumping off point for getting into any of these cases.
That being said, this book does cite numerous sources to back up its claims, even though the claims are laid out in a disorganized and somewhat messy fashion, and the book reads more like a persuasive essay than a presentation of facts. In a condescending tone, the authors present their beliefs in a way that doesn't give any room for backstory or explanations, and definitely doesn't encourage free thinking in the reader.
A somewhat monotonous read but not a complete waste of time as a jumping off point for getting into any of these cases.
September 2, 2018
What a disappointing read! Obviously self-published without the benefit of a professional editor’s touch (something I could not judge before purchasing the e-book). The book is replete with spelling and grammatical errors, which is bad enough, but it is also poorly organized and repetitive in the extreme, with many of the “facts” presented at least three times.
In spite of this, I read the entire book (something I have to doubt whether Jesse Ventura, who wrote the afterword, did). It only got worse.
I feel completely ripped off, and a bit angry with Bookbub for even recommending such a poorly written/poorly structured book.
In spite of this, I read the entire book (something I have to doubt whether Jesse Ventura, who wrote the afterword, did). It only got worse.
I feel completely ripped off, and a bit angry with Bookbub for even recommending such a poorly written/poorly structured book.
December 28, 2023
My main problem with the book was the inconsistent format. Parts were like reading newspaper columns and others straight text. The print was also smaller than the norm -- not great for those of us a little older who still remember the people written about in the book and still think there was a conspiracy involved in their deaths. There was information new to me -- and Belzer substantiates it. He doesn't say it's his research but tells the reader what others, with careful investigation, have found out.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 113 reviews