Killing Kennedy

Goodreads Synopsis:    A riveting historical narrative of the shocking events surrounding the assassination of John F. Kennedy, and the follow-up to mega-bestselling author Bill O'Reilly's Killing Lincoln

More than a million readers have thrilled to Bill O'Reilly's Killing Lincoln, the page-turning work of nonfiction about the shocking assassination that changed the course of American history. Now the anchor of The O'Reilly Factor recounts in gripping detail the brutal murder of John Fitzgerald Kennedy—and how a sequence of gunshots on a Dallas afternoon not only killed a beloved president but also sent the nation into the cataclysmic division of the Vietnam War and its culture-changing aftermath.

In January 1961, as the Cold War escalates, John F. Kennedy struggles to contain the growth of Communism while he learns the hardships, solitude, and temptations of what it means to be president of the United States. Along the way he acquires a number of formidable enemies, among them Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev, Cuban dictator Fidel Castro, and Alan Dulles, director of the Central Intelligence Agency.  In addition, powerful elements of organized crime have begun to talk about targeting the president and his brother, Attorney General Robert Kennedy.

In the midst of a 1963 campaign trip to Texas, Kennedy is gunned down by an erratic young drifter named Lee Harvey Oswald. The former Marine Corps sharpshooter escapes the scene, only to be caught and shot dead while in police custody.

The events leading up to the most notorious crime of the twentieth century are almost as shocking as the assassination itself. Killing Kennedy chronicles both the heroism and deceit of Camelot, bringing history to life in ways that will profoundly move the reader.  This may well be the most talked about book of the year.

My Thoughts:

-    I loved Killing Lincoln by Bill O'Reilly, so I was super excited that he was doing another one about Kennedy's assassination.  It didn't disappoint. 

-    Every history book should be written this way!  It would make History one of the favorite subjects in school! 

-    The PT-109 experience reads like a good castaway book.

-    I  learned a lot about what kind of man JFK was, and let me say, it wasn't good.  He was a very vein guy and very immoral.  I can't believe he was able to keep all of his philandering a secret.  

-    I think JFK handled the Cuban Missile Crisis well, and I learned a lot of stuff I didn't know about that crisis.  

-    I just learned a lot period.

-    I KNEW IT!!  I knew Martin Luther King Jr. was a scum!  I'm so glad the book addressed that.  

-    I was sad to learn some things about Peter Lawford.  He is one of my favorite MGM stars.  He had a nice voice.  Too bad he didn't have a nice life.  

-    I wish O'Reilly would write a book about all the President's and their time in office.  It would be fun to learn about each one.  

-    The book was so interesting, and even though I knew what the outcome of many things were, I still loved it and it kept me turning pages.

-    Lee Harvey Oswald was a messed up guy!  He just didn't know what he wanted in life, so he took someone else's.  YES!  LET IT BE KNOWN THAT LEE HARVEY OSWALD WAS THE MAN WHO KILLED KENNEDY!  I also believe he acted solo!

-    Even though, I don't really like Kennedy (or his family), I was still sad when I read about his death.  It was a terrible thing.  I feel bad for Jackie.  I can't even imagine seeing my hubby's head explode.  

-    If you love history, and even if you don't, I highly recommend this book.  It is good to know about your country, and this is a book anyone could enjoy.  

Series Info:

Killing Kennedy is a companion book to Killing Lincoln.  Click on the photo to read my review.