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End of Days: The Assassination of John F. Kennedy
In End of Days, James L. Swanson, the New York Times bestselling author of Manhunt: The 12-Day Chase for Lincoln's Killer, brings to life the minute-by-minute details of the JFK assassination—from the Kennedys' arrival in Texas through the shooting in Dealey Plaza and the shocking aftermath that continues to reverberate in our national consciousness fifty years later.
The assassination of John F. Kennedy on November 22, 1963, has been the subject of enduring debate, speculation, and numerous conspiracy theories, but Swanson's absorbing and complete account follows the event hour-by-hour, from the moment Lee Harvey Oswald conceived of the crime three days before its execution, to his own murder two days later at a Dallas Police precinct at the hands of Jack Ruby, a two-bit nightclub owner.
Based on sweeping research never before collected so powerfully in a single volume, and illustrated with photographs, End of Days distills Kennedy's assassination into a pulse-pounding thriller that is sure to become the definitive popular account of this historic crime for years to come.
The assassination of John F. Kennedy on November 22, 1963, has been the subject of enduring debate, speculation, and numerous conspiracy theories, but Swanson's absorbing and complete account follows the event hour-by-hour, from the moment Lee Harvey Oswald conceived of the crime three days before its execution, to his own murder two days later at a Dallas Police precinct at the hands of Jack Ruby, a two-bit nightclub owner.
Based on sweeping research never before collected so powerfully in a single volume, and illustrated with photographs, End of Days distills Kennedy's assassination into a pulse-pounding thriller that is sure to become the definitive popular account of this historic crime for years to come.
421 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 12, 2013
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About the author
James L. Swanson
31 books377 followersJames 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.
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November 16, 2013
Five things about End of Days: The Assassination of John F. Kennedy by James L. Swanson
1. As I writer I do not know how I would feel about someone saying this about me, but Swanson is the master of the assassination book. Given that I am somehow drawn to read about both Lincoln and Kennedy's assassinations I would think I would take it as a complement as a writer. I read Swanson's book on the Lincoln assassination a few years ago. Actually I read it when my wife and I were on our honeymoon. At the same time that I was reading about the Lincoln assassination she was reading The Devil Wears Prada. No doubt psychologists would have something insightful to say about our marriage based our honeymoon reading choices.
2. I really appreciated the lack of mythologizing in the book. Kennedy's life and death have been so overly dramatized at this point, due in large part to the efforts of Jackie Kennedy, that it was good to read a well-written book that focused more on the actually story than the mythical implications of the story.
3. It is always interesting to think about what a book makes me Google. End of Days had me researching the name Inga Arvad. JFK's propensity for illicit affairs is well-known. I did not know one of them during WW2 included a woman who might have been a Nazi spy.
4. As I mentioned earlier my views on the perpetrators of the Kennedy assassination have shifted as I have grown older. I loved the fact that Swanson decided to tell a story without trying to throw up a yield sign every time it was possible that something could have pointed to a conspiracy. As I read the book I was struck by how much incompetence (Secret Service, Dallas Police Department) can look like a conspiracy. Here is Swanson's own summary of his beliefs about a conspiracy from the book's epilogue:
Some of the theories rely on falsified evidence. Others are based on lies. Some theorists believe the same master conspiracy behind the Kennedy assassination controls other important and nefarious events in American life, including other subsequent assassinations. But all of the theories have one thing in common. They reject the proven role that chance, luck, randomness, coincidence, or mistake have played in human history for thousands of years. To them, there are no accidents in life. Everything that happens can be explained by conspiracy. Just as the conspiracy theorists have questioned everything about the assassination, so must a reader question their writings with equal skepticism. Today we know much more about the assassination of President Kennedy than the members of the Warren Commission did. More information and sophisticated advances in science and technology have illuminated the crime and its evidence in new ways. No one, after all these years, has yet disproved the key conclusion of the Warren Commission: Lee Harvey Oswald was the assassin and he acted alone. Indeed, in the future —fifty or one hundred years from now— it is more likely that the discovery of any new evidence, along with further scientific advances, will only strengthen the case against Lee Harvey Oswald as the lone gunman.*
5. There was one particular place in the book that was a bit of a tearjerker, and it is probably a good place to end. It is easy to think about someone like Kennedy and to remember everything but that he was a father to young children. Robert McNamara was the Secretary of Defense under JFK. After the assassination Jackie Kennedy and her children moved out of the White House. McNamara and his wife had been close to the Kennedy family which led to this story from the book:
On December 11, 1963, the McNamaras sent over a gift to Jackie at the Harriman house. It was an oil painting of the president by the artist Charles Fox. When Jackie unwrapped it, she was shocked. She did not want it. It was not an issue of whether or not she liked it. She could not bear to look at it. It was too painful. She sent a handwritten note asking forgiveness for declining a gift “from the man in his cabinet who gave the most (as much as Jack’s own brother Bobby gave)” to JFK. Jackie explained : “I am in a strange locking of horns where I am sure the Secretary of Defense and his wife can outwit me. PLEASE I don’t want you to give anything more for Jack— you gave him all— and my consolation is that he will be remembered as great— because of Bob McNamara.” Jackie confided that she could not even bear to display photographs of her husband. “The only photograph I have here of Jack is where his back is turned.” She did not hang the oil painting. The picture was on the floor, “propped up against the wall at the little study outside my bedroom. Tonight John came out of my bedroom with a lollipop in his mouth. The picture I love was right in his way— and he took the lollipop out and kissed the picture and said Goodnight Daddy.” That broke her heart. Jackie warned the secretary of defense, “Mr. Fox may find sugary imprints he never painted in, on that picture, but you see why we could never bear to have it near us— it brings to the surface too many things.” Jackie suggested that the McNamaras take back the painting and donate it to the Kennedy Library several years down the road, after the institution was built. “So if you wish to give it to the Library and keep it till then, it would be such an honor— but what I would love most of all— is if both of you who have given so much would give nothing more— except your friendship always.”**
*Swanson, James L. (2013-11-12). End of Days: The Assassination of John F. Kennedy (pp. 296-297). HarperCollins. Kindle Edition.
**Swanson, James L. (2013-11-12). End of Days: The Assassination of John F. Kennedy (pp. 274-275). HarperCollins. Kindle Edition.
1. As I writer I do not know how I would feel about someone saying this about me, but Swanson is the master of the assassination book. Given that I am somehow drawn to read about both Lincoln and Kennedy's assassinations I would think I would take it as a complement as a writer. I read Swanson's book on the Lincoln assassination a few years ago. Actually I read it when my wife and I were on our honeymoon. At the same time that I was reading about the Lincoln assassination she was reading The Devil Wears Prada. No doubt psychologists would have something insightful to say about our marriage based our honeymoon reading choices.
2. I really appreciated the lack of mythologizing in the book. Kennedy's life and death have been so overly dramatized at this point, due in large part to the efforts of Jackie Kennedy, that it was good to read a well-written book that focused more on the actually story than the mythical implications of the story.
3. It is always interesting to think about what a book makes me Google. End of Days had me researching the name Inga Arvad. JFK's propensity for illicit affairs is well-known. I did not know one of them during WW2 included a woman who might have been a Nazi spy.
4. As I mentioned earlier my views on the perpetrators of the Kennedy assassination have shifted as I have grown older. I loved the fact that Swanson decided to tell a story without trying to throw up a yield sign every time it was possible that something could have pointed to a conspiracy. As I read the book I was struck by how much incompetence (Secret Service, Dallas Police Department) can look like a conspiracy. Here is Swanson's own summary of his beliefs about a conspiracy from the book's epilogue:
Some of the theories rely on falsified evidence. Others are based on lies. Some theorists believe the same master conspiracy behind the Kennedy assassination controls other important and nefarious events in American life, including other subsequent assassinations. But all of the theories have one thing in common. They reject the proven role that chance, luck, randomness, coincidence, or mistake have played in human history for thousands of years. To them, there are no accidents in life. Everything that happens can be explained by conspiracy. Just as the conspiracy theorists have questioned everything about the assassination, so must a reader question their writings with equal skepticism. Today we know much more about the assassination of President Kennedy than the members of the Warren Commission did. More information and sophisticated advances in science and technology have illuminated the crime and its evidence in new ways. No one, after all these years, has yet disproved the key conclusion of the Warren Commission: Lee Harvey Oswald was the assassin and he acted alone. Indeed, in the future —fifty or one hundred years from now— it is more likely that the discovery of any new evidence, along with further scientific advances, will only strengthen the case against Lee Harvey Oswald as the lone gunman.*
5. There was one particular place in the book that was a bit of a tearjerker, and it is probably a good place to end. It is easy to think about someone like Kennedy and to remember everything but that he was a father to young children. Robert McNamara was the Secretary of Defense under JFK. After the assassination Jackie Kennedy and her children moved out of the White House. McNamara and his wife had been close to the Kennedy family which led to this story from the book:
On December 11, 1963, the McNamaras sent over a gift to Jackie at the Harriman house. It was an oil painting of the president by the artist Charles Fox. When Jackie unwrapped it, she was shocked. She did not want it. It was not an issue of whether or not she liked it. She could not bear to look at it. It was too painful. She sent a handwritten note asking forgiveness for declining a gift “from the man in his cabinet who gave the most (as much as Jack’s own brother Bobby gave)” to JFK. Jackie explained : “I am in a strange locking of horns where I am sure the Secretary of Defense and his wife can outwit me. PLEASE I don’t want you to give anything more for Jack— you gave him all— and my consolation is that he will be remembered as great— because of Bob McNamara.” Jackie confided that she could not even bear to display photographs of her husband. “The only photograph I have here of Jack is where his back is turned.” She did not hang the oil painting. The picture was on the floor, “propped up against the wall at the little study outside my bedroom. Tonight John came out of my bedroom with a lollipop in his mouth. The picture I love was right in his way— and he took the lollipop out and kissed the picture and said Goodnight Daddy.” That broke her heart. Jackie warned the secretary of defense, “Mr. Fox may find sugary imprints he never painted in, on that picture, but you see why we could never bear to have it near us— it brings to the surface too many things.” Jackie suggested that the McNamaras take back the painting and donate it to the Kennedy Library several years down the road, after the institution was built. “So if you wish to give it to the Library and keep it till then, it would be such an honor— but what I would love most of all— is if both of you who have given so much would give nothing more— except your friendship always.”**
*Swanson, James L. (2013-11-12). End of Days: The Assassination of John F. Kennedy (pp. 296-297). HarperCollins. Kindle Edition.
**Swanson, James L. (2013-11-12). End of Days: The Assassination of John F. Kennedy (pp. 274-275). HarperCollins. Kindle Edition.
September 13, 2016
When I began this book on the JFK assassination, I leaned more toward the conspiracy theories than the lone gunman theory. It’s not that I’m all that informed on any of the particular theories, but my reasoning was two-fold. First, revenge never struck me as a strong enough motive for Jack Ruby to have killed Oswald. Shutting him up seemed much more likely. Second – and I came to this conclusion in part from Swanson's previous book, Manhunt: The 12-Day Chase for Lincoln's Killer – since John Wilkes Booth killed Lincoln as part of a larger conspiracy, it’s not so outlandish to think that something similar could have happened to Kennedy. But as Swanson states several times in this book, Lee Harvey Oswald was not John Wilkes Booth. He didn’t even plan an escape route.
So after reading this book, I am almost completely convinced that Oswald was a lone gunman. Swanson paints the picture of a psychopath, and in this day and age of school shootings, it’s naïve to think that one man couldn’t have done it alone. The assassins of Garfield and McKinley were also lone gunmen, as was John Hinckley Jr. A single individual can wreak a tremendous amount of damage.
On that same note, my conclusion that “revenge is not a strong enough motive” was similarly naïve. The public cries for revenge all the time. The way Swanson portrays it, the hatred for Oswald was about equal to the hatred of Osama bin Ladden after 9/11. The police station holding him got plenty of death threats.
So all in all, the book was excellent. Just like Manhunt, it was page-turning history. The Oswald sections were the most interesting, but the sections about Jackie gave me a new appreciation for her, too. “Camelot” may have been her invention, but one thing is clear, JFK’s assassination was a terrible blow to the country, and we never will know how different the world might have been had he lived.
So after reading this book, I am almost completely convinced that Oswald was a lone gunman. Swanson paints the picture of a psychopath, and in this day and age of school shootings, it’s naïve to think that one man couldn’t have done it alone. The assassins of Garfield and McKinley were also lone gunmen, as was John Hinckley Jr. A single individual can wreak a tremendous amount of damage.
On that same note, my conclusion that “revenge is not a strong enough motive” was similarly naïve. The public cries for revenge all the time. The way Swanson portrays it, the hatred for Oswald was about equal to the hatred of Osama bin Ladden after 9/11. The police station holding him got plenty of death threats.
So all in all, the book was excellent. Just like Manhunt, it was page-turning history. The Oswald sections were the most interesting, but the sections about Jackie gave me a new appreciation for her, too. “Camelot” may have been her invention, but one thing is clear, JFK’s assassination was a terrible blow to the country, and we never will know how different the world might have been had he lived.
June 14, 2021
Having read this book before I thought I would revisit reading it again. There is so many books written on the assassination of JFK but every time I look at this book its the front jacket sleeve that returns me to this book. It's not the picture of of JFK and his wife that sticks out, nor is the Air Force One that is in the background. What reminds me of the assassination of JFK is his wife's pink suit she is wearing. When I first saw her in that suit was when I saw her returning with her assassinated husband on Air Force One. I watched her descend that airplane on my grainy black and white TV in 1963 not knowing what color it was. Her dress was still covered with the blood and human remains of the President. Of all the pictures and there are many, Jacqueline's pink dress suit triggers flashbacks in the minds of every person who remembers November 22,1963. On the television screens as the coffin comes off the plane and she walks to the ambulance viewers saw that her legs and clothes are covered in blood. It was her way of burning images into the memories of the American people so that we would never forget what happen. https://soul.lessonslearnedinlife.com...
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this account of the assassination of JFK. James Swanson with great attention to detail gives us a hard to put down book on the assassination. Swanson gives you a simple straight-forward accounting of that tragic event in American history, and its aftermath. As someone who remembers that fateful day I've always been fascinated by all of the theories of conspiracy. If you believe in the conspiracy theories about the assassination it is probably best to skip this book. He extensively treats the conspiracy literature both in the source notes and the bibliography. No doubt, it is an uphill battle, when confronted with individuals who continually make up, distort, and mischaracterize the evidence surrounding the assassination. Swanson does not. He also clearly states that his intent was to provide a minute-by-minute account to bring readers back to this time when JFK was assassinated, and not directly address the multiple conflicting and contradictory conspiracy theories. Yet, the detailed account of the run up to the dastardly deed, the manhunt and the interrogation of the perpetrator was masterful. I'll never can get enough new information about the assassination. I highly recommend this book to anyone else who is equally as obsessed as me. Amazing cover as well.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this account of the assassination of JFK. James Swanson with great attention to detail gives us a hard to put down book on the assassination. Swanson gives you a simple straight-forward accounting of that tragic event in American history, and its aftermath. As someone who remembers that fateful day I've always been fascinated by all of the theories of conspiracy. If you believe in the conspiracy theories about the assassination it is probably best to skip this book. He extensively treats the conspiracy literature both in the source notes and the bibliography. No doubt, it is an uphill battle, when confronted with individuals who continually make up, distort, and mischaracterize the evidence surrounding the assassination. Swanson does not. He also clearly states that his intent was to provide a minute-by-minute account to bring readers back to this time when JFK was assassinated, and not directly address the multiple conflicting and contradictory conspiracy theories. Yet, the detailed account of the run up to the dastardly deed, the manhunt and the interrogation of the perpetrator was masterful. I'll never can get enough new information about the assassination. I highly recommend this book to anyone else who is equally as obsessed as me. Amazing cover as well.
November 24, 2013
I am a Kennedy assassination junkie--I want to admit that up front. I read this book in a few hours and stayed up to 2 a.m. to do it. Swanson focuses on the lead-up to the assassination by alternating the lives of JFK and Oswald day by day. The details of the actual event and its aftermath are concrete and interesting. He only deals with the conspiracy theories at the very end with a few paragraphs. To me, the book through its clear narration of events, shows where the problems lie--the shots themselves, the lack of a Dallas autopsy, Oswald's apparent lack of motive, murder of Tippet, capture, and murder by Dallas police carelessness or intent. For me, the questions are still unanswered, so the assassination is endlessly interesting.
January 27, 2014
Anyone who knows me from the "old days"—IUP days—knows that I could always be called upon to espouse the latest theory on the assassination of John F. Kennedy. In those days, books like Six Seconds in Dallas or They've Killed the President lined my book shelves. I've since come to the following conclusions about the assassination:
So, it was with some hesitancy that I picked up End of Days. I first previewed it in iBooks and ran across these words that sealed the deal for me:
Years ago, I read a book by Jim Bishop, The Day Lincoln Died, which avoided speculation about conspiracies, etc. and just told the story of that day; the human side of that drama. This book does the same.
I remember feeling a strange sadness while reading (pp. 60–63) about the Kennedy's plans after the Texas trip...JohnJohn's birthday party, a dinner party on Monday the 25th, Thanksgiving. Swanson successfully captures the anticipation we all felt (and still feel) about what would have happened if he had lived?
The author makes an assertion that is certainly interesting, especially if true. The author quotes Marina, on the night before the assassination: "'He (Oswald) suggested that we rent an apartment. He was tired of living alone.'" Marina, even after bargaining with Oswald to get a washing machine, said "no"—the author thinks that if she had said "yes" that Oswald would have changed his mind about killing Kennedy, saying, "If Oswald was not reconsidering killing Kennedy, he would have had no reason to find a better apartment or purchase a washing machine." Interesting proposition—so, is it Marina's fault?
The narrative on the shooting is riveting and suspenseful—quite an accomplishment, given that everyone knows the outcome. I found myself hoping for a missed third shot, even though I knew it's history.
The fact that Lee Harvey Oswald was a loser is evident throughout the book—I think this is the genesis of our obsession with assassination theories. We have trouble believing that a loser, like Oswald, could, all by himself, take the life of our "King" of "Camelot." That "such an inconsequential man as Oswald could change history in such a monumental way." The author does not delve into the assassination theories, other than to debunk them, writing, "They reject the proven role that chance, luck, randomness, coincidence, or mistake have played in human history for thousands of years. To them, there are no accidents in life. Everything that happens can be explained by conspiracy."
Why did Oswald kill Kennedy? The author speculates that "...in the end, perhaps the reason is much simpler and more fundamental and lies beyond rational human understanding: Lee Harvey Oswald was evil...(and) he taunts us still, defying us to solve the mystery of the why that he left behind."
The Dallas police, in a classic case of trying to please everyone and therefore pleasing none, bungled the handling of Oswald. Dallas law enforcement, afraid that the country was assigning "collective guilt" to Dallas for the assassination, treated the press with unheard of courtesy and access. Jack Ruby, a two-bit nightclub owner and Kennedy admirer, used the police's goodwill and media-sensitiveness to his advantage, killing Oswald as he was being transferred from one jail to another. When announced to the waiting crowd that Oswald had been shot and was on his way to Parkland hospital, there were "howls of delight outside the county jail...it was hard to not take pleasure in the knowledge that John Kennedy's murderer has suffered a kind of Old Testament or western vigilante justice for his great crime." Nevertheless, "most of the American people wanted Oswald to survive this day...(they) wanted answers. Who was he? How did he do it? Why did he do it? If Lee Harvey Oswald died, he would take his secrets to the grave."
Amazing, the Dallas police, while possessing seasoned investigators and interrogators, did not tape any of the interviews with Oswald. What were they thinking? This man just killed the president and they didn't record their interviews with him?
A year after the assassination, Jackie summed up the feelings of so many Americans when she said, "...so now, he is a legend when he would have preferred to be a man."
James Swanson wanted this book to "re-create a moment when time stopped. It seeks to recapture how Americans lived through this tragedy..." I think Mr. Swanson has done this with aplomb. This is our modern day Death of a President told with the clarity that 50 years brings. But in the end, Kennedy is still "a legend when he would have preferred to be a man."
• Lee Harvey Oswald probably acted alone.
• There are no secrets in our society. If, in 50 years, no other gunman has been identified, then it's probably because none exist.
• Even so, the Warren Commission was flawed in the research, technique and conclusions.
So, it was with some hesitancy that I picked up End of Days. I first previewed it in iBooks and ran across these words that sealed the deal for me:
This book attempts to re-create a moment when time stopped. It seeks to recapture how Americans lived through this tragedy and to resurrect the mood and emotions of those unforgettable days between President John F. Kennedy's murder and his funeral... our misguided modern–day obsessions with exotic, multiple, and contradictory conspiracy theories involving tales of grassy knolls, umbrella men, magic bullets, second gunmen, Oswald impostors, doctored films, fraudulent photographs, and all–powerful government cover–ups has caused us to lose the emotional connection to the events of November 1963. We have strayed too far from the human truths of that day. A wife lost her husband. Two children lost their father. A nation lost a president... the death of one man caused a nation to weep. Half a century later, Americans refuse to forget him. We mourn him still.
Years ago, I read a book by Jim Bishop, The Day Lincoln Died, which avoided speculation about conspiracies, etc. and just told the story of that day; the human side of that drama. This book does the same.
I remember feeling a strange sadness while reading (pp. 60–63) about the Kennedy's plans after the Texas trip...JohnJohn's birthday party, a dinner party on Monday the 25th, Thanksgiving. Swanson successfully captures the anticipation we all felt (and still feel) about what would have happened if he had lived?
The author makes an assertion that is certainly interesting, especially if true. The author quotes Marina, on the night before the assassination: "'He (Oswald) suggested that we rent an apartment. He was tired of living alone.'" Marina, even after bargaining with Oswald to get a washing machine, said "no"—the author thinks that if she had said "yes" that Oswald would have changed his mind about killing Kennedy, saying, "If Oswald was not reconsidering killing Kennedy, he would have had no reason to find a better apartment or purchase a washing machine." Interesting proposition—so, is it Marina's fault?
The narrative on the shooting is riveting and suspenseful—quite an accomplishment, given that everyone knows the outcome. I found myself hoping for a missed third shot, even though I knew it's history.
The fact that Lee Harvey Oswald was a loser is evident throughout the book—I think this is the genesis of our obsession with assassination theories. We have trouble believing that a loser, like Oswald, could, all by himself, take the life of our "King" of "Camelot." That "such an inconsequential man as Oswald could change history in such a monumental way." The author does not delve into the assassination theories, other than to debunk them, writing, "They reject the proven role that chance, luck, randomness, coincidence, or mistake have played in human history for thousands of years. To them, there are no accidents in life. Everything that happens can be explained by conspiracy."
Why did Oswald kill Kennedy? The author speculates that "...in the end, perhaps the reason is much simpler and more fundamental and lies beyond rational human understanding: Lee Harvey Oswald was evil...(and) he taunts us still, defying us to solve the mystery of the why that he left behind."
The Dallas police, in a classic case of trying to please everyone and therefore pleasing none, bungled the handling of Oswald. Dallas law enforcement, afraid that the country was assigning "collective guilt" to Dallas for the assassination, treated the press with unheard of courtesy and access. Jack Ruby, a two-bit nightclub owner and Kennedy admirer, used the police's goodwill and media-sensitiveness to his advantage, killing Oswald as he was being transferred from one jail to another. When announced to the waiting crowd that Oswald had been shot and was on his way to Parkland hospital, there were "howls of delight outside the county jail...it was hard to not take pleasure in the knowledge that John Kennedy's murderer has suffered a kind of Old Testament or western vigilante justice for his great crime." Nevertheless, "most of the American people wanted Oswald to survive this day...(they) wanted answers. Who was he? How did he do it? Why did he do it? If Lee Harvey Oswald died, he would take his secrets to the grave."
Amazing, the Dallas police, while possessing seasoned investigators and interrogators, did not tape any of the interviews with Oswald. What were they thinking? This man just killed the president and they didn't record their interviews with him?
The assassination of President John F. Kennedy on November 22, 1963, is as compelling as any drama written by William Shakespeare. It is the great American tragedy.
A year after the assassination, Jackie summed up the feelings of so many Americans when she said, "...so now, he is a legend when he would have preferred to be a man."
James Swanson wanted this book to "re-create a moment when time stopped. It seeks to recapture how Americans lived through this tragedy..." I think Mr. Swanson has done this with aplomb. This is our modern day Death of a President told with the clarity that 50 years brings. But in the end, Kennedy is still "a legend when he would have preferred to be a man."
November 18, 2013
An interesting story, ham-fistedly told. The account of JFK's assassination is inherently gripping and I've had a longstanding personal fascination with the subject. However, the author of this book tried my patience.
The book is written in a breathless, lurid tone, and more unforgivably, it is ridiculously pedantic and repetitive. The writing style is at roughly a sixth grade level, and he repeats things constantly. You will wonder if you lost your place on the page but nope, it's just Swanson reiterating what he just said twice, three, maybe four times to make sure you got it through your thick skull whatever insipid point he's making.
Further, he's clumsily inconsistent in his effort to add drama to a story that needs no embellishment. At one point he says that some witnesses who were watching the parade from the 5th floor of the Book Depository knew exactly what had caused the sounds of explosions (the shots) above them. And two sentences later, he quotes one of the witnesses, who basically says, "I had no idea what caused the sounds." ?!?! Why, WHY, try to throw in these little flourishes if you can't even be consistent enough to redact the quote that gives the lie to your gloss on events? This happens over and over.
It's this general incompetence in the writing that soured me on a book that otherwise should have earned an easy A in my book. Surely there are better accounts of this well-trod historical ground out there. Find them.
The book is written in a breathless, lurid tone, and more unforgivably, it is ridiculously pedantic and repetitive. The writing style is at roughly a sixth grade level, and he repeats things constantly. You will wonder if you lost your place on the page but nope, it's just Swanson reiterating what he just said twice, three, maybe four times to make sure you got it through your thick skull whatever insipid point he's making.
Further, he's clumsily inconsistent in his effort to add drama to a story that needs no embellishment. At one point he says that some witnesses who were watching the parade from the 5th floor of the Book Depository knew exactly what had caused the sounds of explosions (the shots) above them. And two sentences later, he quotes one of the witnesses, who basically says, "I had no idea what caused the sounds." ?!?! Why, WHY, try to throw in these little flourishes if you can't even be consistent enough to redact the quote that gives the lie to your gloss on events? This happens over and over.
It's this general incompetence in the writing that soured me on a book that otherwise should have earned an easy A in my book. Surely there are better accounts of this well-trod historical ground out there. Find them.
November 20, 2013
I rate this book as good, but not outstanding in any way. Four Days in November, by Vincent Bugliosi, relates the same story in far more detail, as well as in a less pedestrian style. From this book I learned little about the Kennedy assassination that I didn't already know, but I did discover at least one rather glaring historical error. The author twice mentions JFK's "flag-draped" casket being returned to Washington and carried off Air Force One when the Presidential jet landed at Andrews Air Force Base a few hours after the assassination. But no flag ever covered that casket, which was made of bronze and was not the one in which he was buried. Its handles had been damaged in transit, so it was replaced with a very expensive mahogany casket, which in turn was draped with the American flag and is the one remembered by everyone who was alive at the time and followed the events of that dark weekend. The original bronze casket, sans flag, was manhandled off the plane in an unceremonious, rather undignified, and almost rough manner. (The author later mentions that in 1966, upon instructions from Robert Kennedy, the original casket was sunk in the Atlantic.)
Notwithstanding my own rather lukewarm experience with it, I would recommend this book to anyone who is unfamiliar with the Kennedy assassination but wants a quick and easy read on it.
Notwithstanding my own rather lukewarm experience with it, I would recommend this book to anyone who is unfamiliar with the Kennedy assassination but wants a quick and easy read on it.
December 31, 2013
A pedestrian narration of the events surrounding the assassination of JFK. It is superficial and unduly melodramatic and adds nothing to the discussion. I particularly object to Swanson's penchant for attributing thoughts and inner dialogue to people when he has absolutely no way of knowing what those individuals were thinking. If you want to read a thorough treatment of the assassination, read Manchester.
May 1, 2020
This is the third book I've read by Mr. Swanson. He writes in a simple and readily enjoyable style. This is a good book for younger readers to introduce them to this dark period in American history. If there is any fault it is in the lack of depth. If you are a conspiracy theorist you will want to skip this book.
January 30, 2025
Wow. I should really look into the conspiracy theories but I’m pretty skeptical of them. This book also confirms my fascination with Jackie, though I probably just sound like any person who lived through this in the 60s.
May 21, 2014
The assassination of President Kennedy has been covered from every angle by the press and in many books. This particular book presents the facts - well known and obscure - in a manner that makes the reader feel present in the moment. I was a self absorbed teenager on November 22nd, 1963. The full horror of the situation did not reveal itself to me until years later. How ironic and unjust that an inconsequential man with no accomplishments should end the life of a man who had dedicated his life to public service.
March 4, 2023
Well-written and hard to put down, the book is mainly a narrative summary that repeats key conclusions of the Warren Commission's report. I enjoyed reading it in terms of narrative, and more of a focus on Jackie. However, when it comes to critical analysis—both of the official report and numerous 'conspiracy theories'—I much preferred Gerald Posner's 'Case Closed'.
July 31, 2021
The author James L. Swanson wrote one of my favorite history books -- Manhunt: The 12-Day Chase for Lincoln's Killer -- so I thought I'd tackle his book about the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. The author/researcher gives this horrible day, November 22, 1963, the same thorough, detailed examination of this sad moment that changed American history that he gave to Lincoln's assassination and the search for John Wilkes Booth.
Those looking for conspiracy theories or suppositions about the assassination likely will be disappointed because this is strictly a minute-by-minute account of the day. He offers the details of JFK's schedule from the moment he lands in Texas to the president's sad return to the White House in an American flag-draped coffin, accompanied by his devoted wife. He gives equal time to Oswald's movements through Dallas, including his preparations and his fateful trip to the sixth floor of the Texas Book Depository and on to his own murder by Jack Ruby.
Those of us who lived through that American tragedy will never forget where we were or what we were doing when we heard the news; that fateful moment was followed by several days glued to our black-and-white television sets, culminating in the beautiful but sad funeral. So, this book will be a reminder of each step at each hour of each day.
For those who were not yet born or were too young to remember, this is a great place to start learning about the assassination. Some may find it dry; I found it extremely well-written, well-researched, and thoroughly detailed. It is important to know about this impactful day and this book is a good place to begin acquiring that knowledge.
Those looking for conspiracy theories or suppositions about the assassination likely will be disappointed because this is strictly a minute-by-minute account of the day. He offers the details of JFK's schedule from the moment he lands in Texas to the president's sad return to the White House in an American flag-draped coffin, accompanied by his devoted wife. He gives equal time to Oswald's movements through Dallas, including his preparations and his fateful trip to the sixth floor of the Texas Book Depository and on to his own murder by Jack Ruby.
Those of us who lived through that American tragedy will never forget where we were or what we were doing when we heard the news; that fateful moment was followed by several days glued to our black-and-white television sets, culminating in the beautiful but sad funeral. So, this book will be a reminder of each step at each hour of each day.
For those who were not yet born or were too young to remember, this is a great place to start learning about the assassination. Some may find it dry; I found it extremely well-written, well-researched, and thoroughly detailed. It is important to know about this impactful day and this book is a good place to begin acquiring that knowledge.
November 21, 2022
I didn't intentionally read this book so close to the anniversary of JFK's assassination, but in doing so, the story hit deeper given the way it's written.
Jumping back and forth between Oswald and the scene with Kennedy, End of Days: The Assassination of John F. Kennedy tells the story of the assassination from A to Z. I'll say it's more focused on Oswald and his motives, but we get a lot of Jackie's perspective toward the end as well.
The writing was strong and brought me to tears a couple of times, making the tragedy feel so current. I imagine the impact would be even stronger for someone who was alive during that time. What I didn't like was how vigorously it changed perspectives and that there were a lot of gaps in the chain of events. I also tend not to trust books that start and end by saying that this is the only possibility and you're wrong to question otherwise. I'm not someone who makes it a mission to disprove the official story no matter my opinion on it, but I'm automatically going to be suspicious of any take that discourages further questions (the same goes for books on the conspiracy side). These comments gave the book a negative tone. Otherwise, it was an emotional, albeit bare-bones, take on 11/22/1963.
Jumping back and forth between Oswald and the scene with Kennedy, End of Days: The Assassination of John F. Kennedy tells the story of the assassination from A to Z. I'll say it's more focused on Oswald and his motives, but we get a lot of Jackie's perspective toward the end as well.
The writing was strong and brought me to tears a couple of times, making the tragedy feel so current. I imagine the impact would be even stronger for someone who was alive during that time. What I didn't like was how vigorously it changed perspectives and that there were a lot of gaps in the chain of events. I also tend not to trust books that start and end by saying that this is the only possibility and you're wrong to question otherwise. I'm not someone who makes it a mission to disprove the official story no matter my opinion on it, but I'm automatically going to be suspicious of any take that discourages further questions (the same goes for books on the conspiracy side). These comments gave the book a negative tone. Otherwise, it was an emotional, albeit bare-bones, take on 11/22/1963.
May 23, 2020
First, I'll share that I'm biased because I am a complete fangirl of James L. Swanson. I had the pleasure of meeting him at a book conference and could hardly contain myself (I even have a picture). Now I'm walking back to read everything he's written because I started with his compelling YA / young readers versions of some of his most popular books. So, this was one of them. Second, I was born on November 22nd. And I've always felt some sort of affinity to JFK sharing this infamous date.
If I could have ignored every duty I had and ignore everyone to read it in one sitting, I would have. Did I come close to shunning every duty in order to read this riveting tale? Absolutely. And here's the kicker-- I know the general story, right? Everyone does. But Swanson is the most epic history storytellers by delivering the research in narrative format.
... I teared up twice while reading the book. I also spent a lot of time nodding. Then sometimes puzzled because Swanson adeptly shares the facts. Then I become awestruck. He literally wrote two chapters-- several dozen pages about 10 seconds and it was the shortest and longest in equal measure. His words are powerful and his presentation is skilled.
If I could have ignored every duty I had and ignore everyone to read it in one sitting, I would have. Did I come close to shunning every duty in order to read this riveting tale? Absolutely. And here's the kicker-- I know the general story, right? Everyone does. But Swanson is the most epic history storytellers by delivering the research in narrative format.
... I teared up twice while reading the book. I also spent a lot of time nodding. Then sometimes puzzled because Swanson adeptly shares the facts. Then I become awestruck. He literally wrote two chapters-- several dozen pages about 10 seconds and it was the shortest and longest in equal measure. His words are powerful and his presentation is skilled.
April 30, 2020
The book is a good read if you are interested in all things JFK and Jackie!! I enjoyed reading the timeline pertaining to what Oswald was doing at the same time as the Kennedys. I was in 2nd grade at the time of this historical event and remember hearing the announcement at school, which made the book more personal to me. I rated it three stars because several sections contained more description that I wanted to read. And even though I enjoyed the read while reliving history, it wasn’t a page turner for me.
June 1, 2025
The book was solid and I felt like I learned a lot about the assassination that I didn’t know
May 5, 2024
Swanson presents an equally focused
and compelling human centric narrative of JFK's assassination. He's a master of keeping you on the edge of your seat, while you wait for what you know is coming next. Occasionally, he over extends this power, baiting the audience into thinking he is describing one thing, when he is actually somewhere else. All the same, this is one of the most engaging historical books I've read this year.
and compelling human centric narrative of JFK's assassination. He's a master of keeping you on the edge of your seat, while you wait for what you know is coming next. Occasionally, he over extends this power, baiting the audience into thinking he is describing one thing, when he is actually somewhere else. All the same, this is one of the most engaging historical books I've read this year.
November 25, 2013
This book was rushed into bookstores on November 13th, just nine days before the 50th Anniversary of that tragic day, and, unfortunately, it shows.
For the most part, the writing is flat, dull, and repetitive. It does manage, however, at the same time, to effectively track the last 48 hours, hour by hour, of both Kennedy and Oswald until that moment when their paths crossed on November 22nd, 1963 at 12:30 CST in Dealey Plaza in Dallas. Many eye witness quotes are used.
As a Baby Boomer, that weekend is forever frozen in my mind. The author made me re-live it. For that alone, the book's imperfections can be forgiven.
For the most part, the writing is flat, dull, and repetitive. It does manage, however, at the same time, to effectively track the last 48 hours, hour by hour, of both Kennedy and Oswald until that moment when their paths crossed on November 22nd, 1963 at 12:30 CST in Dealey Plaza in Dallas. Many eye witness quotes are used.
As a Baby Boomer, that weekend is forever frozen in my mind. The author made me re-live it. For that alone, the book's imperfections can be forgiven.
December 5, 2013
Swanson may be the world's first assassination writer. He wrote a couple of good books on the Lincoln assassination (Including Bloody Times - which discusses the events surrounding Lincoln's funeral and the chase for Jefferson Davis - also reviewed).
Swanson has a penchant for detail and in this book he looks in detail at the events leading up to Dallas and the events after. If you are looking for a conspiracy theorist - he is not for you. But if you want a clear and focussed discussion of the events that happened in November 1963 - this book is the perfect companion. You will learn a lot more about both Kennedy and Oswald but also the other key players in this drama.
Swanson has a penchant for detail and in this book he looks in detail at the events leading up to Dallas and the events after. If you are looking for a conspiracy theorist - he is not for you. But if you want a clear and focussed discussion of the events that happened in November 1963 - this book is the perfect companion. You will learn a lot more about both Kennedy and Oswald but also the other key players in this drama.
February 26, 2014
This was a fairly ordinary read and did not really have anything new to say about the assassination of JFK. Basically it was a retelling of the events of 22/11/63 and the days that followed. There were a few new facts and interesting bits but nothing really earth shattering.
December 12, 2020
James Swanson captures the attention of the reader with every page. In "End of Days: The assassination of John F. Kennedy", Swanson retells each minute of the the death and subsequent events in vivid detail. What happened on 1963 has forever changed history. Swanson retells the story fifty years later and shows the impact it has had to this day.
Eight months before the death of Lincoln, a man by the name of Lee Harvey Oswald purchased a rifle and had attempted to assassinate General Walker. He missed, but nobody other than his wife knew. He and his family then moved to Texas, where Oswald got a job at the Texas School Book Depository. Several months later, the Kennedy made a decision to campaign in Texas. While driving through Texas, three shots were fired from the Texas Book Book Depository. The first missed. The second hits Kennedy in the back and the third goes through his head. Kennedy was rushed to the hospital, with his wife at his side the entire time, but never survived. Not too long after, a cop was killed in the city. Oswald was suspect to both crimes. For two days, he was interrogated, but denied any claims that he owned a rifle or had killed Kennedy or the cop. While transporting him, another cop shot him and he died. Oswald never confessed that he did it, but the evidence against him far surpasses any other conspiracy to this day.
Swanson retells the story of Oswald assassinating the president with precision. He alternates between several acts, making it feel like a scripted movie and an overall compelling read. However, it must be noted that the story he tells is what the Warren Commission concluded, that Oswald was the single killer of Kennedy. He makes little mention of the many conspiracies that have been conspired (which I have little knowledge of). The only concern with his approach in retelling the story is that it takes some creative freedom with the facts and characters thoughts. Although this decision helps to tell a more gripping story, it glorifies the horror of the event and the assassin. Towards the end on the book, Swanson asks, why did Oswald assassinate John F. Kennedy? He lists several reasons, but the most telling one is this: “perhaps the reason is much simpler and more fundamental and lies beyond rational human understanding: Lee Harvey Oswald was evil.”
I would recommend this book because it gives a good overview of the death and legacy of John F. Kennedy. It makes us pause and think, are we any different than Oswald?
Eight months before the death of Lincoln, a man by the name of Lee Harvey Oswald purchased a rifle and had attempted to assassinate General Walker. He missed, but nobody other than his wife knew. He and his family then moved to Texas, where Oswald got a job at the Texas School Book Depository. Several months later, the Kennedy made a decision to campaign in Texas. While driving through Texas, three shots were fired from the Texas Book Book Depository. The first missed. The second hits Kennedy in the back and the third goes through his head. Kennedy was rushed to the hospital, with his wife at his side the entire time, but never survived. Not too long after, a cop was killed in the city. Oswald was suspect to both crimes. For two days, he was interrogated, but denied any claims that he owned a rifle or had killed Kennedy or the cop. While transporting him, another cop shot him and he died. Oswald never confessed that he did it, but the evidence against him far surpasses any other conspiracy to this day.
Swanson retells the story of Oswald assassinating the president with precision. He alternates between several acts, making it feel like a scripted movie and an overall compelling read. However, it must be noted that the story he tells is what the Warren Commission concluded, that Oswald was the single killer of Kennedy. He makes little mention of the many conspiracies that have been conspired (which I have little knowledge of). The only concern with his approach in retelling the story is that it takes some creative freedom with the facts and characters thoughts. Although this decision helps to tell a more gripping story, it glorifies the horror of the event and the assassin. Towards the end on the book, Swanson asks, why did Oswald assassinate John F. Kennedy? He lists several reasons, but the most telling one is this: “perhaps the reason is much simpler and more fundamental and lies beyond rational human understanding: Lee Harvey Oswald was evil.”
I would recommend this book because it gives a good overview of the death and legacy of John F. Kennedy. It makes us pause and think, are we any different than Oswald?
January 11, 2022
James Swanson captures the attention of the reader with every page. In End of Days: The Assassination of John F. Kennedy, Swanson retells each minute of the the death and subsequent events in vivid detail. What happened on 1963 has forever changed history. Swanson retells the story fifty years later and shows the impact it has had to this day.
Eight months before the death of Lincoln, a man by the name of Lee Harvey Oswald purchased a rifle and had attempted to assassinate General Walker. He missed, but nobody other than his wife knew. He and his family then moved to Texas, where Oswald got a job at the Texas Book Depository. Several months later, the Kennedy made a decision to campaign in Texas. While driving through Texas, three shots were fired from the Texas Book Depository. The first missed. The second hits Kennedy in the back and the third goes through his head. Kennedy was rushed to the hospital, with his wife at his side the entire time, but never survived. Not too long after, a cop was killed in the city. Oswald was suspect to both crimes. For two days, he was interrogated, but denied any claims that he owned a rifle or had killed Kennedy or the cop. While transporting him, another cop shot him and he died. Oswald never confessed that he did it, but the evidence against him far surpasses any other conspiracy to this day.
Swanson retells the story of Oswald assassinating the president with precision. He alternates between several acts, making it feel like a scripted movie and an overall compelling read. He only makes little mention of the many conspiracies that have been conspired (which I have little knowledge of). The only concern with his approach in retelling the story, is that it takes some creative freedom with the facts. Although this decision helps to tell a more gripping story, it glorifies the horror of the event and the assassin. Towards the end of the book, Swanson asks, why did Oswald assassinate John F. Kennedy? He lists several reasons, but the most telling is this: “perhaps the reason is much simpler and more fundamental and lies beyond rational human understanding: Lee Harvey Oswald was evil.”
I would recommend this book because it gives a good overview of the death and legacy of John F. Kennedy. It makes us pause and think, are we any different than Oswald?
Eight months before the death of Lincoln, a man by the name of Lee Harvey Oswald purchased a rifle and had attempted to assassinate General Walker. He missed, but nobody other than his wife knew. He and his family then moved to Texas, where Oswald got a job at the Texas Book Depository. Several months later, the Kennedy made a decision to campaign in Texas. While driving through Texas, three shots were fired from the Texas Book Depository. The first missed. The second hits Kennedy in the back and the third goes through his head. Kennedy was rushed to the hospital, with his wife at his side the entire time, but never survived. Not too long after, a cop was killed in the city. Oswald was suspect to both crimes. For two days, he was interrogated, but denied any claims that he owned a rifle or had killed Kennedy or the cop. While transporting him, another cop shot him and he died. Oswald never confessed that he did it, but the evidence against him far surpasses any other conspiracy to this day.
Swanson retells the story of Oswald assassinating the president with precision. He alternates between several acts, making it feel like a scripted movie and an overall compelling read. He only makes little mention of the many conspiracies that have been conspired (which I have little knowledge of). The only concern with his approach in retelling the story, is that it takes some creative freedom with the facts. Although this decision helps to tell a more gripping story, it glorifies the horror of the event and the assassin. Towards the end of the book, Swanson asks, why did Oswald assassinate John F. Kennedy? He lists several reasons, but the most telling is this: “perhaps the reason is much simpler and more fundamental and lies beyond rational human understanding: Lee Harvey Oswald was evil.”
I would recommend this book because it gives a good overview of the death and legacy of John F. Kennedy. It makes us pause and think, are we any different than Oswald?
February 28, 2021
I was not alive at the time of JFK’s assassination so I appreciated End of Days by James Swanson who wrote with the goal to recreate that moment and especially to show what that moment meant for people at the time.
I found it interesting how much people liked having a young, movie star-like president and first lady especially in light of our present and last president being in their 70’s and not having much going for them in the looks department! One would expect today’s culture, which probably worships youth and good looks even more now than it did then, would choose younger candidates.
It gave a little general and background information about JFK and Jackie but it left me wanting to know more about them, Jackie especially. I can’t imagine having a husband killed so gruesomely in my arms.
He only briefly mentions the alternative theories about how/why JFK was killed, but I thought this observation was helpful: “[A]ll of the theories have one thing in common. They reject the proven role that chance, luck, randomness, coincidence, or mistake have played in human history for thousands of years. To them, there are no accidents in life. Everything that happens can be explained by conspiracy. Just as the conspiracy theorists have questioned everything about the assassination, so much a reader question their writings with equal skepticism.”
If you weren't around in 1963, I would consider reading it. It was an easy to read, engaging and even suspenseful book. I was especially surprised by the beginning. I had no idea.
I found it interesting how much people liked having a young, movie star-like president and first lady especially in light of our present and last president being in their 70’s and not having much going for them in the looks department! One would expect today’s culture, which probably worships youth and good looks even more now than it did then, would choose younger candidates.
It gave a little general and background information about JFK and Jackie but it left me wanting to know more about them, Jackie especially. I can’t imagine having a husband killed so gruesomely in my arms.
He only briefly mentions the alternative theories about how/why JFK was killed, but I thought this observation was helpful: “[A]ll of the theories have one thing in common. They reject the proven role that chance, luck, randomness, coincidence, or mistake have played in human history for thousands of years. To them, there are no accidents in life. Everything that happens can be explained by conspiracy. Just as the conspiracy theorists have questioned everything about the assassination, so much a reader question their writings with equal skepticism.”
If you weren't around in 1963, I would consider reading it. It was an easy to read, engaging and even suspenseful book. I was especially surprised by the beginning. I had no idea.
May 26, 2017
Although I am fascinated by biographies, especially those on President Lincoln and President Kennedy, and have read Posner's "Case Closed," Fuhrman's "A Simple Case of Murder, and Vincent Bugliosi's massive "Reclaiming History" (not the subsequently released shortened version), and Manchester's classic "The Death of a President," Swanson's "The End of Days" taught me things about President Kennedy's assassination that I never knew. Most especially, Swanson's book deals with the emotional components of November 22, 1963, both on the macro national level, and on the micro level, with great insight into the feelings of the President's widow, Jacqueline Kennedy. These touching insights set this book apart from the other works I have read on the assassination. While I prefer to focus on President Kennedy's life, not his death, anyone interested in the story of our 35th President should not overlook this book. I highly recommend reading Posner and Bugliosi in addition to Swanson, but I found this volume extremely compelling. I was unable to put this book down, and read it over a two day period. I strongly suggest that this not be the only book one reads on President Kennedy, nor the only book one should read about his assassination. I nevertheless believe that this powerful book is one not to be missed.
February 22, 2018
For those of us old enough, November 22, 1963 is burned into our memories just as 9/11 is to a much younger generation.
This book is filled with facts and few theories. It presents day-by-day and sometimes, hour-by-hour, detail of both Lee Harvey Oswald and President Kennedy. The reader will learn of Oswald’s actions six weeks before, two days before, and the morning of, 22 November 1963 that could have made a difference to the outcome of the day. Also presented are the actions of the Secret Service and the Dallas Police Department that would present fodder for conspiracy theorists to this day.
Mr. Swanson’s research presents Mrs. Kennedy and her actions following the shooting in a clear and eye-opening way. He presents information on how Mrs. Kennedy took control of the details of the funeral, and the way the American people view the Kennedy years.
This volume is very easy to read. Mr. Swanson’s writing allows the reader an “as-you-are-there” view of events. I recommend this to high school and college students and adults.
This book is a valuable addition to the Kennedy Assassination library.
***CAUTION TO PARENTS – The assassination of President Kennedy was extremely violent and gory. This work does not hold anything back – the violence, blood or medical observations.
This book is filled with facts and few theories. It presents day-by-day and sometimes, hour-by-hour, detail of both Lee Harvey Oswald and President Kennedy. The reader will learn of Oswald’s actions six weeks before, two days before, and the morning of, 22 November 1963 that could have made a difference to the outcome of the day. Also presented are the actions of the Secret Service and the Dallas Police Department that would present fodder for conspiracy theorists to this day.
Mr. Swanson’s research presents Mrs. Kennedy and her actions following the shooting in a clear and eye-opening way. He presents information on how Mrs. Kennedy took control of the details of the funeral, and the way the American people view the Kennedy years.
This volume is very easy to read. Mr. Swanson’s writing allows the reader an “as-you-are-there” view of events. I recommend this to high school and college students and adults.
This book is a valuable addition to the Kennedy Assassination library.
***CAUTION TO PARENTS – The assassination of President Kennedy was extremely violent and gory. This work does not hold anything back – the violence, blood or medical observations.
September 14, 2018
End of days the assignation of JFK
⁃ since 1840 every man to enter the white house on a 0 has not left alive.
11/22/1963 died (46)
35th president (43) youngest ever
November 1960 got elected
Lived in Georgetown
Married Jacqueline lee Bouvier (socialite)
8/1963 lost a child - 2 total
Caroline / John (kids)
JFK (jack) - democratic 1960-63
Took over for dwite Eisenhower
Lindan Johnson - vp
In navy hit his boat hurt back
Harvard / rich / in war
Bay of pigs '61 Lead by CIA
Operation mongoose after
1962 Russian underground bases in Cuba
Cuban missile crises 63 (nuclear war)
Started peace corps
-----------------------------------
Lee Harvey Oswald - marines defected to Russia
(Alec James Hydell - nickname)
Born in NO, lived in NY TX and NO
Father died. Mother unstable
Marina desactiva - Wife 1961
June - baby 1962
Racheal - 2nd child 10/1963
1st attempt in dalas 4/10/63
General Edwin walker - communist
Shot him. Maneick karcado gun.
Walked away. Took a bus.
🔫elm street
1-cement
2-through top/bottom of spine/throat
Into governor Greg Connolly hit wrist to thigh.
3-right rear skull
4-killed tippet (police officer)
Took busses - went to the movies
Buel welsley frasier - friend that gave rides
FPCC fair play for Cuba committee
Slauter - radio host
Stucky - 1st radio interview
Carlos bringhuer- Cuban exile in interview
⁃ since 1840 every man to enter the white house on a 0 has not left alive.
11/22/1963 died (46)
35th president (43) youngest ever
November 1960 got elected
Lived in Georgetown
Married Jacqueline lee Bouvier (socialite)
8/1963 lost a child - 2 total
Caroline / John (kids)
JFK (jack) - democratic 1960-63
Took over for dwite Eisenhower
Lindan Johnson - vp
In navy hit his boat hurt back
Harvard / rich / in war
Bay of pigs '61 Lead by CIA
Operation mongoose after
1962 Russian underground bases in Cuba
Cuban missile crises 63 (nuclear war)
Started peace corps
-----------------------------------
Lee Harvey Oswald - marines defected to Russia
(Alec James Hydell - nickname)
Born in NO, lived in NY TX and NO
Father died. Mother unstable
Marina desactiva - Wife 1961
June - baby 1962
Racheal - 2nd child 10/1963
1st attempt in dalas 4/10/63
General Edwin walker - communist
Shot him. Maneick karcado gun.
Walked away. Took a bus.
🔫elm street
1-cement
2-through top/bottom of spine/throat
Into governor Greg Connolly hit wrist to thigh.
3-right rear skull
4-killed tippet (police officer)
Took busses - went to the movies
Buel welsley frasier - friend that gave rides
FPCC fair play for Cuba committee
Slauter - radio host
Stucky - 1st radio interview
Carlos bringhuer- Cuban exile in interview
December 7, 2024
I just re-read this book after about 10 years as a spate of recent podcasts reignited my interest in this dark day in American history.
The book is an excellent analysis of JFK's assassination by Lee Harvey Oswald. It is a very factual but readable description of the events leading up to, and subsequent to, the assassination from both the perspective of the president and of Oswald and his family. James Swanson is a very reliable author and he does not let the subject down in this book.
He does not go into the Jack Ruby part of the story - but it was interesting to read how lax the Dallas police department was in parading Oswald before all and sundry in an effort to gain favor with the media and, consequently, how easy it was for Ruby to get close enough to Oswald to shoot him. Reading the book seems to dispel (for me) the various conspiracy theories that have abounded over the years. Oswald was simply a lone wolf with delusions of grandeur and a chip on his shoulder looking for his 15 minutes. He got them!
The book is an excellent analysis of JFK's assassination by Lee Harvey Oswald. It is a very factual but readable description of the events leading up to, and subsequent to, the assassination from both the perspective of the president and of Oswald and his family. James Swanson is a very reliable author and he does not let the subject down in this book.
He does not go into the Jack Ruby part of the story - but it was interesting to read how lax the Dallas police department was in parading Oswald before all and sundry in an effort to gain favor with the media and, consequently, how easy it was for Ruby to get close enough to Oswald to shoot him. Reading the book seems to dispel (for me) the various conspiracy theories that have abounded over the years. Oswald was simply a lone wolf with delusions of grandeur and a chip on his shoulder looking for his 15 minutes. He got them!
April 23, 2018
I have always been fascinated with Kennedy - his life, his family, and of course his assassination. The tragic and fateful events of that day are recaptured in this book. Thankfully, Swanson is not a fan of those many outlandish conspiracy theories out there. He tells the events as they unfolded (or at least as far as we know). Kennedy was unlucky enough to get into a psychopath loser's way who wanted to become famous.
As for the writing, it is repetitive at times and I feel that on some pages he's trying a bit too hard to plug his books about the Lincoln assassination. There are many spelling mistakes throughout the book which were blatantly obvious to me as a non-native speaker... But I still found this to be a page-turner. It's like watching the movie "Titanic": You know what will happen but the story is so compelling!
The book also gives an extensive list of other books on the subject, and I might use that as a starting point for more research.
As for the writing, it is repetitive at times and I feel that on some pages he's trying a bit too hard to plug his books about the Lincoln assassination. There are many spelling mistakes throughout the book which were blatantly obvious to me as a non-native speaker... But I still found this to be a page-turner. It's like watching the movie "Titanic": You know what will happen but the story is so compelling!
The book also gives an extensive list of other books on the subject, and I might use that as a starting point for more research.
October 23, 2018
Millions of words have been written about the events in Dallas on 22nd November 1963. The Warren report alone was responsible for over 300,000 of them. So this Book offers little that has not been covered in many other books down the years. The author well recreates the mood of America prior & post-Assination. He assumes that without a doubt that Lee Harvey Oswald acted alone that day & was responsible for the killing of Kennedy. In fact, no mention of conspiracy is mentioned to the Acknowledgments, Though interestingly during the book there is no mention of any sources by which the author has reached this conclusion. True he does at length quote Mrs Oswald, but again no mention as to where & how he came across these quotes. As the book reaches it's ending the reader wonders if style has made way for substance!
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