"The President Has Been Shot!": The Assassination of John F. Kennedy

by James L. Swanson, Will Patton (Narrator)

A breathtaking and dramatic account of the JFK assassination by the NEW YORK TIMES bestselling author of CHASING LINCOLN'S KILLER!

FORMAT: 4 CDs, Unabridged
NARRATOR: Will Patton

In his new young-adult book on the Kennedy assassination, James Swanson will transport readers back to one of the most shocking, sad, and terrifying events in American history. As he did in his bestselling Scholastic YA book, CHASING LINCOLN'S KILLER, Swanson will deploy his signature "you are there" style -- a riveting, ticking-clock pace, with an unprecedented eye for dramatic details and impeccable historical accuracy -- to tell the story of the JFK assassination as it has never been told before.

Genres: Nonfiction, History, Biography, American History, Historical, Middle Grade, Teen

4 pages, Audio CD

First published September 24, 2013

About the author

James L. Swanson was an American author and historian famous for his New York Times best-seller Manhunt: The 12-Day Chase for Lincoln's Killer, focusing on the biography of John Wilkes Booth and his plot to kill Lincoln and other cabinet members. For this book he earned an Edgar Award. He was a Senior Fellow at the Heritage Foundation and appeared on C-SPAN on behalf of the Koch-affiliated libertarian CATO Institute think tank.

Reviews

[jv poore · Rating 3 out of 5]

James L. Swanson is not a new author. You may recognize his name from his New York Times bestseller The 12-Day Hunt for Lincoln’s Killer.

There are many, many things I like about this book. The level of detail is amazing. Rarely, are we treated to such a meticulous account in a non-fiction work. I believe that these little nuggets of awesome play a large part in making this appealing to younger audiences. Actually, this adult reader was genuinely surprised by some remarkably interesting points that I had not been aware of, despite learning about Kennedy in history classes. Jackie slipping her wedding band into Jack’s hand when she realized that he was gone was one of the most endearing things ever. The explanations as to why it appeared to viewers that Kennedy won the first televised debate, while the radio listeners felt that Nixon was the winner, were very intriguing. I would be remiss; however, if I did not state that, while this level of detail was greatly appreciated throughout most of the book, the description of the impact and damage caused by Oswald’s bullet felt very gruesome, to me. Anything less would have detracted from the integrity of the book, I realize and appreciate that; I just think it is worthy of mention for readers with a delicate stomach.

The brief history provided really allows the reader to know Jack Kennedy, the person. The Bay of Pigs, Cuban Missile Crisis and The Nuclear Test Ban Treaty were all very important events that no longer seem prominent in history classes today. I appreciate the refreshers, and I am certain that young readers will welcome this knowledge.

Mr. Swanson painstakingly chose photographs to accompany this telling, again helping the reader to know and appreciate President and Jackie Kennedy. Also included are diagrams of the motorcade and The Texas School Book Depository’s sixth floor. Speculation and questions as to why Lee Harvey Oswald decided to assassinate the president are presented in thought-provoking way, rather than just laying out the facts as we know them.

This is a fascinating account of a 50 year old tragedy that we still do not understand. I hope to see this book in many a Middle-School and High-School library, and I strongly recommend this to History teachers everywhere.

[Dannii Elle · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fascinating insight to an unforgettable and dark time in America's history, that both detailed the time before and after the assassination of president John F. Kennedy whilst also providing an account of the lives of both victim and assassin. I found this delivered the necessary facts about the crime but, as a non-American and one who has little knowledge of American politics and history, I appreciated the early details of Kennedy's presidency this also provided.

The detail was profound, the narration precise, and the dramatics kept to a minimum leading me to consider this a wonderful account of the dark blight on political history, that culminated in the tragic loss of one man's life and one nation's leader.

[Haley Annabelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Swanson is an amazing author, making pure facts so interesting that you read 100 pages in one night. I would highly recommend if you’re a history nerd like me 😉

[Beth · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was not alive when President Kennedy was shot but this book made me feel like I was there. It played out like a documentary. I was completely engrossed in the story and found myself overcome with emotion when Swanson writes about how the funeral played out. I highly recommend this nonfiction title for students who think history is boring. They won't be bored with this book!

[Damian · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought this was a pretty good biography. I can probably say that this genre is one of my least favorites, but again, the layout was good enough for me to give it five stars. Although because of my dislike of the genre, others may not feel that it would be five stars. If you are in a similar position to me I would say try it. Overall, pretty good.

[Amy Esslinger · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really sobering and sad. It was hard reading about the details, but wow, the author did an excellent job in writing about this, as well as presenting pictures/drawings to help you understand what was going on. I appreciated how he gave a short overview of his presidency too.

[Richie Partington · Rating 5 out of 5]

Richie's Picks: "THE PRESIDENT HAS BEEN SHOT!" THE ASSASSINATION OF JOHN F. KENNEDY by James L. Swanson, Scholastic Press, October 2013, 288p., ISBN: 978-0-545-49007-8

"As the night lengthened on November 21, 1963, Lee Harvey Oswald could not escape the hopelessness of his life. He was a lonely, impoverished, and embittered young man who had failed at everything in life that he had ever attempted -- high school, the Marine Corps, marriage, fatherhood, menial jobs, political activism, writing, being an expatriate, and significance. And now, on this night, he had failed in love. He was helpless, drifting toward oblivion. Tomorrow he would change that."

"Down the road to Massachusetts driving through the night
I thought I saw Jack Kennedy hitchhiking by a light.
I hit the brakes -- backed up slow, and Kennedy got in
I said, 'It's nice to see you lookin' back in shape again.
Correct me if I'm wrong but I believe they gunned you down'
He just shook his head and looked off sadly with a frown.
Said, 'bullets are like waves, they only rearrange the sand
History turns upon the tides and not the deeds of man.'"
-- Robert Hunter, "Down the Road Again"

"There are lots of things for me to do
On my way home, I'll tell you a few
I can watch a squirrel climb up a tree
Or make a buzz like a bumblebee
And that's what I might do today
On my way home"
-- Ken Whiteley, "My Way Home"

Every afternoon as a young schoolchild on Long Island, I would leave Fern Place School and walk the half-mile home. From Fern Place, I would turn right onto Orchard, left onto Atwood, left onto Manor, right onto Sunrise, and walk halfway down the street to our house, number 33.

And nearly fifty years after the 22nd of November, 1963, I can still take you around the corner to Manor Street in Plainview -- either literally, or on Google Maps -- and show you exactly which house me and my friend Jimmy were walking past, on our way home from Fern Place School, when two older boys we did not know came running up to us and told us that the President had been shot and killed.

No previous moment in my young life affected me to the degree that that moment did. It is a memory that still causes me to feel a tenseness in my chest. The shock, the otherworldliness of that news caused a sudden sharp piercing of the innocence of my childhood. It is a memory I will forever live with. It is a moment that changed America.

Somehow, over the past fifty years, I've never learned very much about the troubled short life of JFK's assassin Lee Harvey Oswald. But this book has changed that. And amidst the ongoing national debate over whether or not to restore the Federal Assault Weapons Ban, and the hornet's nest surrounding Edward Snowden's revelations of massive Federal surveillance of citizens, author James L. Swanson dishes up a lot of information about Lee Harvey Oswald that solidifies my own belief that there should be much more control of and oversight into who gets to run around America with weapons, and how there are certainly some people in America whose behavior should result in the government keeping tabs on them.

Another thing I've learned from "THE PRESIDENT HAS BEEN SHOT!" are the bad decisions made by the Dallas police that led up to the subsequent murder of Lee Harvey Oswald by Jack Ruby. And one thing, I must point out, that makes this book especially different from Swanson's equally-excellent book on Abraham Lincoln -- CHASING LINCOLN'S KILLER -- is that with this book, you can go to YouTube and actually watch the recorded new clips of live events that are discussed by Swanson in this book.

"Jackie reflected on the meaning of his life: 'John Kennedy believed so strongly that one's aim should not just be the most comfortable life possible -- but that we should all do something to right the wrongs we see -- and not just complain about them. We owe that to our country...'
"'He believed,' Jacqueline Kennedy said, 'that one man can make a difference -- and every man should try.'"

In providing us an excellent introduction to JFK, and a moment-by-moment look at the last days of his, and Lee Harvey Oswald's respective lives, James L. Swanson provides readers a look at America in the early 1960s, a look at how we (who lived through it) were captivated by a young charismatic president and his wife, and how we were forever changed by one madman with a gun.

Richie Partington, MLIS
Richie's Picks http://richiespicks.com
BudNotBuddy@aol.com
Moderator http://groups.yahoo.com/group/middle_... http://slisweb.sjsu.edu/people/facult...

[Haley S · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am speechless. This book tells the story of the assassination of JFK wonderfully. Not that the assassination was good.
The epilogue held a sentence by Jacqueline Kennedy that really touched me. "He believed that one man can make a different--and every man can try."

[Alysia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm really so sad for his wife. She was such a strong woman.

[Sterling.Beck · Rating 4 out of 5]

it gave i lot to the story of J.F.K and his assassination i learned a lot from this book. but he put too much description into the part where and was shot in the head.

[Alicia · Rating 5 out of 5]

AMAZING! I just read Chasing Lincoln's Killer and now read an ARC for "The President Has Been Shot!" and wow, the amazing amount of period photographs, integration of the narrative nonfiction, and easy flow of chronological events makes this absolutely un-put-downable, truly.

Similar to the layout of Chasing Lincoln's Killer, it gives the back story on both the target as well as the assassin, then follows the order of events to the finite detail and then the conclusion and epilogue to the story. It's full of fascinating facts from Jackie Kennedy's refusal to leave her husband's side though she knew he was dead, to Oswald's eccentricities and defection to Russia (where he married a Russian bride, had a few kids, but was estranged at the time), to the trajectory and impact the bullets had on both the president (but also that the second shot actually went through JFK and into the Texas governor and that three shots total were fired!) All of this is detailed and tragic. You really felt like you were glimpsing behind the curtain. I would not hesitate to recommend these to readers OVER AND OVER AGAIN!

[Christine · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fast/great audio listen. Such a sad part American history.

[Daniela Avila · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was in the middle of the afternoon and for the first time in your life you see your president in his car with his wife waving at Americans but out of nowhere you here some kind of explosion and see your president down. You here screaming and lots of lots of chaos. This book is realistic fiction. The book was really good and had a lot of good facts about the assassin and the president and photos of the past.
The book took place in November 22 1963 in Dallas Texas. It all started when president John F. Kennedy and his wife were in some parade and waving at fellow Americans and from far distance Lee Harvey had a Carcano Model 91/38 rifle because he was planning on killing JFK. I think the conflict of the story is person vs person because lee Harvey was having trouble with family and out of know where he wanted to kill the president he never planned it he just woke up and said i am going to kill the president. The theme of the the story is that kids should know about history

[Christian Hall · Rating 5 out of 5]

Before November 22,1963 no one in the U.S. except for one man ever thought that the Texas Book Depository would be used for a national tragedy. It had been 62 years since something similar had occurred in Buffalo ,New York. Would the curse continue that every president elected in a year ending with a zero would die. The outcome was put in faith of one man's aim and four bullets. If the man's plan worked out where would the U.S. go from hear. If the mans plan failed would he be arrested for attempting. All the man knew at that point is that this event would change history. I really like this book as James L. Swanson put you in the eyes of someone who experienced this tragedy of JFK's assassination.

[Jody Sperling · Rating 2 out of 5]

I’m disappointed by how much this book seemed to shut down discussion. The author has a clear opinion on history that colors his view of events. His sympathy for LBJ was annoying and partisan. I don’t mind writers expressing opinions, but I prefer books that complicate the picture rather than reduce it by allowing no alternative viewpoint.

[Ericka Clou · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really touching. Doesn't provide any insight into the why of the tragedy.

[Chantelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very dot jot summary in its retelling, and by far not enough Jackie for my liking.

[Jennifer Vuillermet · Rating 4 out of 5]

“The President Has Been Shot!” is a gripping historical account of John F. Kennedy’s presidency and his ultimate assassination. Part One of the book introduces the reader to John F. Kennedy, his rise to the presidency, accomplishments and failures while in office, and his decision to intervene in the fight for civil rights. After the author firmly sets us in the historical background of the early 1960s, Part Two of the book focuses on John F. Kennedy’s assassination. Taking the reader chronologically from the day before the assassination through JFK’s funeral, the author weaves together the events and details from the lives of John F. Kennedy and Lee Harvey Oswald that set them on their horrific collision course.

“The President Has Been Shot!” is a wonderful reminder that informational writing can be fast-paced, captivating and compelling. Through the author’s expert use of organization, voice, and abundant vivid details, my interest was piqued throughout the entire book, as I was pulled into the unfolding drama. Moreover, perhaps because it reads like literature, this book excels at teaching. After reading the book, no one is likely to forget the tragic events of November 22, 1963, Lee Harvey Oswald’s murder by Jack Ruby, John F. Kennedy’s funeral, or Jackie Kennedy’s strength and composure during these trying times.

Chock-full of original photographs, maps, and diagrams, this book is suitable for grades 5 and higher. There are a variety of ways teachers could use this book in the classroom:

• To teach about the life of John F. Kennedy. Part One of the book provides wonderful details about John F. Kennedy’s childhood, election to the United States House of Representatives, marriage to Jacqueline Lee Bouvier, 1960 presidential campaign, presidential inauguration and historical events of his presidency. It would be a wonderful resource for any student researching the life of John F. Kennedy. The author also provides recommendations of other resources about John F. Kennedy that would be helpful for students.

• To teach about the civil rights movement. This book describes that although John F. Kennedy was in favor of equal rights for African Americans, he was initially reluctant to join the struggle due to political concerns. Discussing John F. Kennedy’s initial concerns and his ultimate decision to enforce civil rights could be part of a larger class dialog about differing perspectives during the civil rights movement.

• As a mentor text for informational writing. After reading some or all of the book aloud, the teacher could engage the students in a discussion of the informational writing traits of organization, leads, voice and/or word choice. The students could then model these strategies with their own informational writing.

- Organizational structure: This book demonstrates the superb organization required for effective informational writing: a table of contents, chapter headings (by topic and/or ordered chronologically), captions, quotes, photographs/maps/diagrams, source notes, and bibliography.

- Leads: Throughout this book, the author consistently grabs the readers attention, providing a glimpse of where the story will go. Page 61 provides a prime example of the author’s skill in this area: “Who was this strange man named Lee Harvey Oswald? In the fall of 1963, he was a lifelong loser, a high school dropout, a second-rate ex-U.S. Marine, and a malcontent with a chip on his shoulder.”

- Voice & Word Choice – Throughout the book, the author’s writing is expressive and compelling. The reader feels the author’s authority and conviction, swept along by his finely-honed words and phrases. The paragraph on pages 155-156 provides one of many examples: “The American people were about to get their first look at Jackie Kennedy since the assassination less than five hours ago….All across the country, millions of people staring at the television screens let out a simultaneous gasp when they saw the bloodstains on her clothing. Jackie had still not changed out of the clothes she had worn in Dealey Plaza. She wanted Americans to see her pink suit. On television screens, as she walked to the navy ambulance, viewers saw that her legs were smeared with copious amounts of blood. She wanted to sear these images into the collective memory of the American people so that they would never forget. It worked. To this day, decades after the assassination, the mere sight of an image of her in that suit triggers flashbacks in the minds of every person who remembers November 22, 1963.”

[Vanshika · Rating 3 out of 5]

The books I very well written, a quick read, pretty much the perfect starter to the world of JFK assassination. In the epilogue the author talks about how people reject the fact that History changed its course based on pure chance. In fact, I reject it. Are you telling me that if JFK was a couple of minutes late or didn't raise his hand or a butterfly didn't flap its wings in Wyoming then Mr. President would've had a successful motorcade in downtown Dallas?? I don't buy it. There has to be a bigger conspiracy. Communists, perhaps?


I enjoyed this one, the reason it gets 3/5 is because I knew almost everything that was talked about in the book. I think the only new thing I learned was that LBJ really cared about Jackie after JFK's death. Everyone talks about the assassination, Lee Harvey Oswald, what Jackie wore and conspiracies. No one talks about how Jackie threw a party for her son's 3rd birthday the day of her husband's assassination, or how her daughter Caroline told her that she will take care of her.

Okay, you know, I'd have bought it had it ended with Oswald going to trial, but the fact that Kennedy, Tippit and Oswald had their funerals on the same day baffles me. It escapes me, I don't understand how some lousy club owner could pull a gun on Oswald with no motive.

JFK is my favourite POTUS and dead person, right next to Kurt Cobain and John Lennon.

If you're interested in Jackie's life you might want to watch "Jackie: A Tale of Two Sisters" on Netflix.

"JFK loved America."

I think I like LBJ better, now. I want to learn more about him, so hopefully I can read a book about him sometime soon.
And I have gotta start researching more about RFK I don't know much about him.

White House: East Room housed president Kennedy's flag draped coffin

Gotta see JFK's grave, its number #2 on my bucket list right after shark cage diving

Questions: What are your thoughts on the Curse of Tippecanoe

[Abbie · Rating 4 out of 5]

James Swanson’s YA assassination books have weirdly become comfort reading for me. I love his prose, aimed at simply breaking down things for people who lack background knowledge (eg most teens). It makes me think of my mom’s advice: if you have to research a subject you know nothing about, start by reading a kid’s book first.

This book made me realize I have way more exposure to conspiracies about JFK than objective facts. I’ve been to Dealey Plaza (aka “the grassy knoll”) and it had at least six people selling publications about conspiracies. No one was selling the Warren Commission report. I was glad this book was there to clear things up (though there are a lot of unknowns, such as what Oswald’s motivation was).

This book gave a great overview of JFK’s accomplishments and why he was an iconic leader, as well as some of his errors (I never really understood the Bay of Pigs controversy until I read this book). It also gave an excellent and chilling breakdown of the assassination and the hows/whys of it. I felt really bad for Jackie Kennedy, who stayed in her bloody clothes all day to “show the world what they did.” They took JFK’s body to an ER and she tried to hand the surgeons a chunk of brain she’d held onto! Heartbreaking and shocking.

Lots of great diagrams and extensive footnotes. I recommend all James Swanson’s books if you like shocking moments from history or good, easily understood breakdowns of complex moments.

[Felita · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a very detailed book about all the events that happened and led up to JFK's assassination, as well as the hunt for the assassin. It was a great review of the history that took place during the 1960's-with lots of background information about the Cuban Missile Crisis, Bay of Pigs, Cold War, etc. That gave the story a lot of context, and it was quite interesting to find out a bit more about JFK's life (especially right after visiting the JFK Presidential Library just a few months ago!).
The pictures that were among the pages of writing made the descriptions so much easier to picture, and the maps/graphs were a great help to understanding how the police caught the assassin Lee Oswald and the paths of the bullets shot at JFK. Every action was described in detail and it was truly a very chaotic scene (somewhat morbid as well....especially when it was stated that 'pieces JFK's brains spilled out of his head' YIKES...).
I really enjoyed how the author was able to make connections to history-JFK and Lincoln's assassination as well as policies during their presidencies. Truly relates back to APUSH and making those connections! I also definitely RECOMMEND this to anyone! Even if you don't like history, the book will still be a great read. The way it's written is just like telling a story, unlike the dry, boring content of textbooks.

[Max · Rating 4 out of 5]

The President Has Been Shot by James L. Swanson. Some people know and remember the day November 22, 1963. A day that will live in infamy forever. In this book it talks about JFK's life before and what he did during his presidency. Some things about this book are new to most people because it goes into such depth about the occasion.

Some of what president JFK did during his presidency included solving many foreign affairs with the Soviet Union during the Cold War. Before then, he served as a U.S. representative for the state of Massachusetts. Many other political people thought he was not fit for office because he was so young and insensible. But there were other plans for after he got into office. A man named Lee Harvey Oswald, he decided he was going to shoot the president. This thought only came to him because he found out the president’s parade route from the newspaper a few days before. So he did partially because he wanted to be a part of history and it was easy. So on November 22, 1963; 55 years ago; 12:30 p.m. JFK was shot and killed, leaving his three kids and wife.

This book is highly recommended if you like to learn about past presidents and political history.

[Ky · Rating 4 out of 5]

My son has to read this for his summer reading as a rising 8th grader. I tend to read the books they assign because I also teach Middle School, and sometimes I find great books to recommend to my students. This is an important event in American History that I am ashamed to say I don't know much about. I learned a lot from this book, and found it really kept my interest. I do like history. The photos were especially helpful in helping me understand and really visualize this historic event. Great book that I will remember for a long time!

[James Biser · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a recapture of a piece of recent history in the United States. There are many people alive who remember the assassination of President Kennedy; unfortunately, there are many whose memories do not reach that point. This book takes the reader to the days when JFK became President, and the readers are able to re-live his time in office. Although the history is heartbreaking, the readers experience his death and loss. They also see the death of the man who killed him.

[MJ · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm more than a little disturbed by all the book banning activity that's happening around the country, so I got a list from my children's librarian and started looking at the books listed, on the theory that the people initiating the bans haven't actually read some of the books they find objectionable. This book, meant for grades 7-12, is on a banned book list because of "objectionable politics."

It's about the JFK assassination, which was the day my 4th grade class learned what the word "assassinate" meant. I wondered what was objectionable about this book (written by the same guy that wrote "Manhunt" about the Lincoln assassination) so I got it from the library.

I finished the book and have no idea what the issue was, especially as it didn't really dwell on politics a lot. Interesting details on the shooting and aftermath (including naive police actions that would make CSI fans cringe), though.

This is basically a history book, and I didn't see anything fictionalized in it. History should never be "objectionable."

[Denise Hatcher · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a very informative book about a tragic event: the assassination of JFK. The clear, concise writing, pictures, and multiple supporting pieces such as diagrams and maps created a very thorough piece of writing. In my opinion, James Swanson has a talent for detailing difficult topics and encouraging his readers to think.

[Zachary Cotter · Rating 4 out of 5]

JFK one of the greatest president in American history. He did many good things that helped our country through some very difficult years. He was the youngest president at that time in history and his looks and youth of both him and his family boosted his liking in the people's eyes. When he was assassinated it was a shock to the entire country no one could believe what had happened. You can't imagine what it must have been like to be there or have been living in that time but this book gets us pretty close to the detail and vision of what happened that day that affect the country forever.

[Frank · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a good short history of JFK’s life and assassination. The author admits he told the story based on the Warren report and that none of the other possible theories hold any water. He does take some liberties on Oswald’s motivations and actions on the day of the killing.

[Samantha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Swanson always writes such thoroughly entertaining and interesting books. This one had me hooked from the start and devouring the information, including some new tidbits. The photographs throughout the book were great as well and really added to the experience.

[Wesssss · Rating 4 out of 5]

Decent book. Was it anything you haven't heard or seen elsewhere? Probably not. But I still enjoyed it.