What do you think?
Rate this book
The Assassination of JFK: Minute by Minute
This is the story of JFK's assassination as told from the frontline: it is about the people - from the highest to the lowest - who were caught up in that four-day whirlwind in November 1963.
From Dallas nightclub reporter Tony Zoppi, who found himself carrying the president's casket; Secret Service agent Clint Hill beating his hands in despair on the trunk of the limousine as he watches Kennedy die; Howard Brennan, a construction worker on a lunch break watching a man take aim on the motorcade with a rifle; reporter Hugh Aynesworth with only an electricity bill on which to write notes for the scoop of his career; DJ John Peel a few feet from Oswald as he's questioned by the press; to Robert Kennedy sitting in the dark in the back of an empty army truck, waiting for his brother's body to arrive.
'The Assassination of JFK: Minute by Minute' is pure chronological narrative, giving a blow by blow account of the terrible events as they unfolded.
From Dallas nightclub reporter Tony Zoppi, who found himself carrying the president's casket; Secret Service agent Clint Hill beating his hands in despair on the trunk of the limousine as he watches Kennedy die; Howard Brennan, a construction worker on a lunch break watching a man take aim on the motorcade with a rifle; reporter Hugh Aynesworth with only an electricity bill on which to write notes for the scoop of his career; DJ John Peel a few feet from Oswald as he's questioned by the press; to Robert Kennedy sitting in the dark in the back of an empty army truck, waiting for his brother's body to arrive.
'The Assassination of JFK: Minute by Minute' is pure chronological narrative, giving a blow by blow account of the terrible events as they unfolded.
288 pages, Hardcover
First published November 7, 2013
21 people are currently reading
152 people want to read
About the author
Jonathan Mayo
18 books23 followersJonathan Mayo joined the BBC in 1987, first working in radio and then television, where he won awards for his documentaries. In 2011 he became a freelance producer, director, and writer. He is the author of The JFK Assassination: Minute by Minute (Short Books, 2013). He lives in Surrey with his wife and son.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
February 13, 2025
No conspiracy theories here; this is, as the title tells us, a minute-by-minute account of what happened on that fateful day, and the three following days, when President Kennedy was killed in Dallas. It captures practically everyone, if not everyone, who was caught up in the events immediately prior to, during and after the shooting. It doesn't matter if it is the president's brother, Robert, members of the Oswald family, the vice-president Lyndon Johnson or such as Tony Zoppi, a Dallas nightclub reporter who unexpectedly finds himself helping to carry the president's coffin, they are all there and all have something significant to report.
After a brief mention of Ruth Paine, living at 2515 Fifth Avenue, Irving, Texas, walking into her garage at 9pm on Thursday 21 November to find the light having been left on and her blaming her lodger Lee Harvey Oswald for leaving it on while working there earlier in the evening, the scene is set with the arrival of Air Force One at Carswell Air Force base on the outskirts of Fort Worth, Texas at 11.07pm. JFK is in Texas because he 'needs to win friends in the South' as his support for civil rights has dented his popularity and there is an election just a year away.
Moving swiftly on, at 9.05am the following day KRLD-TV commentator Mike Wallace is getting ready to cover the president's Breakfast Speech and, filling in time before it begins, he tells listeners how difficult it can be for the Secret Service agents to control crowds in these circumstances. And, ironically as it turns out, he goes on to describe the last assassination of a president - the shooting of William McKinley by anarchist Leon Czolgosz in 1901.
At 11.23am JFK is climbing the steps of Air Force One ready to move on to Dallas and he says, apparently to nobody in particular, 'I'll be glad when this next stop is over. It's the only one that worries me.' And at 11.55am the motorcade pulls away at the start of its route into Dallas and Dallas Police chief Jesse Curry is determined not to be embarrassed by the conduct of the crowds following an incident the previous month when Adlai Stevenson was spat on and struck by a placard.
To prevent any similar occurrence, Curry has deployed 700 policemen, Texas Rangers and firefighters to keep order. Indeed, he had announced on television a few nights earlier, 'Nothing must occur that is disrespectful or degrading to the president of the United States ... We will take immediate action if any suspicious conduct is observed.' This last remark rather poignant in view of a man holding a rifle being spotted later in a Book Depository window but not being reported because it was thought he was a Secret Service agent.
Meanwhile Charles F Dameron, news editor of the 'Dallas Times Herald' is planning the day with military precision as he fears 'some nut will do something stupid'. And that is exactly what happens and the testimony of those immediately or peripherally involved is given in graphic detail. And the overriding feeling that comes out from the descriptions of his activity in the Book Depository by those around him at the time, and remember this is not a conspiracy theory book, is that Lee Harvey Oswald is the shooter.
After the shooting Jackie is seated with some Secret Service agents and they are telling sentimental stories, one of which by Dave Powers is that on JFK's last visit to his father, Joe, the previous month, the president kissed his father on the forehead and then returned to do it once more, 'as if he'd never see him again'.
The aftermath features plenty of accounts of Marina, Oswald's wife, Robert, his brother and Marguerite, his mother and on one occasion after Marina had visited Oswald in jail, she leaves feeling that she knows he is guilty as 'she saw it in his eyes'.
And after Jack Ruby, who manages to inveigle his way into the area where Oswald is being moved from, has shot the suspect, Robert Oswald, while waiting for the hospital chaplain to arrive so that they can pray together, is confronted by Secret Service agent Thomas Kelley. Kelley 'looks at Robert and says bluntly', 'Violence breeds violence.' Robert, stunned, replies, 'Does that justify anything in all this?' And Marina receives hundreds of letters , none hostile, many offering help from people who are 'touched by the sad plight of the young widow and her children'. By mid-December Marina has received over $25000 through the post.
There is plenty more to digest in this vivid account of the tragedy, all of which makes the book a gripping, if exceedingly sad one from start to finish.
After a brief mention of Ruth Paine, living at 2515 Fifth Avenue, Irving, Texas, walking into her garage at 9pm on Thursday 21 November to find the light having been left on and her blaming her lodger Lee Harvey Oswald for leaving it on while working there earlier in the evening, the scene is set with the arrival of Air Force One at Carswell Air Force base on the outskirts of Fort Worth, Texas at 11.07pm. JFK is in Texas because he 'needs to win friends in the South' as his support for civil rights has dented his popularity and there is an election just a year away.
Moving swiftly on, at 9.05am the following day KRLD-TV commentator Mike Wallace is getting ready to cover the president's Breakfast Speech and, filling in time before it begins, he tells listeners how difficult it can be for the Secret Service agents to control crowds in these circumstances. And, ironically as it turns out, he goes on to describe the last assassination of a president - the shooting of William McKinley by anarchist Leon Czolgosz in 1901.
At 11.23am JFK is climbing the steps of Air Force One ready to move on to Dallas and he says, apparently to nobody in particular, 'I'll be glad when this next stop is over. It's the only one that worries me.' And at 11.55am the motorcade pulls away at the start of its route into Dallas and Dallas Police chief Jesse Curry is determined not to be embarrassed by the conduct of the crowds following an incident the previous month when Adlai Stevenson was spat on and struck by a placard.
To prevent any similar occurrence, Curry has deployed 700 policemen, Texas Rangers and firefighters to keep order. Indeed, he had announced on television a few nights earlier, 'Nothing must occur that is disrespectful or degrading to the president of the United States ... We will take immediate action if any suspicious conduct is observed.' This last remark rather poignant in view of a man holding a rifle being spotted later in a Book Depository window but not being reported because it was thought he was a Secret Service agent.
Meanwhile Charles F Dameron, news editor of the 'Dallas Times Herald' is planning the day with military precision as he fears 'some nut will do something stupid'. And that is exactly what happens and the testimony of those immediately or peripherally involved is given in graphic detail. And the overriding feeling that comes out from the descriptions of his activity in the Book Depository by those around him at the time, and remember this is not a conspiracy theory book, is that Lee Harvey Oswald is the shooter.
After the shooting Jackie is seated with some Secret Service agents and they are telling sentimental stories, one of which by Dave Powers is that on JFK's last visit to his father, Joe, the previous month, the president kissed his father on the forehead and then returned to do it once more, 'as if he'd never see him again'.
The aftermath features plenty of accounts of Marina, Oswald's wife, Robert, his brother and Marguerite, his mother and on one occasion after Marina had visited Oswald in jail, she leaves feeling that she knows he is guilty as 'she saw it in his eyes'.
And after Jack Ruby, who manages to inveigle his way into the area where Oswald is being moved from, has shot the suspect, Robert Oswald, while waiting for the hospital chaplain to arrive so that they can pray together, is confronted by Secret Service agent Thomas Kelley. Kelley 'looks at Robert and says bluntly', 'Violence breeds violence.' Robert, stunned, replies, 'Does that justify anything in all this?' And Marina receives hundreds of letters , none hostile, many offering help from people who are 'touched by the sad plight of the young widow and her children'. By mid-December Marina has received over $25000 through the post.
There is plenty more to digest in this vivid account of the tragedy, all of which makes the book a gripping, if exceedingly sad one from start to finish.
February 23, 2014
A 2013 publication, appearing just in time to cash in on the 50th anniversary of the JFK assassination. I can't recommend this effort from the B.B.C.'s Jonathan Mayo. In his Acknowledgements the author thanks his mother, "and to my father who passed on to me a passion for history-he'd have loved this book." Well, only if he knew nothing about the events in Dallas in '63.
A quick scan down Mayo's Bibliography shows a list of authors not to be trusted in their research; Aynesworth, Bishop, Blaine, Bugliosi, McMillan and Posner. So it is no surprise to read the official 'history', inaccurate and error strewn, concerning 'The Assassination of JFK-Minute by Minute' and page after page of 'lone nut' garbage.
Mayo informs readers, in his work of history, all the blatant falsehoods from Warren's twenty six volumes that he has adopted from the dubious list of writers above. Example. "Arnold Rowland and his wife Barbara are standing opposite the Book Depository. Something catches Arnold's eye on the sixth floor. He can see A MAN at the window holding a gun, what looks like a fairly high-powered rifle because it has a scope." This may well have been taken from the likes of Posner. If Mayo wasn't so slapdash and careless he would learn that Arnold Rowland saw a man with a high-powered rifle standing about five feet from the southwest corner window, on the other side of the building from the 'sniper's nest.' Rowland who had better than 20/20 vision, described the man as 140 to 150 lbs.,light complected, with short cropped dark hair. He was wearing an unbuttoned light coloured shirt over a T-shirt and dark slacks. In the 'sniper's nest' window, Rowland saw a second man, black, about 55 years old, practically bald and very thin.
Oswald is the guilty lone-nut again by utilising partial testimony. "Bob Edwards and Ronald Fischer are on their lunch break, and standing on the edge of the kerb. Bob punches Ronald on the shoulder. 'Look at that guy there in that window. He looks like he's hiding from someone amongst those boxes!" Yet, a little further research shows that Fischer later said that he thought the shots came from just west of the TSBD and Fischer later told researcher Larry Harris that he did not think the man in the window was Oswald, insisting that the man in the window had light coloured hair.
On the plus side for this book, I haven't found any spelling or typo errors anywhere. Therefore there is no excuse for TSBD superintendent Roy Truly to be repeatedly referred to as Ron. Or for that matter deputy sheriff 'Buddy' Walthers' name to be given as Walters.
Am I nit picking with this book, or am I just annoyed with the same old mantra of Oswald did it, with three shots from a defective rifle, (or was it a Mauser) false reporting of ballistics, one magic bullet and a case railroaded by corrupt federal investigations and outright lies.
After fifty years, readers of history deserve better!
A quick scan down Mayo's Bibliography shows a list of authors not to be trusted in their research; Aynesworth, Bishop, Blaine, Bugliosi, McMillan and Posner. So it is no surprise to read the official 'history', inaccurate and error strewn, concerning 'The Assassination of JFK-Minute by Minute' and page after page of 'lone nut' garbage.
Mayo informs readers, in his work of history, all the blatant falsehoods from Warren's twenty six volumes that he has adopted from the dubious list of writers above. Example. "Arnold Rowland and his wife Barbara are standing opposite the Book Depository. Something catches Arnold's eye on the sixth floor. He can see A MAN at the window holding a gun, what looks like a fairly high-powered rifle because it has a scope." This may well have been taken from the likes of Posner. If Mayo wasn't so slapdash and careless he would learn that Arnold Rowland saw a man with a high-powered rifle standing about five feet from the southwest corner window, on the other side of the building from the 'sniper's nest.' Rowland who had better than 20/20 vision, described the man as 140 to 150 lbs.,light complected, with short cropped dark hair. He was wearing an unbuttoned light coloured shirt over a T-shirt and dark slacks. In the 'sniper's nest' window, Rowland saw a second man, black, about 55 years old, practically bald and very thin.
Oswald is the guilty lone-nut again by utilising partial testimony. "Bob Edwards and Ronald Fischer are on their lunch break, and standing on the edge of the kerb. Bob punches Ronald on the shoulder. 'Look at that guy there in that window. He looks like he's hiding from someone amongst those boxes!" Yet, a little further research shows that Fischer later said that he thought the shots came from just west of the TSBD and Fischer later told researcher Larry Harris that he did not think the man in the window was Oswald, insisting that the man in the window had light coloured hair.
On the plus side for this book, I haven't found any spelling or typo errors anywhere. Therefore there is no excuse for TSBD superintendent Roy Truly to be repeatedly referred to as Ron. Or for that matter deputy sheriff 'Buddy' Walthers' name to be given as Walters.
Am I nit picking with this book, or am I just annoyed with the same old mantra of Oswald did it, with three shots from a defective rifle, (or was it a Mauser) false reporting of ballistics, one magic bullet and a case railroaded by corrupt federal investigations and outright lies.
After fifty years, readers of history deserve better!
November 1, 2017
Brilliant and refreshing! No conspiracy theories, just notes and statements from real people involved in the assassination and by standers observations.
This genre is totally out of my comfort zone and not something I would usually read to be honest, I picked up in the local library for my Husband who is intrigued by the subject and thought I would check out a few chapters to see if he would like it......the rest is history!! I couldn't put it down. Obviously the murder of JFK will have people theorising for generations to come, although I haven't read other books on the subject I have seen plenty of documentaries and films which usually have a very one sided view. Thoroughly enjoyed reading this and forming my own opinion!
One thing clear from this and from the films and documentaries I have seen Jackie Kennedy was one hell of a woman!
This genre is totally out of my comfort zone and not something I would usually read to be honest, I picked up in the local library for my Husband who is intrigued by the subject and thought I would check out a few chapters to see if he would like it......the rest is history!! I couldn't put it down. Obviously the murder of JFK will have people theorising for generations to come, although I haven't read other books on the subject I have seen plenty of documentaries and films which usually have a very one sided view. Thoroughly enjoyed reading this and forming my own opinion!
One thing clear from this and from the films and documentaries I have seen Jackie Kennedy was one hell of a woman!
September 21, 2020
I had read Titanic Minute by Minute and loved it. This one was just OK. I think partly could be that I had such little knowledge of the people involved in Titanic and was fairly familiar with JFK. Also Titanic was really like a countdown to the people who would lose their life. This book started about 24 hours before JFK’s death so not the same affect.
July 15, 2017
After already reading a Mayo book, I feel I knew what to expect from this read. A very factual account of the events surrounding the assassination of JFK including the time each event took place. I loved Hitler's Last Day as it gave some really interesting facts and facts that maybe wasn't that widely known, however, this book seems to be very straightforward and includes nothing that hasn't already been written before.
I did enjoy the book despite giving it a 3 star rating and it did only take a couple of sittings to complete. Right at the beginning of the book, Mayo writes that he will focus on the facts rather than any conspiracy theories surrounding the assassination. Whilst it was good that he did make that clear from the beginning and the reader knows what to expect, I cant help but want more analysis around the theories. It would have been nice to read a bit of a debate, did Oswald assassinate JFK or not?
This book is great for people who just want to know the basic facts around the assassination. It is not for people who are already well researched or informed. That is one of my reasons for only giving it a 3 star rating. I wanted more. I wanted debate and analysis. I wanted to read different opinions of people who were there at the time but Mayo does make it clear from the start that is not what his book is about and I can respect that. It is still an interesting read without debate.
I did enjoy the book despite giving it a 3 star rating and it did only take a couple of sittings to complete. Right at the beginning of the book, Mayo writes that he will focus on the facts rather than any conspiracy theories surrounding the assassination. Whilst it was good that he did make that clear from the beginning and the reader knows what to expect, I cant help but want more analysis around the theories. It would have been nice to read a bit of a debate, did Oswald assassinate JFK or not?
This book is great for people who just want to know the basic facts around the assassination. It is not for people who are already well researched or informed. That is one of my reasons for only giving it a 3 star rating. I wanted more. I wanted debate and analysis. I wanted to read different opinions of people who were there at the time but Mayo does make it clear from the start that is not what his book is about and I can respect that. It is still an interesting read without debate.
August 23, 2024
The first page of this book describes the passing of time and endless conspiracies about JFK’s assassination as lessening its impact, and one of the purposes of the book is to restore that impact.
Minute by minute accomplishes this well. This book is a completely impartial, factual, and chronological depiction of events in the highest detail. Truly eye opening, harrowing, and so profoundly sad. It is extremely well written, all encompassing and offers a look at not just the assassination, but the events leading up to that day, the widespread impact on a plethora of people across the world as well as a look into the things from the Oswald’s perspectives. A brilliant read for anybody looking to learn about the detail of this tragic event in a matter-of-fact way.
Minute by minute accomplishes this well. This book is a completely impartial, factual, and chronological depiction of events in the highest detail. Truly eye opening, harrowing, and so profoundly sad. It is extremely well written, all encompassing and offers a look at not just the assassination, but the events leading up to that day, the widespread impact on a plethora of people across the world as well as a look into the things from the Oswald’s perspectives. A brilliant read for anybody looking to learn about the detail of this tragic event in a matter-of-fact way.
January 13, 2021
A great book that does exactly what the title suggests: gives a minute by minute account of the days before, during and after the assassination. Including the details and testimonies of the everyday person, not just the names we hear so often, brings a human element to the story and really brings to life just how much of an affect Kennedy, and his assassination, had on everyone to this day. A truly international and honest account of an event that shook the world, I would highly recommend this book to anyone.
January 1, 2025
This book what not what I expected, took me way too long to read it just didn’t grip my attention, I persevered and finished it. The ending of the book where it tells you what happened to the people involved in the assassination years later was a nice touch and did enjoy reading that.
May 5, 2025
I loved the format of the book with the individual timings on the different days I didn’t know much about the JFK assassination but found this really interesting I could hardly put it down and to finish a book in 3 days is some going for me
June 23, 2025
An intriguing format and well researched overview on the assassination and the hours and days that followed it, with some elements unknown to me beforehand detailed here which had piqued my interest.
July 10, 2018
Phenomenally engaging and boundlessly fascinating. I don’t recommend it be the only book you read on the subject but it definitely should be one of them.
May 5, 2020
Great read of just the facts. If you want conspiracies or speculation this isn't for you. But if you want to know what DID happen, then this is a great read.
June 4, 2020
Just what it says. No conspiracy theories.
July 23, 2021
Incredible book. Much of this I did not know about and was fascinated by the detail. Behind the scenes details of that terrible day. Well worth a read.
July 27, 2022
Read to a service user — what an incredible account of this crazy story!
February 17, 2023
Brilliant and interesting
March 7, 2023
While obviously nothing new in story was interesting to see events as they unfolded minute by minute from different perspectives
November 26, 2025
brilliant book, well researched. it feels more like a thriller novel than a non fiction book, well wrote, easy to read
January 8, 2024
You ever pick up a book just to keep your hand in on a subject no one will ever ask you about or come up in conversation?
May 29, 2024
***AUDIOBOOK***
Since most JFK-related stuff I consume tends to be about conspiracies and such, it was refreshing to hear a straightforward historical take that aims for accuracy instead of theory. By focusing on the people directly connected to the day in question, and segmenting it in few minute intervals, what emerges is a sort of oral history, but one that reads like a thriller. Terrifically engaging and filled with great little details (did you know that C.S Lewis and Aldous Huxley died the same day as Kennedy???). It brings the humanity and immediacy back to an event that is so commonly viewed only through hindsight and investigation. No gumshoes here, just the stories of the people involved. I can only imagine what it was like to live through that day.
I’d like for Mayo to do one of these minute-by-minute texts about 9/11, since that’s the only day in my lifetime which feels to be of similar historical import.
Since most JFK-related stuff I consume tends to be about conspiracies and such, it was refreshing to hear a straightforward historical take that aims for accuracy instead of theory. By focusing on the people directly connected to the day in question, and segmenting it in few minute intervals, what emerges is a sort of oral history, but one that reads like a thriller. Terrifically engaging and filled with great little details (did you know that C.S Lewis and Aldous Huxley died the same day as Kennedy???). It brings the humanity and immediacy back to an event that is so commonly viewed only through hindsight and investigation. No gumshoes here, just the stories of the people involved. I can only imagine what it was like to live through that day.
I’d like for Mayo to do one of these minute-by-minute texts about 9/11, since that’s the only day in my lifetime which feels to be of similar historical import.
August 5, 2017
A fascinating account of the week President Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas Texas. Covering the presidents arrival in Love Field all the way through to his heartwrenching funeral.
Anyone who is interested in the assassination should read this as it is full of little details that really stick with you. Accounts from all sides including secret service agents, Dallas police department members, the Kennedys, the Oswalds and many others give you an all round experience of the magnitude of the assassination.
There are a lot of names in here so I would suggest taking some notes, as you only get told once who the people are!
Anyone who is interested in the assassination should read this as it is full of little details that really stick with you. Accounts from all sides including secret service agents, Dallas police department members, the Kennedys, the Oswalds and many others give you an all round experience of the magnitude of the assassination.
There are a lot of names in here so I would suggest taking some notes, as you only get told once who the people are!
March 11, 2015
This book covers four days, three murders and looks a dozens of witnesses who all played a small part in this historic event. An interesting chronological narrative of the events surrounding the assassination of JFK.
I listened to the BBC Radio 2 documentary which this book ties in with and I hoped that the book might give me a little more information but it appeared to be almost a copy of the documentary. Setting aside that disappointment I did find this book a pacey interesting insight into what happened that fateful weekend.
I listened to the BBC Radio 2 documentary which this book ties in with and I hoped that the book might give me a little more information but it appeared to be almost a copy of the documentary. Setting aside that disappointment I did find this book a pacey interesting insight into what happened that fateful weekend.
March 22, 2015
A fairly basic account of what went on that weekend in 1963. You can really sense the panic, confusion, sadness and anger that prevailed. A decent book for anyone being introduced to the events but don't expect any theory, analysis or debate.
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews